Golden Retrievers are one of the most beloved breeds in the world.
Their friendly temperament set them apart from other dogs.
As a cherished member of your family, you will want to keep them healthy and happy by feeding them one of the best dog food for golden retriever pups.
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Top 5 Editor's Choices
Responsible pet owners should compare different commercial dog foods on the market before they make a purchase.
To help you make a choice, this review will give a detailed breakdown of available products.
The table below summary the top 5 best dog foods for Golden Retrievers.
Editor's Picks | Product Name | Price |
|---|---|---|
Best Choices | Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition | |
Best Food for Golden Retrievers with Sensitive Stomachs | Holistic Select Natural Dry Dog Food | |
Best Food for Golden Retrievers with Sensitive Stomachs | Avoderm Natural Dog Food for Adults | |
Best Golden Retriever Food for Weight Loss | Hill's Science Diet Dog Food | |
Best Golden Retriever Food for Puppies | Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition |
5 of the Best Dog Food for Golden Retriever Reviews
Best: Healthiest Dog Food for Golden Retrievers
This Royal Canin product is a dry dog food that is made especially for Golden Retrievers.
Every aspect of this food is tailored for this breed. Even the size of the kibble is specialized so that it is perfect for your pet to crunch on.
The primary source of protein in this option is chicken which is also its flavor. You can buy it in a 17 or 30-pound bag.
The food is made to help to address and prevent health issues that are common in Golden Retrievers.
Firstly it can assist in managing your dog’s weight. You can give it to your dog to stop them from picking up too much weight and can make it easier for an obese dog to lose weight.
In addition to this, the food contains multiple ingredients that support cardiac health like Taurine, EPA, and DHA.
It will aid in preventing these problems from developing. It is also a fantastic option for dogs who already have cardiac concerns.
Significantly, EPA and DHA are necessary for keeping their skin and coat in an ideal condition.
It’s not for nothing that Royal Canin states that their products are holistic. It supports your pet’s overall well-being by providing various vitamins and minerals.
The product is made for adult dogs who are older than 15 months.
- Contains Taurine, EPA, and DHA
- Helps to maintain a healthy weight
- Supports cardiac health
- Suitable for adult dogs
- Tailor-made kibble size and shape
- Specifically made for Golden Retrievers
- Provides multiple vitamins and minerals
- Contains Omega 3 and 6
- Only available in chicken
- Not suitable for puppies and seniors
- Contains corn and gluten
- Made with chicken by-product meal
Best: Food for Golden Retrievers with Sensitive Stomachs
Holistic Select Natural Dog Food is a dried product in the form of kibble.
It is available in bags of several sizes, but it only comes in Chicken meal and Lentil recipe. These ingredients provide the majority of protein in the product.
One of the best features of the food is that the manufacturer made it with all natural ingredients. The formula includes a variety of fruits and vegetables like peas, pumpkin, and apple.
It even contains herbal extracts like spearmint and rosemary.
All this means that it provides a variety of minerals including vitamin C. You will be able to help to support your dog’s immune system with these.
The recipe is grain-free which makes it an excellent option for Golden Retrievers with a sensitive stomach.
It has no corn, meat by-products, artificial colors, flavors, fillers or preservatives.
The product is going to assist you in managing your dog’s weight by improving their digestion through a variety of nutrients and ingredients.
It is high in fiber and also contains prebiotics and probiotics from live yogurt cultures. In addition to this, its recipe is made with digestive enzymes.
The product is made for senior dogs which are dogs that are over 7 years old.
Minerals like glucosamine hydrochloride and chondroitin sulfate will support your pet’s joint and bone health in old age. Therefore, it can also help to manage conditions like hip dysplasia.
- No corn
- No meat by-products
- No artificial colors, flavors, fillers or preservatives
- Contains probiotics and prebiotics
- Made with digestive enzymes
- High in fiber
- Supports bone and joint health
- Suitable for senior dogs
- Provides a variety of minerals and vitamins
- Only comes in Chicken meal and Lentil recipe
- Not suitable for puppies and adult dogs
Best: Food for Golden Retrievers with Sensitive Stomachs
AvoDerm Natural Dog food is a canned product.
