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How Often Do I Feed My Golden Retriever Puppy

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Golden Retriever Puppy Feeding Guidelines

Here are our general guidelines for feeding a Golden Retriever puppy, to help you menu plan for your little dog:

  • Adult dogs actually need less to eat than puppies.
  • Puppies benefit from a high fat, high protein diet. More so than adult dogs.
  • The best Golden Retriever puppy food will provide a complete balanced diet and be aimed at larger breeds.
  • Don’t give supplements unless your vet recommends them.
  • Puppies eat three to four times a day, but adult dogs only eat once of twice in the same period.
  • Puppies need access to fresh water all day, even between meals.
  • Many owners decide to swap from puppy to adult dog food at around six months.

How Long To Feed Golden Retriever Puppy Food

Till your Golden Retriever is not 1 year old you have to feed him the puppy food then once he is gown up to 1 year old you can switch to adult dog food! Transitioning from your puppy food to adult food is quite difficult you can refer to the above section where I’ve mentioned the easiest way to transition your dog food.

American Journey Large Breed Chicken And Sweet Potato

Rating:

Large Breed Chicken and Sweet Potato is one of 14 dry recipes evaluated in our review of the American Journey product line.

  • First 5 ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal , turkey meal, peas, chickpeas
  • Type: Grain-free
  • Profile: All life stages
  • Best for:Golden retriever adults and puppies

American Journey Large Breed Chicken acquires the majority of its meat protein from poultry. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 33% protein, 13% fat and 45% estimated carbs… which yields a fat-to-protein ratio of about 40%.

This large breed formula also contains a prebiotic. Prebiotics can help support the growth of healthy bacteria in the large intestine for better digestion. An exceptional, budget-friendly option. Easily recommended.

Sample buyer review…“I have four furry children from small to extra large, all picky in their own way : Treats, bones, & obviously food. All four of em’ absolutely loved this brand! They’ve been on it for only a week, & I can already tell how healthier their coats look, & a bit of needed weight loss.”

How To Know If Youre Not Feeding Them Enough

While overfeeding can result in various health conditions, so does underfeeding your Golden Retriever puppy. Underfeeding can cause malnutrition which can result in your puppy being unhealthy.

Some of the signs they are underfed are:

Visible Bones

One of the most obvious signs that you’re underfeeding your puppy is that they’re so thin that you can see their bones. Some even appear like they’re “skin and bone,” with very little fat on their body. This means that they’re not getting enough nourishment from the food they eat.

Underweight

Another indicator that you’re underfeeding your puppy is that they are too small or light for their breed and age. This is also a good indicator of malnutrition but this doesn’t mean that larger, chubbier puppies don’t suffer from malnutrition.

Low Energy

Dogs, especially puppies, tend to have high levels of energy. This is particularly true with Golden Retrievers – a breed known for being highly energetic and playful. So, if you find your puppy looking lethargic, this can be a good indicator that you’re underfeeding them.

Runny Stool

Just like with overfeeding, runny stool can be an obvious indicator of underfeeding and malnutrition. This is because runny stools mean that they’re not digesting their food well and therefore, cannot absorb the necessary nutrients in their food.

However, this can also be a sign of a medical condition so it’s best to consult with your veterinarian as well before changing your puppy’s feeding routines.

How Much To Feed A Senior Golden Retriever

OUR PUPPY GROWING UP / Golden Retriever Puppy 8 Weeks to a ...

A golden retriever will be considered a senior dog when he is about 7.5 to 10 years old, with the average lifespan being 10 to 12 years.

A senior golden retriever will need fewer calories than a younger adult, as he is generally going to be less active than he was in his younger years. Typically, he’s going to need approximately 900 calories per day. If he’s overweight, you’ll need to feed him less.

In some cases, you’ll want to start feeding your senior dog a specialty senior dog food , rather than a typical adult formula. Food made specifically for older dogs is often lower in calories, and it can contain nutrition that is good for older dogs, such as and vitamins.

Many senior dogs continue to eat regular adult dog food, but it would be a good idea to consult with your vet and see if a diet change would be a good idea.

In most cases, you should still be giving him two meals per day, equally spaced and at consistent times.

Golden Retriever Puppy Feeding Chart

When you first bring your new golden retriever puppy home, try to follow the breeder’s existing feeding chart as closely as you can for at least the first three to four weeks.

This will minimize transitional stress and digestive upset.

In most cases, puppies younger than six months will be fed three times per day. Starting around six months, many owners transition their pups to twice per day feedings.

You will want to feed on a regular schedule that works for your own schedule so your puppy gets into a routine and knows when meals are coming.

If more than one family member is in charge of puppy feedings, it is smart to post the chart showing feeding time and portion size so you ensure consistency in feedings.

