Raw Food For Golden Retrievers

What Should You Add To Kibble

In most cases, wet puppy food is not designed to provide complete and balanced nutrition in the same way as with dry kibble puppy food.

However, there can be some cases where feeding wet puppy food is advisable, either as a kibble topper or on its own.

One such case might be if your puppy is recovering from an illness or a procedure and doesnt have much appetite.

Wet food is quite palatable.

Wet food can also add more moisture to your puppys diet to make sure she stays well-hydrated.

Wet puppy food can be a tasty treat to liven up mealtimes. Weve reviewed our favorite dry and wet foods for Golden Retriever puppies here.

You can also add scraps such as meat, scrambled organic eggs, organic vegetables and fruits, canned pumpkin for healthy digestion, or probiotics such as yogurt.

Golden Retrievers Love Carrots

Carrots are a good substitution for traditional dog treats. With vitamin A, dietary fiber, and potassium, theyre sure to nourish your Golden Retriever the way he needs. Carrots are especially great for overweight dogs because theyre low in calories, and they help improve eyesight too.

You should always slice carrots before you offer them to your Golden Retriever both raw and cooked are fine to use as treats or in addition to dog food. Frozen carrots have also been known to soothe teething Golden Retriever puppies gums and teeth.

How Much Raw Food Should Puppies Get

Pound for pound, puppies need more calories and nutrition than adult dogs. Puppies should eat 2% to 3% of their expected adult weight or about 5% to 10% of their current weight.

Remember, puppies need to eat more calcium and less fat than adult dogs too. Try to feed puppies 15% bone and less than 20% fat to make sure they get enough nutrients and minerals.

Puppies need to eat more to support their growth. As a general guide, feed:

Puppies 2 to 3 months: 8% to 10% of body weight dailyPuppies 4 to 5 months: 6% to 8% of body weight dailyPuppies 6 to 8 months: 4% to 6% of body weight dailyPuppies 9 to 12 months: 3% to 4% of body weight daily

Read Also: Golden Retriever Coat Care

Feeding Your Puppy A Homemade Diet

While they might sound very similar, the BARF diet is not the same as the homemade diet, which is typically a cooked human food diet.

Here, you simply must work closely with your veterinarian to ensure your puppy is receiving sufficient nutrients.

Including the right calcium-to-phosphorus ratio, which is critical for bone growth and skeletal development.

How Much Water Does A Golden Retriever Need In A Day

For an average adult golden retriever it is advisable to have at least half to one ounce of water daily. If your dog is fussy about drinking water then try playing with him for a bit, or try running with him. Then offer him water. You can also give him ice cubes which will help him to hydrate. Never let your dog stay dehydrated as it can cause various health issues.

Read Also: Golden Retriever Matted Fur

They Are Food Obsessed

This breed is motivated by food, this can be both good and bad. Being motivated by food makes them easier to train. A golden will pretty much do anything for a treat. The bad part is that they will eat anything and everything, and youll need to watch their food intake because this breed is prone to obesity.

There have been plenty of times when I have walked my Ellie, and she has picked up and eaten some very questionable stuff. Its not that I am letting her eat stuff off the ground, its that she is so quick, and eats it. Walking a food-motivated dog can be frustrating at times.

Golden Retriever Homemade Food Recipes

Here are our favorite homemade dog food recipes for Golden Retrievers. We also threw in a homemade yummy smoothie treat for your Golden because why not!

Note: Please consult with your pets veterinarian and use personal judgment when applying this information to your dogs diet. The recipes below do not include serving size because portion sizes will vary depending on breed, weight, activity level, age, and the health of your dog. A common recommendation is to feed your dog a comparable amount of ounces/cups to what you would usually feed in kibble BUT check with your vet to be certain.

Doggie Beef Stew | Turkey & Vegetable Dinner | Veggie Smoothie | Fiber-Filled-Meal

Don’t Miss: What Color Will My Golden Retriever Be

What Are The Benefits Of Homemade Dog Food

Surprisingly, after researching healthy homemade dog foods to put this guide together, I could not find any professional advice that proved homemade dog foods are any healthier than processed.

According to Dr. Cailin Heinze , studies show you are more likely to do more harm than good as most homemade or online recipes lack one or more important nutrients.

On the other side, commercial foods are legally required to meet nutritional standards that guarantee they can be marked as complete and balanced foods.

Healthy options for pets require very specific amounts of ingredients that I share below in this guide. But keep in mind that consistently feeding your pet a home diet may be well worth coming with commercial foods for the best results.

Also Read: > > What are the best well-balanced dog foods?

Are There Drawbacks Of Golden Retrievers Eating Raw Meat

Since there are benefits, there are drawbacks as well. Since nothing in this world is perfect, the same goes for raw meat. Thats why in this discussion of Can Golden Retrievers eat raw meat, I have decided to include the drawbacks of Golden Retrievers eating raw meat as well. This is for you to make the best decision for your beloved pet.

