How Much Do Golden Retrievers Eat
Do you want your golden retriever to live a long, healthy life? Were sure you do. Every pet owner wants to ensure the overall health and well-being of their loyal companion.
The first step toward maintaining the good health of your golden retriever is to keep a daily check on their diet. The quality of food you give to your furry friend will definitely have an impact on their physical health.
High-quality food prevents golden retrievers from becoming victims of life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, or orthopedic problems. But thats not the only reason why you should be feeding good food to your loving pet. Good, nourishing food is also important when it comes to keeping them happy and satisfied.
While feeding your pet nutritious food every day sounds easy, it is only when you indulge in this activity that you begin to have questions regarding their feeding needs. For example, how much do golden retrievers eat,what kind of food is best for them, what type of food should you avoid feeding them, etc. This article aims to answer all those questions that you may have regarding your golden retrievers diet.
Is The Golden Retriever Dog Easy To Train
A Golden Retriever is a very reliable and hard working dog, so it can be trained to be obedient in just a few days. Before you get one, make sure you know that you know the breed and that you know the differences between Golden and German Shepherd breeds. The Golden Retriever was designed to be a companion and a working dog, so the breeds must be chosen wisely to produce the desired dog. The Golden Retriever is among the easiest dog breeds to train. The breed does well with people of all ages, sizes, and cognitive levels. The breed is one of the most sociable and active types of dog, so pet owners are always in need of a large amount of stimulation, which can make training very challenging for most canines.
Know How To Tell If A Golden Retriever Is At A Healthy Size
The greatest lesson we can teach you is to learn what a healthy SIZE looks and feels like for your Golden Retriever. Notice that I dont say Weight.Weight is deceiving. It can change. As a puppy grows it changes all the time. You must be able to feel a dogs side to determine if your dog is at a healthy size or not. You have to look THROUGH their coat and feel the actual fat that they have. Your dog could look great to you, but after further investigation could be too thin or too fat.
Heres the key.Feel the skin located on the rib cage/side of your Golden Retriever. How thick is that skin/fat? Your goal is for that skin to be as thick as a sweater. If it feels like a t-shirt then your Golden Retriever is too skinny. If it feels like 2 sweaters then your Golden Retriever is too fat. You may say, But my Golden Retriever only weighs 67 lbs! The actual weight means littlehow fat is your Golden Retriever? You do not want your Golden overweight because, as mentioned before, it leads to many problems like dysplasia, heart issues and even cancer. It also voids our warranty if a Golden Retriever is found to be overweight.
Review the picture to the right. Most people would say the Golden in the top photo is too skinny, but the truth is that the top Golden Retriever is at a healthy weight.
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Golden Retriever Feeding Guide Puppy Adult & Senior
You have probably noticed that no matter how much food you put in his bowl, your Goldie wants to eat more and acts like he is on brink of starvation! Being a large and energetic dog, your Golden Retriever has a ravenous appetite and can eat a lot. However, overfeeding is never good and could be avoided with the help of a Golden Retriever feeding chart.
Knowing how much to feed your Golden Retriever is always tricky but essential for his well-being and health. Goldens are prone to obesity and joint problems, which can only be exacerbated with an inadequate feeding plan.
Naturally, a Golden Retriever puppy and an older dog dont have the same nutritional needs, and you will have to base your feeding plan according to your dogs age, activity level, weight, and overall health.
In this article, you will find everything you need to know about feeding your Golden Retriever, whether he is a puppy, adult, or senior. So, stay with me to find the right feeding plan and meal schedule for your Goldie.
Once you bring your Goldie puppy home, its crucial that you feed him the right amount of high-quality puppy food. Skipping meals can slow your puppys growth and development, but overfeeding can cause your pup to grow too quickly, which can lead to bone and joint problems.
Most first-time owners think that their puppies should be chubby. In truth, Golden Retriever puppies are supposed to look lanky and act like they are always hungry when fed the correct amount of food.
Eukanuba Senior Large Breed Dog Food
Eukanuba Senior Large Breed Dog Food is also recommended by our staff veterinarians. It is formulated to fuel your active Golden Retrievers daily activities with optimal levels of fat and carbohydrates. It also helps maintain their natural defenses with guaranteed antioxidant levels for older dogs.
Below is a feeding chart for Eukanuba Senior Large Breed dog food.
Eukanuba Senior Large Breed Feeding Chart
| Weight | |
|---|---|
| 4 5/8- 6 Cups Per Day | |
| 110 lbs. | 5 ½- 7 1/8 Cups Per Day |
Eukanuba is like Royal Canin in that it provides precise amounts of food for your aging Golden Retriever. The range of amounts is based on the activity of your Golden for the day, either low, moderate, or high level of activity.
