Feeding Your Puppy Optimally Is Necessary To Avoid Rapid Weight Gain
Although chubby puppies may look really cute, it is better to avoid too much weight gain. Overweight puppies are more likely to develop bone or orthopedic problems.
You can easily check if your puppy is overweight with two simple tests. You should touch the puppys ribcage lightly. If you are able to feel the ribs then the puppy is not overweight. But if you cannot feel the ribs then your puppy is overweight.
You should also stand up and look down directly at your puppy while it is standing. If the abdomen is well defined then the puppy is not overweight. But if the abdomen is bulging or rounded, then your puppy is overweight.
You should also take your puppy on regular visits to the veterinarian to keep track of its weight and overall health.
It is important to keep your golden retriever puppys weight in the right range because this will prevent the occurrence of certain medical conditions to which golden retrievers are susceptible. If you can maintain the right weight, then there is a better chance for your pup to avoid problems faced by golden retrievers such as elbow and hip dysplasia, cancer, eye problems and cardiac conditions.
On the other hand, if your pup is not gaining waiting even though you are feeding it the right amount of food, you should then take it to the veterinarian. Lack of weight gain could be a sign of parasites, congenital problems or some other health issue.
Golden Retriever Cost Breakdown:
Now that you know the price range to buy a golden retriever, we need to examine the additional golden retriever costs that you can expect when you bring your new puppy home like veterinary care, food, toys, and more. Its important to remember that when you buy a puppy from a reputable breeder, you are more likely to encounter lower golden retriever costs over the lifetime of your pet.
Its important to give your golden retriever the health checks they need in order to grow strong and healthy. According to the American Kennel Club, there are some essential steps and vet bills youll need to take care of before your golden retrievers first birthday:
- Full physical exam: $50 $100
- Recommended vaccines : $100 $200
- Rabies vaccine: $10 $20
- Heartworm preventatives: $70 $200
- Total price of veterinary expenses: $335 $665
To ensure you get a healthy dog, its generally better to buy a golden retriever that has already had its first round of health checks, vaccines, and paperwork. This will ultimately save you time and money on your golden retriever price because breeders often pay lower veterinary rates than individuals do.
Distemper, for example, is a highly contagious disease that attacks the gastrointestinal, respiratory, and nervous systems of dogs. Unfortunately, there is no cure just a lot of expenses and stress which really adds to your overall golden retriever cost.
Is Homemade Food Best For My Golden Retriever
If your homemade foods are rich in the vitamins and minerals that a dog needs, then it might be best for your Golden Retriever. It takes a lot more time to find recipes and make sure it has all the nutritional value of a store-bought dog food.
If you are willing to research recipes , then go for it! It is always best to consult your veterinarian before going to any new diet and they can provide you with valuable information also.;
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Golden Retriever Feeding Chart
If your puppy is two months old then give him one and a half cups of food. If he is three months old then 2 cups daily, for four months two and a half cups a day, and for six months, three cups daily.
If your puppy is seven months old then four cups for males and females should stay at 3 cups as they need less food.
Note: These guidelines are general, dont strictly follow them. The reason is that the amount of food depends on the weight and age of the dog and the quality of food.
You might be wondering how the quality of food matters, then let me tell you. Calories are an important part of puppy food, cheaper companies use fewer calories so as a result, you will need to give more of this type of food to your puppy. On the other hand, if you use good quality food then there is no need to give any extra food to maintain calories.
I hope it is clear!
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Foods To Avoid For Your Golden Retriever Puppy
While on food schedules and correct composition, it is vital to know which foods to avoid. These are some foods golden retrievers should stay away from:
- Chocolate Theobromine found in chocolate can be detrimental to dogs health.
- Avocado Persin found in avocado can cause issues with diarrhea or vomiting in dogs.
- Xylitol Found in candies and chewing gums, this chemical is to be avoided. Do not give your puppy items that contain sugar substitutes or baked products, as these may have xylitol.
- Grapes and raisins To be strictly avoided as your puppy can develop kidney problems or even death on ingestion.