Also Check: Golden Retriever For Sale Los Angeles

Feeding A Golden Retriever Puppy

Puppies need to eat frequently since they are fast growing and energetic. Feeding a Golden Retriever pup should occur at least three times a day on scheduled intervals, up to the age of 6 months. You should ask the advice of the Golden Retriever breeders or Golden Retriever adoption center from which you obtained your puppy and continue using the same Golden Retriever puppy food . If you want to use a different food the transition should be gradual to avoid an upset tummy.

Do not feed your puppy human food. Some foods such as chocolate are poisonous to dogs.

Chews made of hide are especially important during the teething months, they will help to keep your Golden puppys teeth clean and keep his jaws in good condition.

It is not recommended to leave food in your Golden puppys bowl. If your dog does not eat their food within 20 minutes, take it away until the next meal time. This practice establishes YOU as the pack leader, prevents obesity, and makes your Golden puppy easier to house train as they tend to relieve themselves after eating.

A healthy Golden Retriever requires his or her owner to commit to providing the best care and good quality Retriever dog food! Feeding a Golden Retriever from puppy through to adulthood is a rewarding part of nurturing your dog.

Royal Canin Golden Retriever Adult Dry Dog Food

PetListed Verdict:

Royal Canins Golden blend is a top choice for those looking for a premium dog food made especially for Golden Retrievers. It promotes healthy skin, coat, weight, and cardiac function. A heads up, this food is suitable for Goldens 15 months or older.

Key Details:

PetListed Verdict:

For the price, Diamond Naturals packs a serious nutritional punch. Upon scanning the list of ingredients, many owners will find a long list of health forward foods including pasture raised lamb, kale, coconut, dried kelp, papaya, and chia seeds. This all-natural dry dog food also contains an abundance of essential vitamins to keep your Golden Retriever active and strong.

Key Details:

• Pasture raised lamb is the first ingredient
• Contains superfoods including: kale, chia seeds, pumpkin, yucca, coconut, quinoa
• Dozens of vitamins including: zinc, copper, potassium, vitamin b1, vitamin a, vitamin b6
• Solid price for the quality
• Tailored for large breed dogs
• No corn, wheat, or filler
• No artificial preservatives, flavors, or colorings

Don’t Miss: Purina Pro Plan For Golden Retrievers

Monitor Weight And Health

As with any new diet regiment, you want to make sure its having a positive impact on your dog. Be sure to monitor your Goldens health and weight for changes over time.

Not preparing a balanced meal that is individualized to your dogs needs can lead to certain conditions or diseases such as lack of energy, skin or coat disorders, malnutrition or obesity, and more.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can save you thousands on vet bills down the road.

What To Look For In Fresh Food

Most fresh food services are offered by subscription and delivered to your door. The best ones work with veterinary nutritionists to formulate a plan customized for your dog. They offer options in recipe choices, portion size, and frequency of delivery. They also provide easy-to-understand information about ingredients, feeding schedules, and how to keep the food fresh.

Also Check: California Golden Retrievers

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, heres how much you should feed your Golden Retriever puppy:

Golden Retriever puppies get all of their nutrients from their mother when they are born. However, its 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.

Learn More on How Often Dogs Should Eat

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 Goldens health.

Heres 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.

Are Dairy Products Good For My Golden Retriever

Milk is not advisable for golden retrievers. As their system cannot tolerate the sugar lactose present in it. But giving milk derivatives like curd, cottage cheese can help them provide essential probiotics. Also, curd helps cool the excess heat produced by protein-rich meals.

But also it should be considered that milk and other derivatives are not recommended for carnivorous organisms. Excessive dairy products can lead to stomach upset causing diarrhea, vomiting.

Don’t Miss: How To Potty Train Golden Retriever

Has The Potential To Become Unbalanced

You are literally controlling what food goes into your Golden Retrievers body. This will include the raw meat, vitamins, and oils that you put in. Too much of something will give your Golden Retriever stomach problems.

You can find good recipes for a well-balanced raw meat diet for Golden Retrievers on websites like . These websites have video instructions on how to construct the best diet that includes everything that your Golden Retriever needs.

When you have the correct recipe, your Golden Retriever will reach maximum healthiness. They will have extra protection against a lot of sicknesses. Not to mention that they will also have a healthy body weight. They wont have a hard time moving around because of obesity. They will also have higher energy levels that a Golden Retriever should have.

However, if you simply assume how much food your Golden Retriever needs without doing any research, you will also end up doing more damage than you want.

How To Feed Raw

In general, a dog should eat about 1-3% of his body weight in raw food a day. The amount you feed your dog will depend on his activity level, age, and overall health. The best way to know if you are feeding your dog enough or too much is to pay attention to his weight. If he is gaining weight and doesnt need to, feed him a bit less. If he is losing weight and doesnt need to, feed him a bit more.

