10 Best Dog Food for Golden Retrievers (Updated for 2020)

The Golden Retriever consistently makes it into the top three most popular dogs, and for good reason. These beauties are smart, friendly, loyal, and make the perfect companion.

They’re also highly energetic and love a good romp, chase, or swim … As well as to eat.

If left to their own devices, they can become a bit roly-poly. If you are the parent of one of these lovely dogs, exercise and a diet featuring one of the best dog food for Golden Retrievers will do wonders for their health.

The foods on this list have been carefully assessed to make sure they’re amongst the best. It’s simply up to you to decide which would work for you and your fluff.

10 Best Dog Food For Golden Retrievers

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Testing Protocol & Criteria Used For Evaluation

Criteria 1 – All-Natural Ingredients

The foundation of all great dog food is the quality of the ingredients it’s made of. If it’s filled with low-quality stuff, you can expect that it won’t do great things for your dog’s health. If, however, it’s packed with healthy, nutritious, whole-food ingredients, it can promote wellness, high energy levels, and all-round healthiness. 

Real meat is essential and provides a range of amino acids that are necessary for muscle building and immune support. Meat meal is acceptable, as it’s high in protein and fairly easily digestible. Foods that consist mainly of plant protein have not made this list. 

Grains are great carbohydrate sources as long as they are gluten-free, such as oats, rice, barley, and quinoa. Fruits and vegetables are wonderful additions and provide antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. 

You won’t find any low-quality fillers or artificial ingredients in the foods on this list. We’ve made sure they contain premium quality, real food ingredients, the best, healthiest meal possible.

Criteria 2 – Moderate Fat Count

The fat count you see on dog food labels is what your pooch uses for easy-to-access, quick-to-metabolise energy. It’s what keeps them going during their day, and so it’s a far more important nutrient than most pet parents realise.

Surprisingly, large breeds actually require a smaller amount of fat than small breeds do. A number below 20% is a good one, and will provide your pup enough energy without leaning towards the overweight category.

Golden Retrievers are a breed who love to eat, and if they eat too much they can gain too much weight, which puts them at risk for some serious health issues. Most pet parents make the mistake of only looking at the calorie count and protein count on food, while the fat gets neglected.

If your Goldie is quite active, they can make do with a fat count in the high teens. If they’re less energetic, one between 10 and 15% will be perfectly adequate. We’ve also made sure that that fat in these foods come from healthy sources. 

Criteria 3 – Kibble Size

You may be surprised to find that kibble size can make a bit of a difference to these pups. Bigger guys and girls such as these can be susceptible to bloat, which may sound like a simple condition similar to the human one, but it’s actually a life-threatening condition for dogs.

Feeding your pet a smaller kibble may result in them gulping it down without actually chewing, which increases their chances of suffering from this. A kibble size that is appropriate for a larger mouth is definitely preferable, as they’ll most likely eat a little slower, crunch their kibble up, and not swallow too much air while they’re doing it.

They’ll also get more nutrition in a smaller serving, and as long as the food is a great quality one (and we’ve made sure to stick to those on this list), they’ll be able to make do with smaller portion sizes. 

Criteria 4 -Bone & Joint Strengthening Properties

Golden Retrievers are prone to hip and knee problems, which often includes arthritis or dislocation of the joints. This can start right from puppyhood, when the bones and joints develop too quickly and become weak.

This can be helped right from the start by making sure your puppy’s food has an appropriate calcium to phosphorus ratio, which will make sure they don’t get a calcium overdose which will cause their growing bones to become too brittle.

A dose of glucosamine and chondroitin is also essential, to fortify joints and ensure the smallest chance of joint dysplasia. This is a good thing to see in both a puppy and an adult food, as it’s a health-promoting fatty acid that can only benefit your dog. 

We’ve made sure that the foods reviewed here are within the right calcium/phosphorus ratio and also, as far as possible, contain glucosamine and chondroitin. If a food doesn’t have a dose of glucosamine but is otherwise a fantastic choice, we’ve included it anyway – it’s a simple matter of getting a separate glucosamine supplement. 

Criteria 5 – Affordability

Golden Retrievers are feisty things, and you’ll most likely end up spending a little bit on food, treats, comfy bedding, training, and toys to keep them entertained, not to mention having to Retriever-proof your home. They’re highly energetic and require a good bit of attention (and money spent). 

While there are some amazing options out there that are closer to the top of the price range, we’ve made an effort to include something for everyone here – no matter your budget. We have a Best Value For Money option that is just as high quality as the rest of the foods here – we have made sure not to sacrifice quality for affordability. 

If you can afford the higher-end foods, go for it – they’re the best quality money can buy. If, however, you’d prefer something more wallet-friendly, we have those options too, and you can spot them at a glance and make your choice. We aim to please both pups and their parents, so this one is as important as the rest of the criteria. 

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Questions & Answers

The ideal food for your Goldie will be an all-natural formula that contains premium quality, whole-food ingredients.

You’ll want to look for real meat as ingredient number one on the list, and the majority of the protein should come from animal sources. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of pea or potato protein in there, but you definitely want the main sources to be animal. 25% and upwards is good, depending on your pup’s activity level. 

A moderate to low fat content is best for Golden Retrievers. This usually also results in a lower calorie count, which is great as these fluffs can get overweight quite quickly. Fat should also come from quality sources, with at least one animal fat in there. 