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Eukanuba Large Breed Adult Dog Food
Eukanuba Large Breed Adult Dog Food is another top choice of our staff veterinarians. This brand of dog food provides a balanced nutritious meal that fuels an active lifestyle. The ingredients support healthy brain function and lean muscles.
Below is a feeding chart for Eukanuba adult dog food.
Eukanuba Large Breed Adult Feeding Chart
| Weight | |
|---|---|
| 3 7/8 5 1/8 Cups Per Day | |
| 88 lbs. | 4 ¼ 5 5/8 Cups Per Day |
Eukanuba Adult Dog Food is like Royal Canin in that it provides precise amounts of food based on the level of exercise for that day. On the back of the bag, it explains how much food you should give for low, moderate, and high activity.
Precisely What Is Grain
Dog food often contains grains. Included in this are wheat, barley and rye, for example. Embryon have an important function: they are a source of carbohydrates and energy. However, too much of it results in obesity and sometimes to digestive problems. There is also grain-free dog food. Instead of grain, it contains alternate ingredients such as potatoes and dried beans, which also provide carbohydrates to the dog.
Grain-free dog food usually makes digestion easier and is also ideal for more sensitive dogs. Nevertheless , it is not necessarily required to use a grain-free dog food. Dogs are omnivores and are able to break down vegetable protein. Several types of feed are also particularly easy to digest. These include maize and rice, for example. Sometimes, however, it makes sense or is necessary to use a dog food without grain. This is especially true if the dog is allergic to food containing cereals.
If you want to give your dog a dog food with grain, you should make sure that the grain content is not too much and that the product has a balanced recipe.
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Avoid Overfeeding A Golden Retriever
For those who have Golden Retrievers at home, how to avoid overfeeding a Golden Retriever is an important issue. You have probably noticed that no matter how much food you put, your Golden Retriever wants to eat more and acts like he is on the brink of starvation! Because dogs are usually greedy, they often dont know when theyre full. Especially for delicious food, it will never eat enough. However, eating too much can have a bad effect on your dogs health. A lactating Golden Retriever mother should not control how much she eats. Because breastfeeding mothers need to eat a lot, in order to ensure adequate milk. When a golden dog mother has indigestion, we can give him some medicine such as lactase to help digestion, but do not give him less food.
How To Switch Food Brands
The other day I was talking to someone who was complaining that her puppy was having lots of stomach issues.
She said shed tried several different food brands and her puppy had problems with all of them!
Well, in this case, its probably not the food thats the problem
Its the fact that she kept switching foods so quickly!
Dogs have sensitive stomachs so if you want to switch foods, you need to do it slowly.
You should take about a week to transition from the old food to the new brand.
For example, on day one, their meal might be 10% new food, 90% old food.
On day two, their meal might be 25% new food, 75% old food.
Youd slowly add in more new food, and give them less of the old food, until youve fully made the switch.
And this rule applies whether youre switching to a different brand of puppy food, or switching them from puppy food to adult food.
If you dont make this transition slowly, youll probably be dealing with a lot of diarrhea.
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Weaning A Puppy From Formula
Weaning is a gradual process and it cannot be done overnight. The weaning process will last about two to three weeks. During this time period, you should gradually increase the proportion of solid food.
It is best to select a formula that has been designed for puppies. You can consult with your veterinarian or pet nutrition expert to understand more about the best options.
When the puppy is between six weeks old, you can make gruel by mixing a small amount of solid food with the milk formula. The gruel can be offered 3 to 4 times a day. You should gradually reduce the formula milk content during each serving.
If you wean your pup to solid food in this way, the chances of any gastric upset will be minimized. The pups digestive system will slowly get accustomed to solid food. When your pup becomes eight weeks old, it should be exclusively fed on solid food.
Best Food For Golden Retriever Puppies
There are so many options for Golden Retriever puppy food that it can be quite overwhelming.
And when you add in the strong opinions people have about dog food, the confusing marketing about whats good and whats bad, and the importance of choosing a high-quality food it can be downright scary to pick a food for your pup!
But heres the good news: this article will make this decision much easier for you.
Youll see two studies to help you choose the best food for your Golden Retriever puppy, as well as learn what makes a good dog food, what to avoid, and get answers to the most common food questions Golden Retriever puppy owners have.
Now before we dive in, heres a quick note: the best resource for deciding what to feed your golden retriever puppy is your veterinarian.
