General Golden Retriever Adult Food
Overfeeding your Golden Retriever can lead to obesity and health problems, so make sure you are keeping them on a healthy, scheduled diet to help them live their best life. Below is a general feeding chart for adult Golden Retrievers.
Golden Retriever Adult Feeding Chart
| Adult | |
|---|---|
| Nursing Females | 5 to 6 Cups Per Day |
This is a general feeding chart guideline. Be sure to consult with your veterinarian to find the best feeding schedule for you and your Golden. They will be able to tell you exactly how much to feed your Golden based on their individual dietary needs.
Feeding your Golden Retriever high-quality food will give them the best nutritional value to live a healthy life. Cheaper dog foods have a lot of fillers in them that provide them no nutritional value, so you may have to feed them more of it for a meal.
Always look on the back of the dog food for their recommended feeding chart and give your Golden those amounts. A visit with your veterinarian about which food is best can be extremely helpful also.
Below are some of our top choices of food with feeding charts.
How Often Should I Feed My Dog
Set mealtimes are recommended for most dogs for a variety of reasons. Keeping mealtimes consistent, as well as the type and amount of food you feed him, will help him maintain both his digestive health and his weight. Consistent mealtimes can also help prevent accidents in the house.
For most dogs, feeding twice each dayonce in the morning and once in the eveningis appropriate.
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
Also Check: How Often Groom Golden Retriever
Top Best Answers To The Question How Many Cups Of Food Should I Feed My Golden Retriever Puppy
How Much Should I Feed My Golden Retriever Puppy? A Golden Retriever puppy will have to be fed three meals a day until he is six months old, at which time you can feed him twice a day. Meal size can vary from one puppy to the next, but the average three-month-old Golden puppy will eat two cups of food a day.
Those who are looking for an answer to the question «How many cups of food should i feed my golden retriever puppy?» often ask the followingquestions:
The Dangers Of Beg And Grain
We touched on this earlier, but in recent years, DCM has increased in golden retrievers, according to this study.
There seem to be two potential causes of this.
When they surveyed what these dogs were eating, more than 90 percent of products were grain-free, and 93 percent of reported products had peas and/or lentils.
So when choosing which food to feed your puppy, you may want to think twice before you decide to go grain free.
Recommended Reading: How To Convince Your Mom To Get A Puppy
How Much Food Should I Feed My Golden Retriever
Q: How much should a Golden Retriever eat?My Golden Retriever is overweight, 9 years old, fed Iams Senior/Weight Control. I want to start feeding him in smaller portions, multiple times a day, in hopes to trick him that hes full.Also, what alternative snack do they like that are healthy, so to satisfy my dad and grandmother who think they MUST give treats? …sighPhoto Credit: sawyer90/Flickr
Answers and Views:
Answer by durdenslabsWhat you do is feed your Golden Retriever the amount that he needs to maintain his ideal weight. Find out from your vet how much he should weigh, then go by the recommended feeding listed on the food.Our female Lab was overweight at one point by about 7 lbs. We cut her food down to 2 2 1/2 cups a day with a couple of dog bone treats during the afternoon.Tell your dad to stop feeding him every time hes near the food bowl. Thats why the dog is overweight in the first place.
They can give him regular dog treats or even plain yogurt if they have to but only in small amounts.Take him out to exercise more and give less food .
Answer by Golden gal& hI feed my Goldens baby carrots for a low-fat low cal. treat! Also, Celery with the strings removed. You can also mix green beans cooked in with his food it will make him feel fuller and it will reduce the calories. I feed my guys here 2 times a day. Morning and evenings!
Most popular dog food on Amazon :
Kibble And Wet Dog Food
You should add a little wet food to your kibble which is also recommended by most of the dog breeders and vet so that the meal your golden eats has moisture in their diet which helps your puppy to stay well hydrated.
So, Kibble + Wet food can be served to your pooch and it will be a tasty treat too !
You can add more small pieces of ingredients from your side to the bowl for instance scrambles organic egg, organic veggies, and fruits, or probiotics such as yogurt!
Make sure you dont overfeed! Also by adding wet food we maintain the calories that we are feeding our golden!
You May Like: Golden Retriever Collars
How Big Should A 3 Month Old Golden Retriever Be
As an overall average, many Golden Retriever puppies will weigh just approximately 1.5 pounds for each week of age. This means at 3 months, your puppy could weigh about 22 pounds, and at 6 months, they could weigh roughly 44 pounds. Remember that there can be wide weight variations within any breed.
Nutritional Guidelines To Follow
To ensure a homemade dog food diet will meet your Golden Retrievers dietary requirements, you need to take into account your Goldens weight, health condition, size, and activity level.
