How Many Times Should You Feed A Golden Retriever Puppy
From the day you bring them home until they are six months old, you should feed your golden retriever puppy three times a day. Ideally, your pup should have breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. Create your puppys feeding plan based on your lifestyle and commitments but try to maintain a regular schedule of equally spaced meals.
More Highly Rated Dog Foods For Golden Retrievers
With our top choice covered, here are seven more golden retriever food options!
Healthy Ingredients : Deboned Salmon, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Peas, Sweet PotatoesKey Features :
While we think Taste of the Wild does more than enough to get the job done, your golden retriever may have specific dietary needs you need to keep an eye on. If thats the case, American Journey recipes pay close attention to keeping out ingredients like wheat, soy, and corn, which can impact your dogs stomach if theyre sensitive to them.
On the opposite end, you can find blueberries, sweet potatoes, carrots, and dried kept to help boost your golden retrievers immune system. Sweet potatoes and chickpeas help keep your dogs energy levels high. Deboned salmon forms the core protein, while flaxseed and salmon oil both bring in Omega-3 and Omega-6 acids.
American Journey recipes provide plenty of consideration for dogs with strict dietary requirements and picky eaters.
Healthy Ingredients : Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Barley, OatmealKey Features :
Blue Buffalo dog foods focus heavily on providing a variety of natural ingredients to help give your dog the energy and nutrients they need to stay healthy. Chicken, lamb, and fish provide the base proteins for this food, while the brown rice provides plenty of grain benefits. Also, produce like apples, blueberries, pumpkins, and spinach, add a variety of nutrients to their diet.
Budget Pick: Nutro Ultra Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food
- First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal , Whole Brown Rice, Brewers Rice, Rice Bran
- Primary Proteins: Chicken, Salmon, Lamb
- Calories: 346 kcal/cup
- Allergens: Chicken, Oatmeal, Flaxseed, Salt, Dried Eggs, Yeast
- Flavor: Chicken, Lamb & Salmon
- Type: Dry Dog Food
- Life Stage: Adult
Straight to the point, using fresh, high-quality ingredients for this meat trio food. Chicken marks the first ingredient of this recipe proving a dense source of protein for proper muscle growth and recovery. As well as including lean, pasture-fed lamb and fresh salmon to mix up the flavor and create a more enjoyable meal for fussy pups.
Nutro are very transparent about their food, with a clear list of all the ingredients and even advertising the wide variety of veg and additional elements used to create a food that helps with digestion, skin and coat, and bone strength as well as being chock-full of essential vitamins to protect your Goldies immune system. The only thing you may need to be cautious of is that a few of the ingredients can be triggering for dogs with especially sensitive digestive systems.
This is a great food. Chewy was out of it two orders ago. So we switched to the Nutro regular line, crossing between both products, Peppa took to both. So we are going between the products, I appreciate Nutro for having excellent food choices for Peppa. She is our hunting dog, so at times she needs different nutrients in her, she is a happy eater.
Recommended Reading: Golden Retriever Temperature
Why High Quality Food Is Important
A Golden Retrievers life span is lower than most breeds, so using a high-quality dog food is a great tool to use to extend it as long as possible. Unfortunately, Golden Retrievers are prone to several serious health issues as well. Some of those health issues are joint problems, various forms of cancer, and allergies.
Here is a list of the most common illnesses Golden Retrievers face:
- Hip Dysplasia
- Von Willebrand Disease
- Cataracts
Feeding a Golden Retriever quality food from a young age helps ensure they will grow into, and continue living, a healthy life. For more information check out our article Golden Retriever Health Issues: Common Problems.
Golden Retrievers Puppy Food Chart
You must feed your Golden Retriever puppy the right amount of high-quality food so they can grow as healthy as possible, keep in mind that skipping meals can interrupt your puppys development and growth, on the other hand overfeeding can cause your goldie to get obese which can lead to joint and bone problems, So to help your dog grow as healthy as possible it is recommended that you make a Golden Retriever puppy food chart.
