To give your golden retriever dog food that's ideal for him, you need to first understand your pet's unique nutritional requirements. Golden retrievers are very intelligent pets but they do suffer from one common problem: allergies. Allergic pets often become highly sensitive to proteins or ingredients present in food. This is the main reason why you should exert caution when feeding your golden retriever any commercial food products.
The Best Food for Golden Retrievers
Since every pet has his own share of health conditions, pet owners should work with the vet to establish a proper diet and nutrition plan that promotes good health and increases the dog's quality of life. Pets suffering from obesity, hypothyroidism and diabetes require diets that help them recover. Healthy pets on the other hand should be fed meals that are rich in sources of proteins, vitamins and minerals.
Commercial Food vs. Home Cooked Meals
If you prefer to feed your golden retriever home cooked meals, you may have to administer food supplements to your pet to ensure that he gets his recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals. Commercial food products contain sources of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals in correct proportions. You should consider buying premium dog food products for your pet.
Not all commercial foods contain sufficient amounts of nutrients. You should read the product label and confirm that the food you purchase contains a good source of protein like chicken, lamb or beef. The product shouldn't be high in fats or carbohydrates and it must contain essential fatty acids, vitamins and other minerals.
Wet or Dry Food
Golden retrievers may be fed a combination of both wet and dry foods. Some pets also like eating fresh foods like vegetables. Although you could incorporate fresh vegetables into your pet's diet, you need to make sure that the dog consumes a good source of protein. If your dog likes to consume dry food, make sure you administer products that are free from fillers, grains, additives and preservatives. Several dry food products contain these ingredients, which are known to cause health concerns in the long run.
Raw Diets
Golden retrievers could also be fed raw food diets. It's best to purchase such raw food diets or BARF diets from the store, because they're hygienically packaged. Since raw foods are free from preservatives or artificial flavors they promote good health, increase the dog's lifespan and also support a healthy immune system.
If you want to switch from dry or canned food to raw food, avoid switching suddenly as it gives rise to food intolerance. Instead, incorporate small amounts of the new food to the pet's regular food and completely switch the diet after a week.
Do's and Don'ts:
- Do give your pet access to plenty of fresh water.
- Avoid feeding him leftover table scraps.
- Choose products that have high quality ingredients.
- Watch for allergies in your pet.
Apart from feeding your golden retriever a healthy diet, you should also be aware of foods that are harmful to the dog's gastrointestinal tract. Chocolate, macadamia nuts, broccoli, cabbage and turnips could cause stomach problems in your pet. Moreover, avoid feeding your dog any ingredients that are known to trigger allergic reactions in his body.