The amount you feed your dog may also change over time. There may be certain times of year that your dog is more active so he may need to eat more. He may need more or less food as he ages. Just keep an eye on his weight and on his health and you will know if you should feed him more or less.

There are many different methods that you can follow to feed your dog a raw diet. In the end though they are all trying to do one thing, create a diet that is as close to that of a wolf as possible. So, what do wolves eat? They eat whole, raw animals. This means that a wolf will eat its preys meat, all the organs, the skin, the feathers or fur, the bone, stomach contents, glands, the works.

Now, I know that it is not feasible for most dog owners to throw a whole dead deer out in the yard for their dog to eat. Actually, a lot of dogs wouldnt even know what to do with that. Imagine a Yorkie trying to eat a whole dead deer. Your Golden might be able to handle it if given a few days but, what would the neighbors think?

Don’t Miss: Royal Canin Golden Retriever Ingredients

Feeding Your Puppy A Raw Diet

Some breeders, veterinarians and puppy owners swear by a raw food diet right from puppyhood.

Here, it is important to be meticulous about sanitation, both for you and your familys safety and for your puppys health.

If this is your first time feeding your golden retriever a raw diet, here are some helpful raw food safety tips from breeders:

• Leave the food out for 15 minutes only. If your puppy doesnt eat it, refrigerate it until the next meal.
• Feed in the same enclosed area every time so you can keep kids and other pets away from the raw meal.
• Always clean up right away with a safe sanitizer like white vinegar and water.
• Freeze the raw protein for at least 10 to 14 days prior to feeding.
• Only thaw partially prior to feeding .
• Throw out thawed, refrigerated, raw meats after two days in the fridge.

Natural Balance Lid Limited Ingredient Diets Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Formula Dry Dog Food

Key Features:

• Adult formula
• No artificial colors or flavors

The Best Food with Limited Ingredients Natural Balance is widely respected when it comes to limited ingredient diets. If your Golden Retriever has a food allergy or food sensitivity and needs to avoid certain common dog food ingredients such as chicken, beef, or other things, Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Formula Dry Dog Food is a great choice. Lamb is the only source of meat protein in the food, making it easier for your dog to avoid meat proteins that could be a problem. Rice, in several forms, provides most of the carbohydrates. Brown rice is also a good source of fiber.

In addition, this limited ingredient formula is noteworthy for what it doesnt contain. It has no corn wheat, or soy. And, it is pea-free. It has no fillers and no artificial colors or flavors. Its a good choice for dogs with sensitive digestion.

If you think your Golden Retriever has an allergy or food sensitivity, its always recommended to see your veterinarian. Your veterinarian can test your dog to find out definitely and find out what, if any, ingredients might be bothering your dog. That makes it much easier to know which ingredients to avoid.

This Natural Balance food is available in 4.5-lb, 14-lb, and 28-lb bags.

Pros:

• Made for large breed puppies
• Contains DHA for good brain and eye development
• Precise calcium and phosphorus levels for proper bone development

Pros:

Pros:

Pros:

Pros:

Cons:

You May Like: How Long Do English Golden Retrievers Live

The Ultimate Golden Retriever Homemade Dog Food Guide

Canine Bible is reader-supported. We receive affiliate commissions via some of our links. This doesnt affect rankings. Learn more.

Homemade dog food for Golden Retrievers should be just as nutritious and tasty as any other type of dog food.

There is no reason why your golden should eat bland and boring dog food all the time. This guide will teach you everything about feeding your Golden Retriever homemade food.

Golden nutrition can be tricky. They have very different nutritional needs than other dog breeds, so cooking for them is not that simple.

Before you get out the apron, read these tips on how to make homemade food for Golden Retriever, nutritional guidelines to follow, our favorite home food recipes for Goldens, and more.

• Other Food Options

Wellness Large Breed Complete Health Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe

Formulated to support your dogs hip, joint, and digestive health, this nutritionally-balanced recipe will also help your dog maintain a healthy body weight. Fresh chicken and chicken meal provide a concentrated source of protein with wholesome grains for essential nutrients.

Wellness Large Breed Complete Health Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe

Formulated without meat byproducts, fillers, or artificial preservatives, this recipe features deboned chicken, whole grains, and a mix of fruits and veggiesincluding sweet potatoes, blueberries, and apples.

If food allergies and sensitivities arent a factor, this dry dog food recipe is a protein-rich source of quality nutrition. It also contains limited fat and calories to help your Golden Retriever maintain their weight as they get older.

Victor Senior Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food

This weight management dry dog food is intended for senior-aged dogs and contains ingredients to help support their joint health.

You May Like: Does Golden Retriever Shed A Lot