Here are some guidelines on the Golden Retriever puppy food chart
- 2 months: 1 or ½ serving a day
- 3 months: 2 servings a day
- 4 months: 2 ½ serving a day
- 5 months: 3 servings a day
- 7 months: 3 ½ to 4 servings a day
Keep in mind, it is extremely difficult to guess the perfect measurement on how much food a Golden Retriever puppy is required, the exact amount will depend on your Golden Retriever puppy food, his energy levels, and weight, for example, expensive food has high calories, thus you dont need to feed them less than when you use a cheaper brand.
You May Like: How Many Hairs On A Golden Retriever
Purina Pro Plan Large
The top five ingredients are chicken, rice, corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, and poultry by-product meal. The dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 32 percent protein.
It also contains 15 percent fat and 45 percent estimated carbs. This yields a fat-to-protein ratio of about 47 percent.
Its listed as a time-proven field-tested formula with balanced calcium levels ideal for large and giant breed puppies.
This is a budget-friendly food that many people recommend. This formula is highly-ranked and has been a favorite with consumers.
Purina Pro Plan is what we are currently feeding our guide dog puppies.
But, as is true of the adult Pro Plan food listed above, please note that it contains poultry by-product and soybean meal, both of which are often considered to be inferior ingredients.
But apparently many consumers have found that their dogs are doing well on this food.
Video Answer: What Our Golden Retriever Puppy Eats
Feeding adult food will rob your puppy of important nutrients.
Four feedings a day are usually adequate to meet nutritional demands.
Large breeds should be fed unmoistened dry food by 9 or 10 weeks small dogs by 12 or 13 weeks.
36 months: Sometime during this period, decrease feedings from four to three a day.
Now the Golden Retriever is adding to this breed specific list.
Golden Retrievers are a recent addition and many are eating the grain-free diet.
A nutritionist researcher has found that the grain-free diets high in legumes is an aggravator.
These dogs had heart disease, and many of them were on a grain-free diet.
Diamond Naturals Adult Large Breed Real Meat Recipe Natural Dry Dog Food with Real Cage Free Chicken.
This dry Dog Food is packed with high quality protein.
This food is perfect for younger golden retrievers.
This puppy food contains plenty of fatty acids, to help maintain your pooch’s sensitive skin.
You May Like: White Sand English Golden Retriever Puppies
What Dog Food Do Most Vets Recommend
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large
| 0.75% min |
Ingredients:
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Barley, Pea Protein, Peas, Chicken Fat , Menhaden Fish Meal , Flaxseed , Natural Flavor, Dried Tomato Pomace, Dried Egg Product, Dicalcium Phosphate, Fish Oil , Salt, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Choline Chloride, Potatoes, Dried Chicory Root, Vitamin E Supplement, Sweet Potatoes, Potassium Chloride, Pea Fiber, Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, Dl-Methionine, Calcium Carbonate, Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Carrots, Garlic, Riboflavin , Vitamin D3 Supplement, L-Carnitine, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Sulfate, Vegetable Juice For Color, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Blueberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Parsley, Turmeric, Dried Kelp, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Niacin , Calcium Pantothenate , Folic Acid , Sodium Selenite, Oil of Rosemary, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate , L-Lysine, Copper Sulfate, Biotin , Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Manganese Sulfate, Taurine, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Thiamine Mononitrate , Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride , Calcium Iodate, Dried Yeast, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma Longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract.
Recommended Reading: Easy Cute Golden Retriever Drawing
What Should I Feed My Eight
At this point, golden puppies have already been switched to dry puppy food and you should continue feeding your pup the same type of food the breeder used. You shouldnt change your pups food at this time unless you have major concerns. An eight-week-old puppy should eat around 1 ½ cup of kibble a day.
What Regular Foods Can Golden Retrievers Eat
There is a wide variety of things a golden retriever can eat outside of its standard diet. So if youre thinking of putting a little something extra into your golden retrievers food, it helps to know whats considered suitable. Equally, there are also foods, including fruits and vegetables, that should be avoided at all costs.