A calcium/phosphorus ratio of 1:1 to 1:8:1 is right where it should be to build healthy bones, and pretty much all foods get this right, as they need to in order to be AAFCO approved. You’ll also need to look for added glucosamine and chondroitin, which is an essential fatty acid for strong and healthy joints. Other things that are super to see on the list include DHA (which assists in keeping eyes and brain cells heappy), EPA, and vitamin A and E.

An average adult Golden Retriever (of around 70 pounds) needs approximately 1700 calories a day. This will vary depending on the dog – a highly active pup could go up to 2000 a day, while one who doesn’t get much exercise may do better with 1500. 

AAFCO suggests that an adult will need a minimum of 18% protein, although we recommend going slightly higher than the absolute minimum – around 25%, or more for very energetic dogs. A fat count in the teens is best – lower teens for less active dogs, and higher for those who get more exercise. 

Puppies can do with a slightly higher calorie and higher protein and fat count than adults, as they are typically very high-energy and will use it to grow and develop properly and burn it off as they explore like puppies do. You can start feeding puppies kibble from about the age of 2 months, although you may need to moisten it slightly. 

Some dogs will be sensitive to certain ingredients, even whole food, healthy ones. You’ll only figure this out as you get to know your own pooch, but there are some ingredients that should be avoided from the start to ensure your fluff’s best health.

Artificial ingredients, whether that be colours, flavours, or preservatives, have no place in a dog food and offer zero nutritional value. Some names to be aware of that you should steer clear of include BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), which are known to be carcinogens, and ethoxyquin and propylene glycol, which are banned in certain places. Anything that appears to be an artificial colour, such as Red 40 or anything similar, should also be avoided. 

Low-quality fillers that contribute no healthy nutritional value, and animal by-products are a no-no. It’s also best to stay away from things that are vague, such as “animal meat”, “animal fat”, and so on. Full transparency is a thumbs up.

To grain or not to grain, that is the question. It’s best NOT to assume that grain-free will automatically be better for your dog, because just like humans, dogs are all different and respond differently to certain ingredients. 

The bigger question is which grains are okay to feed your dog. Not all grains are equal, and there are some that are perfectly healthy, not to mention very nutritious, for your dog. Gluten-free grains like rice, barley, millet, sorghum, and quinoa are actually a great carbohydrate source that are easily digestible and healthy. 

When it comes to wheat, corn, and soy, though, you should be saying no. These are far less nutritious and are generally considered to be low-quality, cheap fillers. They are also some of the most common allergens and intolerances, so it’s best to avoid that from the start. 

There has actually been plenty of research lately about whether or not grain-free diets are healthy for dogs, as there have been reports of a heart condition known as DCM developing in otherwise healthy dog breeds that have no prior history of it. This prompted the FDA to launch an investigation into it, but there have been no conclusive findings. 

It appears that there is a slightly increased chance of your pooch developing it if they eat grain-free, but this is more likely due to a particular ingredient that IS in the food – not because of the absence of grain. If your dog has been diagnosed by a vet as having a grain allergy, then you may be better off going grain-free. Other than that, it remains up to you, but there’s no significant proof of a grain-free diet being dangerous. 

It’s best not to do a switcheroo all in one go, because your pup’s system may not know what to do with that. You should introduce the food slowly, mixed with their current food, to give them some time and space to adjust. 

Do this over a few days, up to a week. Simply replace about 10% of their old food with the new one, upping that number every day until you can replace the old food entirely with the new. 

Puppies should be fed by their mother until they are about 5 weeks old when you can start adding solids in the form of a quality wet or canned food. By 2 months of age, you can feed them moistened kibble 4 times a day. 

At around 9 weeks of age, you can decrease this to 3 times a day, and by 4 or 5 months they should be eating two meals a day. Bear in mind that however many meals you are feeding your pup, you’ll need to stick to the correct caloric range for them, so you will most likely need to do a bit of maths to make sure you aren’t under or over-feeding them as they grow. 

As beautiful and fun-loving as these dogs are, there are some health problems that they tend to suffer from. The one that you are most likely to come across is joint issues – arthritis and hip, knee, and elbow dysplasia. This is common in large, active breeds, and can be worsened by extra weight, so be sure to keep your Goldie slim and trim. 

Golden Retrievers also seem to be more prone to developing cancer than other breeds, and the type of cancer affects the blood vessels or the lymphatic system. This is a matter for the vet, both in diagnosis and treatment. 

Hypothyroidism is something that can also affect these pups, and diet plays a huge role in the health of a dog with an underactive thyroid. The disease can also cause weight gain despite being on a controlled diet, which just puts your fluff at risk for joint problems too. The food your pet eats can help or worsen this disease, so it’s worth checking out the best foods for hypothyroidism to make sure your pooch is getting the best nutrition. 

These feisty, energy-bombs also tend to suffer from eye problems, which can put quite a damper on their energetic spirits. The addition of DHA in a dog food can help keep eye tissue healthy. 

Bloat is a dangerous condition that can affect large breed dogs. While not essentially life-threatening in itself, it can lead to something called gastric torsion, which is when the internal organs become twisted and blocked, and can only be fixed with emergency surgery. The chances of this can be lessened by feeding your pooch a bigger kibble and in smaller but more frequent meals. 

Other things that are more common in Goldies include Von Willebrand’s disease, which affects the way blood clots, and aortic stenosis, which is a heart condition that can cause restricted blood flow in and from the heart.