The exact portion size per meal can vary depending on what type of diet you choose, so take your veterinarian’s advice here.

What Is The Best Dog Food For A Golden Retriever

Here are some quick recommendations for good foods for adult golden retrievers that I have tried and tested over the years with no issues. They are not perfect, but they are very good.

Of course, I prefer homemade foods whenever possible, and you can check my full guide on golden retrievers foods for every age here. If you are going for homemade foods, which I believe should always be part of your dog’s diet, make sure it never includes any of these 18 human foods that dogs should never eat.

Transitioning To Homemade Dog Food

Most dogs don’t have a problem making the switch to homemade food. If yours is prone to digestive issues, start slowly by mixing a little bit of the homemade food with the commercial food.

Over the course of a week or two, gradually increase the amount of homemade food while decreasing the commercial food.

If your dog vomits or has diarrhea, try introducing only a couple of new ingredients at a time until their systems are well adjusted to the fresh diet.

For dogs with health issues, please consult with a veterinarian if you aren’t sure what kind of supplements are needed. Use your best judgment, the way you would when feeding yourself or your family.

What To Look For In Adult Dog Food For Puppies

When you are buying adult dog food for your pooch, you need to look for a few things, first of all, you should always read the food label. But I know how confusing they could be, here’s what to look for in adult dog food:

  • Read the product name
  • Avoid getting products with these kinds of names; beef formula dog food or chicken formula dog food, because it will not offer the best nutritional diet for your dog.
  •  Now, it’s time to check on the ingredients, most brands put the undesirable ingredients at the bottom of their lists such as artificial fillers and colorings, so make sure to read the list till the end.
  • See if it’s grain-free, most healthy dog foods are grain-free. Notice that grain itself isn’t really bad for your dog as it’s used as filler, but the food shouldn’t be all filler.
  • Look for a product that comes with whole-food protein ingredients at the top of their list
  • Foods where that the top ingredients are turkey, chicken, beef, or lamb are your best bets
  • Avoid products that their ingredients begin with poultry, animal, and meat.
  • Lastly, if it’s not AAFCO* do not bother to read the ingredients.

What Sort Of Feeding Schedule Works

Free-feeding, or leaving food available to dogs at all times, is often not recommended by veterinarians. For multi-species or multiple-dog households, free-feeding makes it difficult to account for different diets and to track each dog’s intake. Additionally, free feeding can lead to obesity when dogs overeat. 

Sticking to a schedule can help your canine companion avoid grazing, feel like part of the family, and can encourage good mealtime behavior. You should plan a feeding schedule by consulting with your veterinarian.

But Why Is Homemade Food Specifically Beneficial For Golden Retrievers

The NZ Veterinary Nursing Association reports that Goldens Retrievers are among the dog breeds highly prone to developing food allergies.

Why is this important to know? Well, food allergies in Goldens tend to manifest themselves on their skin, most likely into a condition known as Atopic Dermatitis. This allergy skin disease is common in Golden Retrievers, and it can cause mild to severe itching, which, as a result of scratching or rubbing, often leads to further skin damage, irritation, infection, and discomfort.

Reducing allergic reactions start with a diet that has the vitamins, fatty acids, and minerals to decrease inflammatory responses, and homemade dog food has those critical components. What’s more important is that home cooking for your dog allows you to pick only those ingredients that you know won’t cause an allergic reaction on your Golden Retriever.

If you don’t know what foods your Golden Retrieve is allergic to, read our Dog Allergy Test guide, so you can identify which foods to avoid in his next meal.

Frisbee Is Never A Good Form Of Exercise For A Golden Retriever Puppy

Frisbee throwing is also a poor choice for any dog whose growth plates have not closed. It encourages forced running, jumping, and twisting, all bad for the growing puppy. Frisbee throwing can be dangerous for any dog, but especially for a puppy. We personally never play fetch with our dogs. There are many other better exercise choices.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A General Guideline For Preparing Homemade Dog Food

My DIY dog food recipe is more of a general guideline, rather than an exact meal plan that I follow each week. My dogs’ diet changes the same way ours does, depending on what we do and what we buy or grow.

However, we almost always stay with this basic formula:

  • 50 percent cooked protein
  • 25 percent cooked complex carbohydrates
  • Fats and supplements
  • Eggshells

Protein is always meat and usually chicken, though we’ve also used turkey, pork, and beef. We feed any and all parts of the animals, but most commonly, we saute chicken breasts or chicken thighs in coconut oil and ground turmeric.

Coconut oil has a host of health benefits for dogs, such as improving the skin and coat, increasing energy, aiding digestion, reducing allergic reactions, promoting wound healing, preventing yeast and fungal infections, and supporting arthritis or ligament problems.

