Diets for Golden Retriever Puppies

As with any dog, choosing the right diet is essential to a long and healthy life for your golden retriever. Propensities to certain conditions in Goldens will affect your choices in food. Be wary of overly-rapid growth of your golden retriever puppy, as this is often a contributing factor to hip dysplasia, an arthritis-related condition to which this breed is prone. Skin issues are another concern for golden retrievers. Providing the right diet for your puppy can help you avoid these conditions and improve its coat, bones and muscles.

  1. Protein

    • Giving your puppy a food featuring meat-based proteins is important. Many dogs are allergic to grains such as corn or soy and some commercial dog foods use these as the main protein ingredient. These allergies can result in skin irritation in your Golden puppy. Choose foods with chicken, lamb, fish and beef as the main source of protein.

    Raw Foods

    • Controversy surrounds raw food diets that gained momentum in 2001. Some breeders and veterinarians believe raw foods are best for dogs because, as descendants of wolves, their digestive systems are designed to get the most nutrition from uncooked meats. Others suggest that, while this evolutionary factor may be accurate, most major commercial dog food companies manufacture their products in forms that are more digestible by the animals.

    Grains

    • Advocates of a raw food diet believe grains should be completely omitted from your Golden puppy's diet. However, all dogs have the ability to digest some grains. Limiting the quantity is recommended, though, as Goldens can be sensitive to wheat gluten, wheat flour and corn gluten.

    Quantity

    • Until your puppy is five months old, feed it three times per day. Each meal should be roughly ¼ lb. of raw foods or ½ cup of dry food. After five months, begin feeding your dog twice a day in the same measurements as before. Avoid "puppy" food, at least after your Golden is three months old, as it is high in calories and fat and is more likely to result in the rapid growth that can lead to dysplasia. Adult food with less than 25 percent protein content can be substituted for your puppy. Do not allow your puppy unfettered access to its food. Golden retriever puppies are known for eating everything in front of them, whether they are hungry or not.

    Type

    • If you have the means and time to provide a raw food diet for your puppy, chicken, fish, eggs, yogurt, fruit and vegetables are appropriate ingredients. Brands made without grains are often more expensive and harder to find, but can be beneficial for golden retrievers. Commercially manufactured dry dog foods which contain a substantial percentage of meat and a minimum of grains are a viable alternative. As reference, ingredients in dog food are listed from highest percentage to lowest. Avoid giving your dog only wet or semi-moist foods. With an abundance of water and artificial additives, these options are best used as dressing on dry food.

    Treats

    • Golden retrievers are known to be excellent beggars. Avoid giving your puppy table scraps or an abundance of treats as this can lead to weight issues. Use them instead in small pieces as training rewards.