Best Dog Food for Golden Retriever (+Nutrition Guide)

Golden retrievers are a very popular breed across America. These adorable and loving pets are playful and intelligent. They are also very loyal and energetic. It’s natural to want the best dog food for your Golden Retriever to help keep them in optimum health.

Golden retrievers make an excellent pet for an active family. They love to go on long walks or runs and are a large energetic breed. Golden retrievers require a good diet to keep them in top condition. They will eat almost anything and are prone to putting on weight if their owner doesn’t make good food choices.

It’s a good idea to provide your golden retriever with the best food possible. This article will help to answer any questions you may have about feeding your Golden Retriever. We’ll also tell you how to change your pet’s food slowly and safely so that your dog doesn’t suffer from any adverse effects such as an upset stomach.

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Golden Retriever Food Requirements

As Golden Retrievers are a large, energetic breed that is active for much of the day, they require lots of protein and healthy carbohydrates in their diet. It’s a wise idea to find a dog food with a large percentage of meat in its ingredients. Golden Retrievers also require some healthy vegetables and fatty acids, as these will help to keep their coats shiny.

You may like to choose a grain-free dog food for your pet as this will reduce the likelihood of your pet developing stomach problems or allergies. Some dogs may start to develop a grain allergy later in life.

When feeding your Golden Retriever, you should also remember that dogs are omnivorous. They can eat vegetables and will get a lot of beneficial nutrients from fruit and veg. Vegetables will also provide your pet with fiber, which is good for the digestive system.

Eggs are also beneficial to Golden Retrievers as they are an excellent source of protein. It’s best to give your dog a cooked egg rather than a raw egg. Raw eggs aren’t safe for dogs.

Feeding Your Golden Retriever

In general, your dog will eat two bowls of good quality kibble a day. If you have a Golden Retriever that’s larger and more active, he may need to eat more.

A Golden Retriever puppy should be fed three small meals a day until they are approximately three months old. After that, you can provide your pet slightly larger amounts twice a day. You should always ask your vet for advice about feeding your dog, especially if you have any worries. It would help if you switched from puppy food to adult dog food when your pet is about ten months old.

Many people believe in free-feeding their dogs. However, this isn’t recommended for Golden Retrievers. The breed loves food and is likely to gain weight quickly if they start to overeat. If your Golden Retriever isn’t as active as he should be, overeating is likely to lead to obesity, which in the long term can cause additional health problems.

A Raw Diet is an excellent option for Golden Retrievers and for other larger breeds of dog. Raw diets are based on ancestral dog diets and will bring many health benefits to your pet. Ensure that you find a good quality commercial raw dog food.

Best Dog Food Brands for a Golden Retriever

Here are some brands of commercial dog foods that will be beneficial to the health of your Golden Retriever.

1. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula

Preview	Product	Rating
	Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Natural Adult Dry Dog Food, Chicken and Brown Rice 6-lb		See Latest Price

2. Royal Canin Best Golden Retriever Adult Dog Food

Royal Canin food is specially formulated to meet the nutritional needs of energetic Golden Retrievers. The breed often suffers from heart problems, and this dog food brand has created a heart-healthy recipe. It also contains beneficial nutrients, which will help keep your pet’s coat looking fantastic.

Preview	Product	Rating
	Royal Canin Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food, 6 lb bag	No ratings yet	See Latest Price

3. Nutro Wholesome Essentials

This commercial dog food has been designed specifically for large breeds. It contains lamb, which is lean meat that’s high in protein, as well as rice, which is a beneficial carbohydrate.

Preview	Product	Rating
	NUTRO NATURAL CHOICE Adult Dry Dog Food, Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe Dog Kibble, 30 lb. Bag	No ratings yet	See Latest Price

4. Hill’s Science Diet

Vets often recommend hills dog food as it’s been developed using a scientific formula to provide large dogs with all the nutrients they need. It contains chicken and barley, which are healthy options for Golden Retrievers.

Preview	Product	Rating
	Hill's Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult, Small Bites, Chicken & Barley Recipe, 5 lb. Bag	No ratings yet	See Latest Price

5. Wellness CORE

Created using deboned, grain-fed turkey, and chicken. This brand contains high-quality meat and is grain-free. Golden Retrievers seem to love this mix of turkey and chicken. As the formula is grain-free, it makes it perfect for dogs who have allergies or suffer from stomach problems.