Turmeric has long been studied for its powerful medicinal properties, including its use as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

We add it to the coconut oil since it is fat-soluble, and use it to support our pugs’ joint health.

Speaking of dark meat, we feed thighs and breasts interchangeably. While we’ll remove the skin from poultry and trim off excessive fat from red meat, we don’t worry about buying the leanest meat possible for our dogs.

A little fat is necessary for a well-rounded diet.

They tend to be the “leftovers” in our produce bin, so we never have to buy, say, a whole head of cauliflower just for the dogs.

Is It Worth It To Buy Expensive Puppy Food

How Many Puppies Can a Golden Retriever have?

Premium food has higher nutritional density, so you can feed your dog less to achieve the same results. Also, premium foods have stable ingredient profiles; the composition of bargain brands can vary from batch to batch.

The major dog-food companies invest heavily in product development and research, constantly upgrading formulas to keep up with their competitors. This means that feeding premium food puts you on the cutting edge of canine nutrition.

Training Golden Retrievers Puppies In A Happy Environment

Golden retrievers puppies are known to be a family pet, they have a lovely personality and a warm heart, they also like to be close to people, unlike some dogs, that are used to guard and live in the garden, golden retrievers puppies are also known to be Attention seeker, and if they don’t receive enough attention, they may develop bad habits, such as; biting or digging in the garden, and since golden retrievers puppies are very active dogs, they need to do a lot of exercises.

Exercises are very important for golden retrievers puppies, in one hand, it helps you bond with them, in the another hand, it prevents obesity, that unfortunately, many Golden retrievers puppies are suffering from, therefore,  you can start teaching them easy tricks such as; fetch and brings toys, so they exercise and socialize with you, which can be super important for these dogs. It is recommended to make your puppy play with other dogs and meet new people at a young age.

As I mentioned before, it is important for your golden retriever puppy to have space and a playground, like a garden, so he can both be close to you and live in your home, and exercise outside. But keep in mind that your golden puppy still needs to socialize with other dogs and people.

Related Posts

How Many Times A Day Should I Feed My 2 Months Old Puppy

As indicated at the beginning of this article, start by following, as much as possible, the frequency of your puppy’s meals instructed by his breeder.

May 6, 2020 by Karen Summers

When And How To Change The Feeding Of Puppy To Adult

When your Golden Retriever is anywhere from 18 months to 24 months old, you should switch to adult dog food. The large breed puppies take a bit more time to attain adult development, and by two years of age, many of them are still growing.

Whenever your puppy reaches six months, you should begin feeding him twice per day, but you should keep him on puppy food until he reaches adult age.

It is always better to do this gradually as an abrupt switch may not be ideal. If you feed your dog twice per day, you can start giving him adult food mixed in with the one he is used to.

How Much To Feed A Golden Retriever Puppy And When To Feed It

It is a bit tricky to determine the right amount of food your Golden Retriever puppy should eat every day. Every dog is different, and the amount of food you should feed depends on many factors. Like age, the weight of the puppy, activity level, quality of food, etc. However, there are some general guidelines and rules you can follow to ensure your puppy stays healthy.

Provide Quality And Healthy Food

First and foremost, your Golden Retriever puppy should be fed the best quality food. Kibble diet, Raw Diet or Homemade diet it doesn’t matter, whichever you choose, the important thing is the quality of ingredients. Chose food with organic ingredients without any fillers and additives as they are bad for your dog’s health.

Feeding Schedule

Golden Retriever puppies have small stomachs, but their appetite is insatiable due to their activity and high energy consumption. Therefore, for the first six months, you need to feed them three times a day. After six months of age, you should feed them two times a day. The best practice is to make the feeding schedule and stick to it. Your Golden Retriever puppy should eat at the same time every day in the same spot. For example, you could set up your feeding schedule like this:

  • Breakfast at 7 a.m.
  • Dinner at 6 a.m.

How Much To Feed My Golden Retriever Puppy?

It is important to notice that female Golden Retrievers should stay on 3 cups of food per day after six months.

How To Know If My Puppy Is Skinny?

Male Golden Retriever Weight Chart

How To Read A Dog Food Label

To help make an informed decision about what you’re feeding your golden, you’ll need to read the food label.

But food labels can be a little vague and confusing, so below is an explanation of what some of these terms mean, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual and the .

Ingredients are listed in order of weight

The first ingredient listed is the ingredient that there’s the most of in the food, while the last ingredient is the ingredient that there’s the least of.

There is one caveat though.

Ingredients are listed in the exact type that they’re added in.