You can buy it in two flavors, lamb, and rice or chicken and rice. So if your pet dislikes one you can try the other. The product is made with chicken and ocean fish.
AvoDerm Natural Dog food is a unique product on the list. As the name suggests, it is made with real avocados. These fruits are crammed full of vitamins especially A, C, E, and B. All of these vitamins are necessary for a functioning immune system.
Keep in mind that avocados can cause stomach upset in some dogs. The chances for this increases the more of it they eat.
They also provide Omega three and six which will keep your Golden Retriever’s coat and skin shiny. It is ideal if your dog struggles with dry skin or other skin conditions like skin allergies.
Unfortunately, because Golden Retrievers are large, you will need to them two to four cans per day depending on their exact weight. It can become quite a hassle!
The individual items aren’t costly, but the costs will mount if you need to use so many.
If this is too much for you, you can decide to mix it with dried food.
One of the best features of the product is that it is suitable for all life stages.
- Comes in two flavors
- Wheat free and soy free
- Contains Omega 3 and 6
- Provides various vitamins
- Suitable for all life stages
- Some dogs have sensitivities to avocado
- Adult golden retrievers will need several cans a day
Best: Golden Retriever Food for Weight Loss
Hill's Science Diet Dog Food for Healthy Weight and Weight Management is a dry dog food that you can buy in several bag sizes.
It only comes in chicken.
The Hill’s brand of dog food prioritizes using high-quality ingredients in their products. The formula is crammed with real vegetables, grains, and chicken.
To make it even better, it doesn’t contain any artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or chicken by-product meal.
All of the vitamins in the product will help you to keep your dog healthy. It will also promote the functioning of their immune system.
It contains vitamin A, D, B, and E. The formula will also provide your pet with minerals like zinc.
It is a brilliant option for Golden Retrievers because it is made to maintain your dog’s weight. The product is high in fiber from sources like peas and also manages the number of calories that your pet ingests.
On top of this, it even provides prebiotic fibers to optimize digestion.
The product is especially useful if your dog is inactive or is already overweight but will also prevent your pet from gaining weight in the first place.
Hill’s advertises that 70% of dogs on this diet lose weight after ten weeks.
- No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives
- No Chicken-byproduct meal
- Suitable for adults
- High in fiber
- Contains prebiotics
- Provides various vitamins and minerals
- Only comes in chicken
- Contains corn and gluten
- Not suitable for puppies or senior Golden Retriever’s
Best: Golden Retriever Food for Puppies
Royal Canin has another dog food that is made especially for Golden Retrievers. It also comes in the form of dry kibble.
However, the manufacturer tailored this one for Golden Retrievers puppies, so all its features are ideally suited for them. It is suitable for dogs up to 15 months old.
The kibble is shaped so that it can be easily chewed by these puppies and is small enough for them to eat comfortably.
Its flavor is chicken, and this is where most of its protein is sourced. It contains no less than 27% protein which will allow your puppy to grow up big and strong. In addition to this, it contains all the calories that your young pet will need.
The product is high in fiber as it totals up to 6.2% of its total contents. As a result of this, it will aid your pet’s digestion.
To keep your dog healthy, it provides vitamins and minerals like vitamin B and potassium. It includes calcium which supports bone and joint health.
On top of this EPA and DHA will keep their coat shiny and their skin in excellent condition. These nutrients and L-carnitine contribute to maintaining their cardiac health.
- Suitable for puppies
- Made specifically for Golden Retrievers
- High in protein
- Contains EPA, DHA, and L-carnitine
- Supports cardiac health
- High in fiber
- Provides a variety of minerals and vitamins
- Not suitable for adult and senior dogs
- Only comes in chicken
- Contains corn and gluten
- Includes chicken by-product meal
Feeding your Golden Retriever
1. Nutritional Requirements
The lovely Golden Retriever is a large breed dog. Males are generally larger than females however on average they weigh 55 to 75 pounds. They range from 1 foot 9 inches to 2 feet in height.