They know your puppy best and are most knowledgeable about their health needs.
Alrighty, now lets dive into that first study!
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What Is The Best Golden Retriever Food
The food you give your dog has a major impact on their health, especially when you are dealing with a Golden Retriever puppy, this large breed dog is prone to both hip and elbow dysplasia, so it is important you feed him golden retriever food that contains all the nutrients so he can grow into a healthy adult and reduce the risk of health problems.
Golden Retriever puppy food wont necessarily eliminate these risks from your beloved dog but it will set him off with the right nutrition to help him face whatever health issue they may face in the future.
To help, we listed the best food for Golden Retriever puppy as well as adult
Can I Feed Homemade Food To My Golden Retriever
Yes, cooking and feeding your Golden Retriever homemade food is a great way to give him the levels of nutrition your dog needs to live a healthy, allergy-free life.
As a Golden dog parent, your number one priority is to ensure that all the ingredients used are safe to eat and that all of your Goldens nutritional requirements are met with every single meal.
Remember,switching your Goldens foodto homemade from kibble isa slow process and should be done progressively. You need to take into account factors like your Goldens eating history, weight, and overall health before giving homemade food to your pet.
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Homemade Dog Food Delivery Service
If you wish your Golden Retriever could eat whole, fresh homemade foods more often, but you dont have the time to cook, consider a homemade dog food delivery service.
The Farmers Dog is one of our favorite options. They deliver vet-designed, fresh-prepared homemade dog food tailored to your pups dietary needs straight to your door. Everything is made from real, human-grade, all-natural ingredients
Meals are pre-made and pre-portioned to their calorie needs based on the profile you create. It complies with AAFCOs nutritional guidelines. The food is delivered to your doorstep within days of cooking and never deep-frozen or stored on a shelf for months. This ensures your Golden gets the most out of it.
Let the experts do the cooking for you so you never have to worry about using the wrong ingredients, counting nutrients, portions sizes, and more.
Its worth the cost after you add up the prices of all the ingredients youll need to cook a recipe. Its a huge time-saver and you can spend your time in more important things.
Our readers have access to save 50% off their first The Farmers Dog order. No code needed, just use this link and the discount will be applied!
Learn more about The Farmers Dog in our in-depth review article
How Much Should You Feed Your Golden Retriever Puppy
How much you feed your puppy depends on what your veterinarian says and what the label on the dog food says.
Its tough to make general statements like, feed your puppy one cup per day, because 1) all puppies are different, and 2) different foods have different caloric densities.
One cup of Brand X food may have 300 calories per cup, while Brand Y has 400 calories per cup.
And heres an example of why it depends on the individual puppy
When we first got our puppy, Oliver, we were feeding him what the package told us to feed him.
During a vet visit our veterinarian said he looked too small and lethargic for a puppy his age , and he recommended we feed him a little more.
So when deciding how much to feed your puppy, read the label on your food and talk to your veterinarian to see whats best for them.
As far as how often to feed your puppy, this same rule applies.
Most people feed their puppies three times per day, and then eventually transition to two times per day when theyre a little older.
At this point, theyre not growing as much, so they dont need to eat as frequently, plus it will usually help them poop less!
For us, we fed Oliver three times per day until he was a little over a year old.
Thats when we switched to adult dog food and changed to feeding him two times per day.
- Getting a Golden Retriever Puppy? Get the gameplan for raising them right with the Golden Retriever Puppy Handbook.
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Wet Foods Vs Dry Foods
Both wet and dry foods are the most common types of dog foods you will find in the market. They are available in commercial quantities and come with different formulations for your dog breed, age, and size.
One of the many reasons dog owners prefer wet and dry foods is that they can easily access and store them. Plus, they contain most of the nutrients that your dog needs for growth.
The major difference between wet and dry foods is the moisture or water content. Wet foods contain more moisture than dry foods.
With dry food, pets eat lots of calories in small quantities. In contrast, your pet must eat twice or triple times as much wet food to gain similar calorific values as dry foods.
Wet Foods
Wet foods are suitable for young Golden Retrievers that are just weaning off their mother’s milk. Because they contain about 60 to 85 percent moisture content, your pet can easily adjust to eating wet foods.
If your dogs are elderly, picky, have problems with chewing, or drink very little water, wet foods may also be your best bet. The moisture in the wet food will hydrate your pet and provide the nutrients they need.
Because wet foods are usually more palatable, your dogs may eat larger portions per meal. And due to the high water content, they need to take in more quantities per meal to get the ideal amount of nutrients they need.
Here are some of the downsides of wet foods.
Dry Foods