Adult Food 101

Volume 19: Selecting the Best Dog Food for Your Adult Golden

We all love our golden furbabies and want them to have the best quality of life. Their food plays an essential part in helping to reduce the risk of health issues. Golden retrievers often suffer from joint problems, cancer, and allergies. The type of food we feed our goldens could affect their lifespan as well. Selecting your goldens food is very important so we have gathered all you need to know to feel confident when selecting the best food for your golden.

First and foremost, your golden’s food should be labeled as large breed. The ingredients listed should be natural, with no fillers, byproducts or artifical additives (Barrington, 2022). The majority of a good quality dog food is made of meat (Burke, 2017). Adult dogs require a minimium of 18% protein in their meals from a high quality animal source like poultry, meat and fish (Barrington, 2022). Protein helps support your dogs lean muscle maintenance (Barrington, 2022). Keep in mind, whole meat contains a lot of water weight and the overall percentage of meat after processing will be lower (Burke, 2017). Meat meal contains more meat since there is no water weight in it (Burke, 2017). Fat also provides your dog with energy from the calories and your dog’s food should contain 5% of it (Barrington, 2022). Other important ingredients include grains, fruit, and vegetables which contain essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber (Burke, 2017). Quality animal byproducts such as organs and entrails are also very nutritious and often contain more nutrients than muscle meat (Burke, 2017). Your goldens food should also have controlled amounts of calcium and phosphorus with glucosamine and chondroitin to support joint health (Barrington, 2022).

It is important to read the dog food label to ensure it contains the necessary ingredients. Labels are required to tell you the following information (Burke, 2017):

1. Name of the product

2. Net weight

3. Manufacturer name and address

4. Guaranteed analysis

5. Ingredient list

6. Type of animal species (dog or cat)

7. Statement of nutritional adequacy

8. Feeding guidelines

When reading the dog food bag, there are certain terms that you need to know in order to understand what exactly is in the food. If the dog food bag states, “chicken” or any other protein, it means:

• “Chicken” - at least 70% chicken protein

• “Chicken dinner, entree, or platter” - at least 10% chicken protein

• “With chicken” - 3% chicken protein

• “Chicken flavor” - less than 3% chicken protein

Also ensure the food lists the statement, “complete and balanced (Burke, 2017).” This statement is given by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) (Burke, 2017). It means just that, the food contains a complete and balanced recipe for your pup. In order to receive this statement, the food must contain all the necessary nutrients and is also indicated in the “guaranteed analysis (Burke, 2017).” The analysis means the food has the minimum amount of crude protein and fat and the maximum amount of water and crude fiber (Burke, 2017).

When selecting your golden’s food, steer clear of grain-free formulas since they may cause heart problems in golden retrievers. You can learn more about the possible dangers of grain-free dog food through Volume 17 of The Golden Pupper below.

The Possible Dangers of Grain-Free Dog Food

When switching your golden’s food from puppy formula to adult formula, the rule of thumb is to wait until they are 12 to 24 months of age in order to reduce the risk of hip disease (“The best dog food for golden retrievers”). Another factor when transitioning your dog’s food from puppy to adult is to start when they are at adult height (“Is your puppy ready for adult dog food?”). The average adult height of a male golden retriever is 23-24 inches tall at their shoulder (Hertz, 2023). The average adult height of a female golden retriever is 21.5-22.5 inches tall at their shoulder (Hertz, 2023).

Now that you know what your golden’s food should contain, you can rest assured knowing you are feeding them the best. As always, The Golden Pupper is not a replacement for professional veterinary advice. Always consult your veterinarian to discuss the right solutions and diet for your golden retriever.

---

References

Barrington, K. (2022, March 28). The 10 best dog foods for golden retrievers. The Dog People. https://www.rover.com/blog/reviews/best-dog-food-golden-retrievers/

Burke, A. (2017, September 25). Best dog food: Choosing what’s right for your dog. American Kennel Club. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/best-dog-food-choose-whats-right-for-dog/

Hertz, L. (2023, January 24). Golden retriever size guide. The Happy Puppy Site. https://thehappypuppysite.com/golden-retriever-size/#height

Is your puppy ready for adult dog food? Iams. https://www.iams.com/dog/dog-articles/your-puppy-ready-adult-dog-food

The best dog food for golden retrievers. Dog Food Advisor. https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/best-dog-foods/golden-retrievers/#faq