Golden retrievers are active and playful and love nothing more than being part of family activities.
They fall under the category of sporting breeds as they were traditionally bred to assist in hunting. All of this means that they have tons of energy and need to be regularly exercised.
To do this, they need the right fuel. Your pet’s nutritional requirements depend on their weight and age.
The general calorie requirements for Golden Retrievers are as follows:
2. Special Needs of Puppies and Seniors
It is clear that puppies and seniors have very different nutritional requirements. Puppies require far more calories o be able to grow and play.
On the other hand, senior dogs are less active than adults, so they need fewer calories. If you don’t reduce their energy and food intake, they are going to pick up weight quickly.
3. Common Health Concerns
A lot of prevalent health issues can be avoided by feeding your pet a healthy diet. You should buy dog food with the right balance of nutrients to maintain their well-being. Specialized food for golden retrievers is produced to help to prevent problems that are specific to Golden Retrievers.
Another good idea is to buy a product that is made to deal with health concerns that are common in this breed.
Here are some of the common health concerns of Golden Retrievers that can be avoided or managed through dietary changes:
Of these issues, obesity is the most widespread problem that golden retrievers develop. They enjoy eating and can quickly overindulge if you don’t regulate their food intake.
Balanced dog food will keep them healthy by providing them with all the nutrients they need to keep their bodies and immune systems healthy.
An essential ingredient is a crude fiber. It allows their digestive systems to run smoothly and helps you to manage their weight.
4. Feeding Guidelines
One of the most significant challenges of owning a golden retriever is, therefore, to help them to maintain a healthy weight.
You should feed them two meals a day and should preferably calculate the exact amount that they need to eat based on their weight.
It is best that you also only feed them low calorie treats or limit the number of treats.
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Essential Features of Golden Retriever Dog Food
No matter what product you choose, there are several attributes that you need to look at to make sure you are picking the right one.
1. Quality
Any dog food needs to be tested and approved by the FDA and other relevant organizations. These checks will ensure that the product is safe and suitable for consumption.
Tried and proven brands make their products with high-quality ingredients.
2. Protein Content
Active dogs need protein to grow and to help them to build muscles. Adults and puppies need more protein than seniors. It is a great idea to buy food that is high in protein. The diet of the average adult dog should contain about 18 % protein.
3. Calorie Content
You need to check whether products have the right calorie content for your pet.
Remember that inactive and old dogs need less while puppies need quite a lot.
If your pet is slightly overweight there various products that are made for weight management.
4. Type of food
One question to ask yourself is whether you want to buy dry or wet food. Both have pros and cons.
Many owners and dogs prefer a combination of the two types of products.
5. Flavor
Even if you buy the best dog food on the market, your golden Retriever might not like it. Through trial and error, you will eventually learn what flavor your pet enjoys the most.
If your pet doesn’t like the dry food, mix it with wet food and see if that works.
Which one is right for you?
The products on this list are all excellent choices if you own a Golden Retriever.
They all deserve their spot in a review of the best Golden Retriever dog food.
However, my overall winner for the best Golden Retriever dog food is Royal Canin Golden Retriever Adult dry food. In this case, you can’t beat a tailor-made product.
The product is made with high-quality ingredients from natural sources and as a bonus dost dogs will love the taste of this dry food.
It targets several common health concerns in adult Golden Retrievers like obesity and cardiac conditions, and it supports their overall well-being.
Tell us in the comments what you think about these products and share it with all your friends who are proud owners of Golden Retrievers.
Hey there, I’m Ruby Smith, founder of Pet So Fun, and I’m here to provide you with useful information about your precious pet. All pets deserve the best care, don’t they? But not all pet owners have access to the right products and tips for their pets. And the central core of my work here is to change that.