Besides these, your puppy should stay away from seeds, stones, and pips of any kind. Strong smelling onions and garlic must not be given.
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What To Feed Your Puppy When Its Born
Your Golden Retrievers personality will mature by the time he/she reaches puberty. He/she will become a trusted friend. Your Goldie is energetic and will require lots of exercise. Swimming and running are two of their favorite activities. Your puppy will probably do well at training school. They are happy to take treats or cuddles.
Golden Retriever Feeding Guide For Seniors
As your Goldie gets older he will become less active and will need fewer calories to stay on his ideal weight. Your pooch will be considered a senior when he is eight years old, so make sure to tweak his diet around this age.
An older Golden Retriever will need around 900 calories per day served in two equally spaced meals. However, if your senior dog needs to lose some weight, you will have to put him on a diet and lower his calorie intake.
You should talk with your vet and see if there is a need to transition your pooch to senior dog food at this point or not. Food for older dogs has fewer calories and is supplemented with glucosamine and vitamins that are beneficial for older dogs. However, many seniors continue to eat regular food without any side effects, but you should check just in case you need to change his diet.
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How Much Food Should My 12 Week Puppy Eat
Maggie’sVoice said:OK, but that is insane amount of growth at 5 pounds a week up until 4 months, 20 lbs in a month? And 60lbs at 6 months but 65-75 at a year? Never seen goldens grow like that personally and have had 3.Also the growth plates close at 12 months so your pup won’t be growing after that or soon after but will fill out a few pounds till about 18 months or so. It’s like looking at guy at 18 and then again at 25 or 28 and weighs the same but certainly doesn’t look the same.
What If My Golden Retriever Puppy Wont Eat
There are many things that could cause a puppy to lose interest in their food, such as infections, pain, organ problems, or the way youre feeding them. Here are a few of the most common reasons why puppies stop eating as much as they should:
- Stress: Your dog could be in a chaotic home, or perhaps he is being bullied by other pets in your home like the cat. Children can abuse pets as well.;;
- Digestive upset or obstruction: They may eat food that they shouldnt.;
- Digestive infections: There are many viruses such as; Parvo, intestinal worms, bacteria, etc.;
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How Much To Feed Your Golden Retriever
June 3, 2019 by Karen Summers
This page has guidelines and a chart with information on how much to feed a Golden Retriever. There is also info on how to keep your puppy and your adult at his or her optimum weight. Scroll down to find growth charts to make sure your puppy is growing at the proper rate and is within the right weight range for his age. If you are looking for information on what to feed, go to How to Choose a Dog Food.
Puppies Grow Too Fast BEFORE They Grow Fat
Most American dogs are overweight and many American large breed puppies are growing too fast, subjecting them to skeletal and joint problems, some of which may not actually show up until later in life.;
Unlike with human children, a puppy that is overfed will grow too fast before they grow too fat.; Ive seen examples of this many times with two puppies from the same litter raised in different homes. A good example is where a smaller puppy at 10 weeks was overfed and his growth was compared to a puppy that was correctly fed.
Control the Growth of Your Puppy
If you have a puppy that doesnt have especially large parents and he/she is growing into what you think is going to be a large dog, consider that you may be feeding your puppy too much .; The growth of your puppy needs to be controlled. ;;
You Should Be Able to Feel Ribs But Not See Them
Dont underfeed your dog either.; You should be able to lightly feel your dogs ribs.; A dog shouldnt be so thin that you can see his/her ribs, even when your dog is wet. ;
Five Months Old To One Year Old
A four- or five-month-old puppy will have amazingly progressed into a furry young dog. At this stage, the tail and legs of the Golden Retriever puppy look very long; in fact, it’s really a funny look because they seem a mismatch to its torso.
Also within this period, the nose and ears of this special breed grow out . You may even notice that at a point, the Golden Retrievers front legs will appear shorter than the hind legs. But it will soon normalize, and irregular pace of growth is normal.