Each piece of kibble has also been coated with probiotics, which will aid your dog’s digestive system. The formula also contains flaxseed and salmon oil, which have amazing benefits to your Golden Retrievers gorgeous coat.

Preview	Product	Rating
	Wellness CORE Grain-Free High-Protein Small Breed Dry Dog Food, Natural Ingredients, Made in USA...	No ratings yet	See Latest Price

Are there any dog food that should be avoided?

Just like with any breed of dog, there are a few things that you should avoid giving your pet. Milk, raw eggs, chocolate, onion, garlic, raisins, nuts, and grains aren’t good for your pet and may even be toxic. It’s also a good idea to avoid foods containing lots of fillers or artificial preservatives and additives, as these won’t be as healthy for your pet.

Dairy products should be avoided as they are likely to cause your dog to have an upset stomach. You can add a little bit of natural yogurt into your Golden Retrievers meals as this will contain healthy probiotics. Cheese and milk should be avoided entirely.

Buyer’s Guide: Dog Food For Golden Retrievers

Golden Retrievers must eat enough protein to remain healthy. They also need healthy carbs. The breed does best when fed a diet that’s low in fat; however, there needs to be enough fatty acids to keep their fur looking glossy and healthy.

Most vets recommend feeding your Golden Retriever a good quality commercial dog food rather than preparing homemade food for your pet. Commercial dog foods have been carefully prepared to fulfill your dog’s dietary needs for each meal. You’ll be able to tell from the label, exactly which nutrients your pet is consuming. The label will tell you how much protein and fats your dog is consuming as well as the total calory count per cup.

Look out for the following when choosing commercial dog food for a Golden Retriever.

Lean Meat

Golden Retriever should eat plenty of lean meat such as poultry. Chicken has the right amounts of fats and is preferable over red meat.

Low Fat

Large breeds of dogs such as Golden Retrievers have a slower metabolism than smaller dogs. For this reason, they are prone to weight gain. Look for a dog food that contains approximately 10 to 15% fat. Also, look for a good fiber content as this will help with fat metabolism.

Good Carbs

Golden Retrievers are an active breed that need good carbs to help them thrive. Check that your pet’s food contains quality vegetable sources, including potatoes or other tubers. These vegetables are also rich in essential vitamins and minerals and help build strong, healthy bones and teeth.

Fatty Acids

As Golden Retrievers have lovely fur, you should lookout for a dog food containing vitamin A and fatty acids. Both of these can help improve the condition of your pet’s teeth, eyes, and fur. Fish is a great source of fatty acids, which are great for the skin and coat of your dog.

Fillers and Additive-free

Look for a food that’s filler-free and doesn’t contain artificial flavors.

You should also check the kibble size when choosing a dog food. It’s recommended that Golden Retrievers and other larger breeds eat larger kibble is this will encourage them to chew properly.

Transitioning between foods

If you think you’ve found the perfect food for your Golden Retriever, you should introduce it in small amounts over seven to ten days. Golden Retrievers aren’t generally considered a picky breed and will eat whatever you give them. However, it’s a wise idea to change their food slowly to avoid an upset stomach.

Your dog may not like a dramatic change in flavor or texture. Start by offering your pet a small amount of the new food and mix this into the old one. You can then gradually increase the food ratios over about a week until your pet is eating the new food.

Conclusion: Best Dog Food for Golden Retriever

There are many different dog food options for Golden Retrievers. Ensure that your pet is fed a high-quality food that’s low in fat and calories as they are prone to putting on weight. Bear in mind that what suits one Golden Retriever may not suit another. If your dog isn’t a fan of the top commercial dog food brands, there are plenty of other great options that you may like to offer your pet.

You can also speak to your vet, who will be able to recommend the best dog food for Golden Retrievers.

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Jason

Meet Jason Plumb, the owner of Dogcarelife.com and a lifelong dog lover. With years of experience working with dogs, Jason is passionate about providing accurate and helpful information to pet owners.

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