Many dog owners chose to top their dogs meal with a little something extra for the sake of their dogs health and ensuring theyre getting absolutely everything they need on a daily basis. These fresh vegetable toppers are a great idea for anyone looking to mix it up a bit maybe to add some additional nutrition, or simply to entice a fussy pup to eat properly:
- Carrots: Cooked and chopped as a topper or raw as a snack
- Broccoli: Cooked thoroughly, chopped, and mixed in
- Green Beans: Cooked and sprinkled on top
- Bell Pepper: Chopped finely as a topper or into strips as a snack
- Sweet Potato: Often used as an ingredient in food, it also makes a good topper cooked and chopped
- Brussel Sprouts: Fully cooked these are great for nutrition, bad for gas. Use as your own risk
- Peas: Frozen for some crunch, or cooked for some flavor and texture
- Sweetcorn: Sprinkled onto your dogs food
You can also cook and mix several of the food listed above to create a nice varied meal for your dog if youre wanting to add a change of pace to their usual feeding routine.
NEVER feed your dog grapes, onions, chives, garlic, macadamia nuts, almonds, nutmeg, or raisins.
Don’t Miss: Golden Retriever Retrieving
The Honest Kitchen Human Grade Dehydrated Organic Whole Grain Chicken Recipe
The Honest Kitchen REVEL uses the dehydration method to preserve the quality of all ingredients. With the ingredients also being finely diced for easier consumption, this brand not only offers affordability, but a high-quality dog food formula.
Nutrients, phytonutrients and minerals are also well- preserved through the dehydration process with a 10 lb. box delivering up to 40 lb. of food.
All the ingredients are natural and human- grade. It is a high-quality dehydrated dog food. The website adds that that all ingredients are guaranteed 100 percent Human Food Grade and that it has been the only pet food manufacturer in the U.S to have proved to the FDA that every ingredient it uses in its products are suitable for human consumption. This dog food is easy to prepare, and easy to take along when traveling or showing with your Golden Retriever.
PROS
- Organic whole food grains like oats, barley and quinoa
- Fresh veggies and fruits like bananas, green peas, carrots, kelp, parsley, celery and more
- Easy- to- mix with water formula
CONS
- Grain-free may be a problem today depending on further results from the FDA
For more on The Honest Kitchens comment about DCM:
Our Third Choice: Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy
3rd Choice
Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy Food uses high-quality ingredients and is made in the USA. Its high-quality chicken is the first ingredient for protein that will power your Golden Retrievers day.
This puppy food supports muscle growth and bone health in active puppies with optimized levels of calcium and phosphorous. It also supports healthy brain development with clinically proven levels of DHA for a smarter, more trainable Golden Retriever puppy.
If the two choices listed above were not to your liking, this option is also highly recommended by our veterinarians. Choosing Eukanuba for your dog will leave you confident they are getting the nutrients they need.
Top Ingredients:
- Complete balanced nutrition for large breeds
- Added omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E
- Comes in 3 bag sizes 5lb, 16lb, and 33lb.
You May Like: Golden Retriever And Husky Mix Price
Best Dog Foods For Golden Retrievers Reviewed
All dog foods included on this list meet the standard AAFCO nutrient profile guidelines for dogs. Always consult your veterinarian before making changes to your dogs diet.
- First 5 Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Ground Brown Rice, Barley, Peas
- Key Feature: Comprehensive formula meets the specific needs of large breeds
- Guaranteed Analysis: 26% Crude Protein, 12% Crude Fat, 5% Crude Fiber, 10% Moisture
- Caloric Content: 340 kcal/cup
- Type of Product: No Corn, No Wheat, No Soy
- Life Stage: Adult
- Best For: Overall
The complete health formula features a 26% crude protein content from four animal sources. This helps build lean muscle in athletic dogs like Golden Retrievers. Chicken is the first ingredient, and this recipe does not contain any by-products.
Mixed tocopherols help prevent eye problems in predisposed breeds by protecting eye tissues. Plus, this dog food also contains additional glucosamine to help ease joint discomfort in Goldens.
Added omega-3 fatty acids help promote a shiny coat, brain function, and cardiac health. Healthy fats and taurine are essential for limiting the risk of heart problems in Golden Retrievers.