For instance, flaked corn, ground corn, and kibbled corn could be sprinkled in an ingredient list and not be listed as the first few ingredients, but in reality, if you were to add them all up , you might find that this food is made mostly of corn.

The same goes for chicken, chicken meal, and chicken byproduct.

Meat vs. Meat Meal vs. Meat Byproduct

Let’s say you’re looking at a food label and you see “chicken”, “chicken meal”, and “chicken byproduct”.

“Chicken” means that it’s chicken muscle, skin and/or bones.

“Chicken meal” means that it’s essentially ground and dried chicken muscle, skin and/or bones.

“Chicken byproducts” means that it’s byproducts .

“Chicken byproducts meal” means that it’s essentially ground and dried byproducts.

The quality of these ingredients can vary widely, so be sure to talk to your vet about this and choose a reputable brand of food.

Now Lets Break Down The Recipe For My Easy Homemade Dog Food Shall We

The recipe box below contains a printable version of my go-to recipe for homemade dog food, which consist of lean ground sirloin, brown rice, carrots, hard boiled eggs, parsley, and a few tablespoons of oil that is high in Omega’s. But sometimes, especially since social distancing, I’ve found that it is helpful to have a list of easy substitutes for when ingredients run low. Plug in or swap out any of the items below based on what foods your pup likes/needs and what you have on hand to create your pup’s ideal dog food flavor profile. 

Meat || Lean ground beef, ground chicken, ground white or dark meat turkey, & ground pork are all great options. Just be sure to make sure that any meat you feed your animals is free of seasonings when purchasing! Dog’s living with a kidney disease diagnosis need meals that are lower in phosphorus– so for us a lean ground beef like ground sirloin is best the way to go! 

Eggs || Eggs are one the top 5 allergens for dogs and the yolks are very high in phosphorus -which you want to limit in dog’s with kidney disease. But, eggs are also one of the highest quality forms of protein you can feed your pet! Ultimately, a hard boiled egg is Hooch’s favorite thing on the planet so, with our vets approval we opted to leave them in his food. 

How Much To Feed A Golden Retriever Puppy A Perfect Guide

Lily Scott

I know that you are a bit confused with a few questions that are hitting your head as now you have got a new best friend home. I was the same as you when I adopted Max a year back, with a bunch of queries and was totally confused with the feeding chart, what to feed, feeding schedule, how much to feed, and many more!

Well, this guide that I’ve written is quite helpful and when you’ll read till the last section all your thoughts that you are carrying now will vanish!

Like one of your chief doubts would be ‘How much to feed a Golden Retriever puppy?’ Yes, it’s obvious like no matter how much food you serve your Golden, he would definitely eat all you serve , so you need to give him the proper amount of food, diet, and feeding if you want to grow your Golden Retriever Puppy in a healthy way. You should not overfeed your Golden as it can result in health consequences.

You should know that when to feed your Golden Retriever, how much to feed because it is essential for your puppy’s health. Goldens are prone to many health problems and the solution for this is to feed your pup with a perfect plan!

Well, I will take you from the beginning, it’s not rocket science! And follow the right feeding guide and there you are!

So, let’s start from a clean slate!

If you are in a hurry have a look at this ‘Table of Contents’ section this would help you to reach directly at the particular topic you desire.

Table of Contents

  • Recommended Read
  • How Often Should I Feed My Golden Retriever Puppy

    Growing puppies have different nutritional requirements than adult dogs, and they require more frequent feedings at different stages of development. Depending on age, here’s how much you should feed your Golden Retriever puppy:

    AGE OF GOLDEN RETRIEVER PUPPY DAILY MEALS
    24 weeks onwards 2

    Golden Retriever puppies get all of their nutrients from their mother when they are born. However, it’s safe to start the weaning process onto a new diet from three to four weeks old.

    Puppies in the early stages of development need enough calories, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals to support rapid growth and development and set them on the road to a healthy life.

    Here’s a Helpful Video on How Often Dogs Should Eat, from Puppies to Adults…

    Since Golden Retrievers are a medium-large breed, they should be fed large-breed dog food, even puppies. Large breed dog food is actually essential for your Golden’s health.

    Here’s the deal…

    Large breed foods have a higher protein content and lower calcium, phosphorus, and fat content. It is nutritionally designed to keep them from growing too quickly, leading to debilitating conditions like hip and elbow dysplasia.

    While adult dogs can thrive on one meal a day, most Golden Retriever owners tend to feed their dogs twice a day. This makes it easier for the dog to digest the food, control hunger, and avoid life-threatening bloat . My dog would much rather eat twice a day.

    Golden Retriever Feeding Guide For Seniors

    Golden retriever eats twice a day but remains thin

    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 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.

    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 don’t overfeed them, use a measuring cup when dishing out their food and never free-feed them.


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