Golden retrievers are sensitive about their feeding regime. A high quality diet will result into a healthy dog with improved immune system. It is up to you how nutritious you are feeding to your dog.

The present article is the answer to your questions about Golden retriever feeding:

How much food is ideal for Golden Retrievers?

Just like any other dog, the amount of food which is right for a Golden depends on his built, size, activity level and age. However, 2 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food per day given in two meals is generally what vet recommends for an average Golden Retriever.

Golden retriever requires different amount of food at different stages in his life. For a puppy, the meal frequency should be high because of his high energy levels. While adults and senior Golden Retriever not be fed the same number of times you feed puppies.

Meal frequency:

• For the first three months: three meals per day
• For the rest of life: two meals per day

Free Vs scheduled feeding:

Free feeding is easy for pet owners but is it good for dogs?

No. It is very hard to monitor the amount of food consumed by the dog if you are free feeding him. Moreover, once your dog has developed this habit; it will be hard to house train him on a scheduled feeding. For fast growing breeds such as golden retrievers, keeping an eye on meal frequency is very important.

Guidelines for selecting the right commercial food for Golden Retrievers:

• Don’t buy the food which has preservatives such as BHT, Ethoxyquin, propylene glycol, BHA, or sodium nitrate
• Make sure that the meat is the first ingredient in the food (lamb, chicken, or turkey)
• Don’t buy the food which has sugar or artificial flavors
• It should have quality grains like white or brown rice
• Avoid the food that contains animal digest
• The food should have good fats

These foods should not be fed to Golden Retriever:

Below foods may harm the health of your Golden retriever in some or other way:

• Raw Eggs
• Sodas
• Chocolate and coffee
• Avocado
• Raw or Undercooked Meat
• Shallots
• Scallions
• Bones
• Grapes and Raisins
• Onions
• Garlic

• Hops
• Xylitol
• Macadamia Nuts
• Bread Dough
• Moldy Foods
• Alcohol
• Milk
• Salty food

Managing the weight:

It is very important to manage the weight of the Golden. If you are feeding your dog way too much, chances are high that he is getting obese. When you place your hands on the back of the dog with your thumb along the spine, you should be able to feel his ribs without probing. If you can’t feel his ribs, the dog is obese. It is time to cut short or manipulate his diet.

The final word:

Quality nutrition is very important for your dog to stay in shape and live healthy. However at any point of time, you should be able to change his diet for any reason. Most common reasons why you have to change the diet are:

• The dog is allergic to food
• He is refusing to eat
• He is not getting enough nutrition
• He has changed his activity level