Whole food ingredients include sweet potatoes and barley as sources of complex carbohydrates. The formula does not contain any common allergens or fillers that may cause reactions in sensitive dogs.
- Life Stage: Growth
- Best For: Golden Puppies
- Type of Product: No Corn, No Wheat, No Soy
- Life Stage: Senior
- Best For: GoldenSeniors
Choosing A Dog Food For Golden Retrievers With Health Problems
Golden Retrievers are predisposed to allergies, hot spots, sensitive stomachs, heart diseases, and obesity. Luckily, there are dog foods and certain ingredients that will help keep their health issues manageable.
For dogs suffering from obesity, you can swap half of their kibble for sweet potatoes, green beans, or peas to help them feel full. If you want to find out if your Golden Retriever is overweight, read this article.
Hot spots and sensitive stomachs are caused by the environment, food, or specific ingredients like wheat and dry kibble. This is where grain-free and home-cooked recipes become a solution.
As we mentioned earlier, food allergies can manifest at any age. Just because your Golden was doing well on one kibble doesnt mean it will suit him forever.
Seek your vets counsel if you notice symptoms of allergies such as itchy skin, itchy and watery eyes, frequent ear infections, dull coat, hives, red underbelly, swollen ears, lips, eyelids, diarrhea, or vomiting.
You May Like: Texas Rose English Goldens
How Much Food Do Golden Retriever Puppies Need
Determining how much to feed your puppy is just as important as what you feed them. All food products are different, so there’s no exact caloric amount that works across the board.
Furthermore, the number of calories your pup will need can change weekly as they gain weight.
The best way to keep track of your dog’s diet is to consult with your vet regularly about their development.
Generally, puppies will need to eat several times throughout the day. Their caloric intake should be spread out evenly between four meals a day. As time progresses, you can decrease the frequency of their meals until they reach adulthood.
While there’s no exact science to determine the amount of food you need, many seasoned breeders will use a simple feeding schedule that changes as their pup gets bigger.
Once your dog has weaned off their mother, you can start out with about a cup and half of food per day. This should be split among four meals every few hours.
For every month thereafter, add half a cup of food to their daily allotment. At the six month mark, you should be feeding approximately three to four cups of food.
During this schedule, keep a watchful eye on your pup’s weight. Golden Retrievers are notorious for gaining weight. If you sense that your pup is packing on the pounds too quickly, ease off on the food and consult with your vet for guidance.
Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Large Breed Formula
Purina Pro Plan Focus for large breeds has balanced nutrition for your Golden Retriever. it has the right protein and fat balance to help your dog maintain a healthy weight while staying healthy and active. The balanced formula will also take care of the beautiful coat. Whats more: This dog food also contains ingredients that actually allow for optimal absorption of all the nutrients. You also get natural probiotic fibers for easy digestion.
Also Check: How Long Do Golden Retrievers Grow
How To Feed A Golden Retriever
Before switching your dog to any new diet, always consult with a veterinarian. Remember that no article on the internet, including this one, can replace a consultation with a vet.
Puppy Golden Retrievers
Large-breed puppies like Golden retrievers are more susceptible to malnutrition and developmental orthopedic disease compared to small-breed pups. Many Golden owners have heard of these diseases- hip dysplasia, osteochondrosis , panosteitis, and hypertrophic osteodystrophy .
While there is a genetic component to these diseases, there are significant nutritional risk factors that play a part during puppyhood. These risk factors are rapid growth and excess dietary calcium intake.
The best dog food for Golden Retrievers provides just enough of the right balance of nutrients. Large-breed specific puppy foods are a great safeguard to help prevent these issues. My top recommendation for Golden puppies is Royal Canin Golden Retriever Breed Health Nutrition Puppy.
Royal Canin has done all the legwork for us in creating their Golden retriever-specific puppy food. Goldens are a more slowly maturing breed and it is recommended to feed this puppy food until 15 months of age.
The calorie content and mineral balance are optimal for preventing developmental orthopedic diseases. Goldens have teeth that meet in a scissors bite and a long mouth and snout. Royal Canin has designed square, thin kibble for optimal chewing and digestion by Goldens.