Golden Retrievers grow very quickly within their second six months. During this time, the puppy’s joints and bones become vulnerable. Avoid anything that will exert too much pressure on the dog’s joints, such as long walks, abrupt stops while running, and bounding down the stairs. If the dog must be allowed to come down the stairs, assist it with a leash.
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Best Food For Golden Retriever Puppies
These dog foods for puppies will start your Golden Retriever off right:
This dog food is formulated to support your Golden Retriever puppys growth and development without going overboard on fat or calories; the recipe features fresh chicken and digestible brown rice.
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large-Breed Puppy Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe
Featuring deboned chicken as its first ingredient, this puppy recipe offers a wholesome balance of protein, whole grains, and vitamins and minerals.
Made with fresh chicken as a lean source of protein and chicken meal to provide glucosamine and chondroitin, this dog food for puppies will get your Golden Retriever off to a healthy start in life.
Nutro Ultra Large-Breed Puppy Recipe
This chicken-based puppy recipe is formulated to support the energy needs of young Goldens and other large breed puppies.
All dogs have the same basic nutritional needs when it comes to protein, fat, and essential nutrients. As youve learned here, however, there are some disparities among breeds of different sizes.
To learn more about the nutritional needs of large dogs, check out our guide to the best dog food for large dogs;here.
Why Is It Important To Give Your Golden Retriever The Right Amount Of Food
Keeping your dog at a healthy weight is very important. It can minimize your dogs risk of health problems, ultimately increasing his lifespan. Golden retrievers are one of the dog breeds who are most likely to suffer from obesity, so its even more important to be vigilant about their diets.
In recent years, the lifespan of golden retrievers has gone down significantly. They used to live for an average of 16 or 17 years, and now their average lifespan is 10 to 12 years. This is because golden retrievers are more susceptible than other dogs to different types of cancer, and a factor that plays a role is the type of food and how much you give them.
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Do Golden Retrievers Need Special Dog Food
According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, adult dogs require a minimum of 18% protein in their diet, and puppies need at least 22%. Protein provides the building blocks for strong muscles in puppies and, in adults, supports lean muscle maintenance. For most dogs, higher protein content is a good thing.
Fat provides your dog with a concentrated source of energy in the form of calories and should make up at least 8% of the diet for puppies and 5% for adult dogs. This is where your Golden Retrievers needs start to differ.
Small dog breeds have;faster metabolisms;and need a higher concentration of calories in their diet. For large breeds like the Golden Retriever, however, excess calories can lead to unhealthy weight gain, which increases the risk for other issues like bone and joint problems. For this reason, Golden Retrievers need a protein-rich dog food with low-to-moderate fat and calorie content.
Dont Feed These Ingredients To Your Puppy
You should make sure that the following substances are not included in the formula that you are feeding your puppy:
- Butylated Hydroxytoluene and Butylated Hydroxyanisole these substances are carcinogenic according to the World Health Organization
- Ethoxyquin this chemical is used as a pesticide. You certainly dont want to feed pesticide to your pup. This substance is already banned in the EU and Australia.
- Propylene Glycol this is used in some dog foods to preserve moisture. The FDA has banned the use of this substance in cat food since it causes anemia in felines.
- Tertiary Butylhydroquinone according to research, this substance can cause cellular DNA damage and stomach tumors.
- Propyl Gallate this is a type of xenoestrogen and it can therefore lead to certain types of cancers
In general, you should try to avoid artificial preservatives and flavorings as far as possible. On the other hand, natural preservatives such as tocopherols and ascorbates may not be harmful. In fact, tocopherols are a mixture of vitamin E while ascorbates are the derivatives of ascorbic acid which is also known as vitamin C.
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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.
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.
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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.
What About Growing Puppies
A puppys needs for protein and calories are higher than an adults, but large-breed puppies need to be kept on a calorie-controlled diet to prevent them from growing too quickly.
According to;AAFCO nutrient profiles, they also need lower calcium and phosphorus levels to reduce the risk for joint issues. So, yes, its good to look for a Golden Retriever puppy food thats right for your growing pup.
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