Smart, gentle and eager to please, the Golden Retriever dog excels as a reliable, loving companion. Also, good manners, kindness, and loyalty are standards for this breed. As a Golden Retriever owner, you have to know several things about your pup. This article will reveal some essential nutrition tips as well as the best foods on the market for this breed, including high-quality dog food for adult dogs, dry food, and puppy food. In addition, we’ll talk about your furry friend’s personality, health, and some other important particularities.
Contents
- Best Dog Foods for Golden Retrievers
- 1. Hill’s Science Diet Large Breed Dry Dog Food
- 2. Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Adult Dry Dog Food
- 3. Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy Dry Dog Food
- 4. Fromm Family Foods Gold Nutritionals Dog Food
- 5. Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry Large Breed Dog Food
- 6. Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Loaf in Sauce Dog Food
- 7. Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain Natural Dry Dog Food
- Common Food-Related Issues in Golden Retrievers
- Golden Retrievers’ Personality
- Taking Care of Your Golden Retriever
Best Dog Foods for Golden Retrievers
Golden Retriever dogs are renowned for their healthy appetite and there are plenty of foods owners can choose from. Your main concern, as a responsible pet parent, is to provide your pet with superior quality products in quantities related to his age level of physical activity. Here is a list of some awesome foods Golden Retrievers love.
Last update on 2019-01-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
1. Hill’s Science Diet Large Breed Dry Dog Food
- Hill'S Science Diet Adult Large Breed Dry Dog Food Is Recommended For Adult Dogs Who Weigh More Than 55 Pounds
- This Premium Natural Dog Food For Big Dogs Provides Natural Sources Of Glucosamine And Chondroitin To Support Joint Health And Mobility
Last update on 2019-01-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
If you’re the proud owner of an adult Golder Retriever who weights more than 55 pounds, Hill’s Science Diet Large Breed Dry Dog Food is a great choice for your furry friend. Big breeds have specific needs when it comes to nutrition, thus this product is specifically designed to offer your big fellow a balanced, complete diet. This premium food provides natural, top-notch glucosamine and chondroitin sources which are essential for healthy cartilage and joints. The exclusive combination of vitamins, omega-6 fatty acids, and other key nutrients support a glowing, flawless skin and coat. The antioxidants blend (vitamins C and E) are great for your dog’s immune system while the high-quality protein will support lean, strong muscles and an optimal weight. The very first ingredient on the list is real chicken and the recipe doesn’t contain artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors.
2. Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Adult Dry Dog Food
- Dog Food For Golden Retrievers Over 15 Months Old.Healthy Cardiac Function:Golden Retriever Breed Dogs Are Prone To Cardiac Sensitivity. The Golden Retriever...
- Contains Omega 6 & 3 Fatty Acids To Help Improve Skin And Coat Health
Last update on 2019-01-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
If you’re searching for breed-specific food for your dog, Royal Canin has developed an entire line tailored to Golden Retrievers. The adult dry dog product is perfect for pets over 15 months of age. As this breed is prone to heart sensitivity, this recipe contains DHA, EPA, and taurine – nutrients that support a healthy cardiac function. Thanks to the omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, your pup will have a flawless looking skin and coat. This formula is also awesome for maintaining your pet’s optimal weight and offering him the nutrition that he needs on a daily basis. Another nice thing about this item is that it helps your pup improve his mobility and maintain a healthy joint function. The brand partners with experienced breeders, vets, and other experts who recognize each nutrient’s effect on your dog’s health. Therefore, this food is the result of studying Golden Retrievers’ needs during their adulthood.
3. Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy Dry Dog Food
- Omega 3 And 6 Fatty Acids To Support A Healthy Skin And Coat In The Golden Retriever Over 15 Months Old
- L-Carnitine To Support Heart Health And Help Muscles Work Efficiently In The Golden Retriever
Last update on 2019-01-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
If your four-legged companion is still a puppy (2 to 15 months old), then the highly appreciated Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy Dry Dog Food is a wonderful option to consider. The formula contains key antioxidants (Lutein, Taurine, vitamins C and E) that do an amazing job at neutralizing free radicals and supporting a healthy cognitive function. The omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids help your pup’s coat and skin be healthy and look gorgeous. The L-carnitine takes good care of your friend’s heart health and helps his muscles work at their best. During their growth stage, Golden Retrievers need a good digestive health. And, as their digestive system isn’t yet completely developed, this recipe helps it absorb nutrients and have a balanced intestinal flora. Plus, this food will help maintain an ideal weight while offering a complete, balanced nutrition.
