Best Dog Food For Golden Retrievers

The Golden Retriever is a popular breed, ranking in the top ten most popular dog breed in the US, according to a CBS news report. Golden Retrievers have made their mark on the American family and in the realm of service animals and even stardom. Feeding our “treasured” breed the appropriate food for optimal health and performance requires insight into what the food in your pets bowl currently offers.

Top Food Options For Golden Retrievers

Nutritional Requirements For Golden Retrievers

Foods rich in omega fatty acids will aid in retaining optimum health and appearance of the Golden Retrievers shiny long fur. Omegas are important for numerous reasons as they also aid in absorption of vitamins, healthy skin maintenance and are the leading source of energy. Excessive Golden Retriever shedding can be avoided by steering clear of “fillers”, like dairy, eggs, soy, wheat, corn and artificial preservatives, flavors and colorings.

A Golden Retrievers weight ranges from 55 to 75 pounds and an active Retriever should consume between 1,353 and 1,740 calories a day according to the National Research Council of the National Academics. If the Retriever is sedentary or a dog older in age the caloric recommendation decreases and their individual veterinarian should be consulted. Dry kibble opposed to moist canned food helps in scraping the tartar from the teeth and provides for optimal oral health.

Large breed dogs such as Golden Retrievers are prone to “twisting stomach” and should be fed multiple smaller meals a day rather than one large to prevent “twisting stomach” as well as bloating and other digestive troubles. Ensuring your Retriever does not eat within an hour of strenuous exercise can also decrease the risk of “twisting stomach” and bloating.

Golden Retrievers can develop allergies to some dog food “fillers” such as wheat, corn and soy. Allergies tend to show up as skin conditions and can be avoided by choosing foods with minimal fillers. Vegetables and fruits provide a good source of fiber to aid in the Golden Retrievers healthy digestion and may be added as treats if not a significant ingredient in their everyday food. When choosing the right food for your Golden Retriever label reading is a must. We have tried to break down some of the research for you by exploring the options below.

Blue Life Protection

This food meets all requirements of the Golden Retriever nutritional needs. The first two listed ingredients in this food are deboned chicken and chicken meal providing calorie rich lean protein.

Brown rice, oatmeal, barley and peas all of which are a viable source of fiber aiding in healthy digestion follow deboned chicken and chicken meal. The Next important ingredient is flaxseed, which provides the necessary omegas for a strong healthy coat and a healthy absorption of vitamins.

Additionally this food comes with “The Blue Promise” to include being protein rich, no poultry byproduct, as well as none of the “fillers” (i.e. corn, wheat or soy). As a bonus the “promise” also includes no artificial preservatives, colors or flavors and formulated with all natural ingredients.

Feeding your Golden Retriever this option provides antioxidants in their diet as well. The antioxidants are sourced through the addition of apples, blueberries, blackberries, pomegranate, pumpkin and spinach. Antioxidants serve to prevent potential infection and future illness, while helping maintain optimal health.

Eukanuba Adult Large Breed

The Eukanuba large breed dry daunts a “3D Dentadefense system” to reduce tartar build up in 28 days. Keeping your Golden Retrievers teeth healthy is vital to their over-all optimal health. The first ingredient listed is chicken providing that same great calorie rich protein with no fillers or alteration to the pureness of the chicken its self.

The fiber in this food is sourced from beet pulp, which also promotes nutrient absorption. This food is also made with no artificial colors or preservatives providing less unhealthy “fillers” and less chance of a shedding coat.

Glucosamine and chondroitin in natural form are added to aid in joint care. Healthy joints are important in large bread dogs like Golden Retrievers to ensure longevity of life.

The second ingredient in this food is corn meal, identified as a ”filler” so this must be taken into account when weighing out the other great benefits included in this food.

Blue Wilderness Adult Large Breed Grain Free Chicken

The Blue “Wilderness” line professes an inspiration of the diet of wolfs incorporating the nutritional needs that dogs inherited from their ancestors. Turkey meal is one of the first three ingredients along with deboned chicken and chicken meal retaining the protein rich calories as primary ingredients.

To assist in the fibrous needs of your Golden Retriever, Sweet potato’s, peas, blueberries, cranberries and carrots are all significant ingredients. The blueberries, cranberries and carrots also pack a antioxidant support for your pooch.

The important Omegas needed by the Golden Retriever are packed into this food as well through several sources to include, flax seed and fish oil.

Taurine is a significant ingredient and an important amino acid in maintaining heart health as an added bonus for your narrow chested Golden Retriever. It also contains glucosamine and chondroitin to keep your Goldens joints healthy.

This food is also prepared through a “cold-from” process, which decreases the amount of heat used in its production. This process is used to enhance and protect vital nutrients during the production of the food.

 Natures Recipe Large Breed Grain Free

This food’s first ingredient is stand alone, chicken leaving no doubt in the mind that the protein rich calories needed by your Golden Retriever are priority. Chicken meal is the second ingredient ensuring your Golden Retriever benefits from an overall high protein base.

These high proteins are followed closely by important fibrous ingredients like sweet potato, apples and pumpkin. Pumpkin is known to be gentle on a dog’s stomach and eases the digestive process proving beneficial especially if your Golden Retriever has a weak stomach. The added pumpkin would prove beneficial in preventing a Golden Retrievers natural tendency towards twisted stomach and bloat.

Although an identifiable source of your Golden Retrievers Omega fats are not visible in the ingredients, the “guaranteed nutritional analysis” states the omega 3 content is a minimum of .30% and omega 6 is a 2.80% minimum.In this formula nutrient-dense vegetables are added to replace grain, “fillers” ensuring your Goldens’ optimal health and overall appearance.

Wellness CORE Dry Grain Free Large Breed Chicken and Turkey

Wellness CORE dotes higher levels of protein, glucosamine, and chondroitin to support large breeds, such as Golden Retrievers. This food is grain free with no “fillers” listed.

Potatoes, peas, tomatos, and flaxseed are among the top ingredients following the calorie packed protein of deboned chicken, chicken meal and turkey meal. The potatoes, peas and tomato’s all provide good fiber with additional fiber of spinach, broccoli, carrots, parsley, apples and blueberries that back it up.

The term fiber rich would be an understatement for this choice as it also contains sweet potato and kale. The added tomato also serves as a source of lycopene providing a boost of cancer fighting agents.The omegas that are so important to the Golden Retrievers coats and health is fulfilled with one of the primary listed, flaxseed ingredients and backed by the wellness content analysis that expresses a minimum 1.00% omega 3 content in each serving.

Golden Retrievers have made their mark, not only on the American family but also in the realm of service animals and even stardom.  Lets do our homework and keep one of America’s most loved breeds at their optimum health, while nurturing a beloved family member.