The best homemade diet for Golden Retriever will always have the six essential nutrients any dog meal should always have.
| Nutrient | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protein | Chicken, lamb, turkey, beef, fish, yogurt and cooked eggs | Builds and repairs muscles and other body tissues. Needed to make new skin cells, grow hair, hormones, enzymes and more. |
| Carbohydrates | Oats, brown rice, potatoes, and whole wheat | |
| Fat | From meats and oils such as olive or sunflower oil, fish oil, canola oils among others | Responsible for providing quality energy. Necessary for the normal development and function of body cells, nerves, muscles, and body tissues |
| Minerals | Calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, zinc, etc. | Common functions include the formation of bone and cartilage, nerve and muscle function, fluid balance regulation, the transportation of oxygen in the bloodstream and hormone production. |
| Water | Water | Hydration is critical in dogs. A dog that loses too much water can get very sick and even die. Ensure they have water available throughout the day. |
| Vitamins | A, B, C, D, E, and K | Keeps skin and coat healthy, strengthens bones and teeth, and gives them the overall energy that they need to function. |
Its not advice to improvise when cooking for your pooch.
Don’t Miss: How To Draw A Golden Retriever Easy
How Many Calories Does A Golden Retriever Puppy Need
Even though Golden Retrievers are known to be active dogs, they can gain weight quite easily if their diet is not correct. To make the decision about how many calories you should be feeding your golden retriever, you need to look at his weight, age, and level of activity.
- When he is two months old, you should give him 1 ½ cups of food daily
- When he is seven months old, give him 3 to 4 cups of food daily
- Adult Golden Retrievers that are active, require about 1,300 to 1,700 calories daily
- Senior Golden retrievers require about 900 calories daily
Please consider these to be a guide and consult your veterinarian if you are unsure about anything.
Another method you can use to find the right amount of food to feed your golden retriever is the RER method. This is the resting energy requirements of your dog, found by multiplying his weight in kilograms to the power of ¾ by 70.
For instance, if you have a puppy that weighs 10 kg all you need to do is multiply this amount by the power of ¾ by 70. You should get an RER of 70 X 10kgs ¾ = 400 calories per day.
How Much Water Should Golden Retrievers Drink
Golden Retrievers should drink up to one ounce of water every day for each pound that they weigh. However, there are many other variables to consider, such as age, activity level, diet , temperature and humidity, medication, pregnancy, nursing, etc.
Make sure your dogs water bowl remains full and that the water is changed every few hours. Dog water fountains, such as the PetSafe Drinkwell from Amazon, are one of my favorites. I love this one because it is perfect for Retrievers, has a two-tiered design, and even includes carbon filters to keep the water free from odors and bad tastes.
Giving ice cubes, adding water to dry food, or making fun playtimes with a hose in warm weather are some other ways to keep your Golden Retriever hydrated.
Also Check: Service Dog Golden Retriever
What To Feed My Golden Retriever Puppy
Puppies need a lot of nutrients per day to support their activity levels and their growing bodies, so its crucial to purchase a dry dog kibble that is specifically made for large breed puppies.
Look for formulas high in protein with smaller kibble pieces, checking the label to ensure it is a complete and nutritious diet. Many people assume that there is no difference between a puppy and adult food, but the difference lies in the nutritional value.
Wet canned food is often something new dog owners ask about, though wet food tends to be better suited for smaller breeds. Typically, large breed puppies and dogs do well with kibble alone, since theyre formulated for large breeds. Unless recommended by your vet, wet food is not a necessary addition to your puppys meals.
Feed Your Golden Retriever Kibble
The most common kibble choice that pet owners choose is commercial dry kibble. When looking for this kind of food, you have to ensure that it offers complete and balanced nutrition.
Many golden retriever owners opt for a meat/protein kibble as opposed to the chow one. How can you differentiate between the two? Protein kibbles usually have protein as their basic ingredients. These ingredients include meat, bone meal, and chicken meal. On the other hand, chow kibbles consist of grains or cereals such as soy, wheat, and corn.
Read Also: How To Bathe A Golden Retriever Puppy
Feeding Length Of Your Golden Retriever Puppy
For Golden Retrievers you should monitor the amount of time they take to eat. In general, you should give them about 20 to 30 minutes to complete a meal.
If for some reason he is unable to finish in that amount of time, then remove the remaining food and give him the amount he was able to eat. It is not advised to use the leftover kibble from the last meal to the next meal you give him.
If hes completing all the kibble in less than a half-hour, you can increase the amount just a bit. It is a good practice to feed your puppy in the same place every day without distractions so that he can focus on his meal.
Ask Your Veterinarian For Puppy Feeding Guidance
Right now, you are probably thinking How will I ever figure out which food is best for my new puppy?
Here, we strongly recommend involving your veterinarian in the selection process.