4. Fromm Family Foods Gold Nutritionals Dog Food
- Large Breed 50+
- Added cartilage to support joint health.
Last update on 2019-01-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Fromm Family Foods Gold Nutritionals Dog Food is tailor-made for dogs weighing over 50 pounds and meets all their specific nutritional needs. With added cartilage that supports joint health, this formula is made in the US in a USDA-Inspected plant. All the key prebiotics and probiotics are ensured by the real Wisconsin cheese that supports a healthy digestive system. The natural, wholesome ingredients include salmon oil for flawless skin and coat. There’s no beet pulp, corn, wheat, artificial colors, or flavors added to the recipe.
5. Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry Large Breed Dog Food
- Complete Health: Complete And Balanced Everyday Nutrition For Your Large Breed Dog
- Large Breed Formula: Larger Kibble Size, Made With Delicious Deboned Chicken With Regulated Calories For Healthy Growth And Added Glucosamine And Chondroitin...
Last update on 2019-01-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry Large Breed Dog Food will offer your Golden Retriever the balanced, complete everyday nutrition that he needs. The kibble size is larger, perfect for your big fellow’s mouth and made with yummy deboned chicken. This recipe has regulated calories for healthy growth, ideal body mass, optimal vitality, as well as added chondroitin and glucosamine for flawless joints and hips. All the ingredients are natural, premium, with absolutely no meat by-products, wheat, soy, corn, artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors added to the formula. With this food, your friend will also enjoy great nutrient absorption, digestive health, and a yummy taste.
6. Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Loaf in Sauce Dog Food
- Healthy Skin And Coat
- Cardiac Health
Last update on 2019-01-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Remember the breed-specific line we talked about earlier? Besides their adult and puppy formulas, we also want to mention their wet food. This is a great alternative for picky pups, for those who fancy ‘moisture-rich’ meals, or for the times when you want to feed your dog a different kind of product. Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Loaf in Sauce Dog Food supports your fellow’s cardiac health, improves his skin and coat, enhances mobility and joint health, and offers the balanced nutrition that he needs. Oh, and the yummy taste is irresistible even for the finickiest pups. This product is suitable for adult pups that are older than 15 months of age.
Here’s how the guaranteed analysis looks like: minimum 6.3% of crude protein, minimum 1.7 of crude fat, up to 2.7% of crude fiber, up to 81% of moisture, minimum 0.01% of alpha-linolenic acid, minimum 0.07% of EPA, minimum 0.02% of DHA, minimum 0.06% of sodium, minimum 0.08% of taurine, minimum 122 mg/kg of L-carnitine, minimum 168 mg/kg of glucosamine, and minimum 19 mg/kg of chondroitin sulfate.
7. Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain Natural Dry Dog Food
- U.S. farm-raised turkey is the #1 ingredient
- Grain and gluten free recipe
Last update on 2019-01-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
In short, Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain Natural Dry Dog Food is a wonderful product for all Golden Retrievers. It features US farm-raised, real turkey as the first ingredient, it’s gluten-free, enriched with natural chelated minerals and vitamins, and absolutely no fillers, artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors added to it. The real turkey is a high-quality, easily digestible, lean protein that’s not commonly used in dog food; this makes it less likely to trigger your pup’s food sensitivities. The turkey meal (second ingredient on the list) offers key B vitamins and amino acids that help your friend maintain lean, strong muscles as well as healthy organs. Not to mention that turkey meal is a natural glucosamine and chondroitin source, which supports an optimal joint health. The whole peas, potatoes, and tapioca are alternative carbs that are easily digestive, thus gentle on your pup’s stomach. The beet pulp is a wholesome, top-notch fiber source that naturally offers essential prebiotics.
Common Food-Related Issues in Golden Retrievers
There are two main aspects that need to be considered when feeding Golden Retriever dogs.
Their tendency for gaining weight. The Golden Retriever is a dog with an enhanced appetite and can easily become an obese pet, even though he generally shows great pleasure for exercise and is capable of prolonged effort. However, this exact combination can lead to dangerous problems. During most of his lifetime, a Golden Retriever will enthusiastically engage in intense physical activities. And, if your pet is already overweight or just starting to overeat, the risk of cardiac, circulatory, bone, and muscular conditions increases. Therefore, it’s highly recommendable to watch your dog’s portion sizes, create a feeding schedule, and avoid leaving food freely available to him all the time.