With so many different brands and formulas available for puppy owners today, it can feel nearly impossible to choose the best puppy food for golden retrievers on your own.
Most importantly, as these pictures of young and adult golden retrievers illustrate, your golden retriever puppy is going to eventually be a big dog.
Numerous research studies show that maintaining strict control over bone growth and weight gain in puppyhood can have a measurable impact on adult health and life span for big dog breeds.
You want to choose a puppy food that will keep your puppys growth and weight gain healthy and stableneither too slow nor too fast.
Your vet can be an invaluable source of wisdom and guidance here.
You May Like: How Often Should Golden Retrievers Be Groomed
Is It Ok To Shave My Golden Retriever
It is not OK to shave your Golden Retriever. These breeds have a double coat that keeps them warm in winter and cool in summer. Shaving their hair can disrupt the balance that nature has given them. A Golden Retrievers undercoat grows in winter providing good insulation. They will shed this coat once the spring begins and you may have to rake out their dead hair during this season regularly.
Why You Dont Want To Overfeed Your Golden Retriever Puppy
Golden retrievers are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia and they love eating.
Those two statements may sound random, but they are related.
According to the Banfield Pet Hospital, overfeeding your golden retriever can cause them to grow too fast and increase their risk of hip dysplasia.
To make sure you dont overfeed them, use a measuring cup when dishing out their food and never free-feed them.
Recommended Reading: What Is A Golden Cream Retriever
How Much To Feed A Golden Retriever Senior
Golden Retriever seniors will need about 900 calories or about 20% less than adult dogs to stay at their ideal weight. Golden Retrievers are seniors at about 8 years old. When entering old age, they may benefit from eating a food with less fat and fewer calories.
During the senior years, Golden Retrievers will become more sedentary therefore not requiring as much food as before. They should still be eating two meals a day, but not as much. There are many senior dog foods out there that help them with maintaining a healthy weight.
As your Golden Retriever progresses from old dog to older dog, you may notice them losing weight and requiring more calories in this stage of life. The fat content in their diet may need increased. Talking with your veterinarian would be a good choice if you notice your Golden losing weight.
There are some senior dog foods that provide the right healthy eating habits for this stage of life. Below are our top choices for Golden Retriever seniors.
How Many Times A Day Should I Feed My Golden Retriever
Your Golden Retriever puppy has a built-in timer that prompts him to eat on schedule. Give him three meals a day for the first three months and then feed him twice a day for the rest of his life. Most breeders and professional trainers prefer twice-daily feeding.
Read Also: Is Golden Retriever Considered A Large Breed
Here Are Some General Feeding Guidelines:
For Golden Retriever puppies:
- Two Months Old: 1 ½ cups a day, 4 times per day
- Three Months Old: 2 cups a day, 3 times per day
- Four Months Old: 2 ½ cups a day, 3 times per day
- Five To Six Months Old: 3 cups a day, 2 times per day
- Six To Seven Months Old : 3 ½ to 4 cups a day
For Adult Golden Retriever:
- Females: 2 to 2 ½ cups a day, 1 time per day
- Males: 3 to 3 ½ cups a day, 1 time per day
- Active Males: 4 cups a day, 1 or 2 times per day
- Nursing Females: 5 to 6 cups a day, 1 or 2 times per day
Please note that these guidelines work only for high-quality dog foods that contain balanced nutrients. If you are unsure about how much and how often to feed your Golden Retriever, please talk with your veterinarian. I believe that he will be pleased to tell you exactly the right type of feeding schedule for your Golden Retriever.
Best Treats For Golden Retrievers
Many dog owners enjoy giving their dogs treats, but since theyre not expected to adopt AAFCO guidelines, like dog food, how do you know what treats are the best for Golden Retrievers?
The best treats for Golden Retrievers are those made with high-quality, nutrient-dense ingredients, low in calories and fat. Artificial preservatives, colorings, or additives should not be used in dog treats. As an alternative, you can feed nutritious fruits and vegetables.
You can find high-quality treats on the market however, they can be quite expensive, but Im happy to pay more if it means my dog stays healthy and happy.
There are many different types of commercial dog treats, and you can pick the one that best fits your needs. Do you need training treats, dental treats, chew treats, or even natural calming treats, for example? I like to have a range of treats on hand for my dog.
Treats should make up no more than 10% of your Golden Retrievers daily calories.
Make sure you buy healthy dog treats, particularly chew treats, that are suitable for large breeds. Bully sticks made entirely of all-natural beef are one of my favorite treats for my dog and she thinks so too! You may use them as a chew stick or break them up into smaller pieces. Check out the Downtown Pet Supply bully sticks from Amazon. They are 100% natural and get thousands of good reviews.
Don’t Miss: Shadalane Golden Retrievers Price