Allergic reactions. This breed is quite prone to dealing with food allergies. Having a sensitive digestive system, Golden Retrievers can sometimes react unexpectedly to a particular type of food. The statistics don’t point to specific ingredients, but they mention that allergies can be triggered by various foods or dietary supplements such as beef, dairy products, wheat, soy products, chicken, or poultry.
In case of such allergies (which are usually accompanied by massive hair loss), it is necessary to completely change the pet’s diet for the immediate elimination of the allergen factor(s). For a clear conclusion regarding your pet’s food allergy, the same diet needs to be followed for at least 8 weeks, with careful follow-ups of the dog’s reactions. Being prone to allergies triggered by a wide range of factors, you first need to know that food is the factor affecting the dog’s health until you switch him to a different nutrition plan. So the best thing to do is to seek help from an experienced veterinarian.
Golden Retrievers’ Personality
It would take so many beautiful words to describe this breed, which many consider being the closest to perfection. Beauty, intelligence, and athletic capabilities are all key qualities of this fascinating dog. Golden Retrievers can be the ideal pet for basically anyone.
A Golden Retriever is lively, cheerful, friendly and extremely attached to his family. He has a great soul and loves everyone in house equally; he doesn’t choose a favorite owner as many other dog breeds do. He loves children and has a lot of patience with them, no matter how small they are. The positive energy and playful spirit of the children blend harmoniously with this pup’s character. With such a dog in the house, the little ones will never get bored and learn what nobility and kindness mean. Actually, Golden Retriever is renowned as one of the best breeds for families with kids or for owners who have or plan on adopting other pets (cats, dogs, and so on).
This wonderful pup will greet your guests with joy. Maybe that’s why they say it wouldn’t be the ideal guard dog. However, he is a vigilant pet with sharp senses and will signal any suspicious activity. This breed is recognized as a pretty talkative one. Even if excessive barking can become an issue, it will be easy to solve it thanks to the dog’s receptivity to training.
Training a Golden Retriever is, luckily, a piece of cake. His desire to please their owner, his hard-working personality, and his above-average intelligence make him easily trainable dogs. The training process has to be dynamic, clear and well-oriented, based on rewards and fun. Physical or verbal punishments will never yield the expected results.
Taking Care of Your Golden Retriever
The Golden Retriever can live in any place where his beloved family is. Ideally, he would enjoy a medium size yard, but he could also live in an apartment, provided he is taken out for walks on a daily basis. This dog is athletic, energetic, and loves to explore and run. At least two daily walks are needed to keep him in a good physical and mental form. He likes to take part in any kind of outdoor activity with his loved ones: walking, running, hiking, swimming, or cycling. Keep in mind that the Golden Retriever is a water-loving pup, so it would be advisable to give him the opportunity to swim as often as possible in the warm seasons.
He sheds in spring and summer; during this time, you should brush him every single day. In the rest of the year, brushing him once or twice a week will be enough. His semi-long coat can get pretty tangled on the chest, underarms, and ears areas, so try to avoid this from happening. A correct grooming schedule and a balanced nutrition are the main secrets to a shiny, beautiful coat. Regarding food, this breed tends to eat more than necessary, so try to monitor your pup’s portions. Otherwise, he’ll be prone to obesity. Bathing your Golden Retriever should be done when it’s absolutely imperative. And because they love water, bathing won’t be a struggle at all.
Every little detail in this article is helpful for owners who’re focused on their dog’s well-being. Now, that you have all this precious information on hand, you can easily take great care of your Golden Retriever.
I grew up in a household that was filled with animals. I believe that my fate as a dog-loving person was sealed in early childhood since my parents owned several dogs of varying sizes and breeds. There was no choice but to take care of and learn about dog habits and the best animal care practices — otherwise, I’d be clueless about how to go about the creatures I was surrounded by day and night.
As a life-long puppy lover, I know a thing or two about dogs and how to go about caring for them in the best way possible. Although I’m not a professionally trained dog behaviorist, trainer, or veterinarian, all of my knowledge and experience with canines comes from a place of love and a deep-rooted passion for dogs and animals in general.
Seeing as dogs kept me company throughout every stage of my life, I decided to follow a different path in my academic life and obtained a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Marketing Management and Digital Advertising, which ultimately allowed me to combine my professional training and personal experience by creating the ultimate dog lover’s resource website! Along with my husband, Dave, I run MySweetPuppy for like-minded dog lovers who want to have a single, clear, and reliable information source about anything and everything related to dogs and their well-being.
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