Several factors affect the health of your puppy, one of those being the food you give it. Nutrition is a major contributing factor to how well your puppy grows, how well it resists infections, and the overall energy levels your puppy has.
On this note, it is essential to ensure the puppy food has crucial nutrients for both growth and a strong immune system. If you are a new golden retriever parent, you may be on the hunt for the best dog food for golden retriever puppies.
Like any other puppy, it requires nourishing food that can fuel the active lifestyle while ensuring it boosts its immune system. This can be a daunting task; luckily, there are varieties of puppy foods that have proven to work well for golden retrievers.
Here are some of the best puppy foods that you can get for your golden retriever.
Best Dog Food For Golden Retriever Puppies
1. Nature’s Recipe
This dog food is specially formulated to provide your puppy with essential nutrients to support proper growth and boost the immune system.
Key Features
- Real chicken
- Sweet potatoes and pumpkin
- Added vitamins and minerals
- All-natural ingredients
The dog food has real chicken as the first ingredient. This provides essential protein that supports the proper growth of lean muscles. The chicken is farm-raised and comes in a wholesome state to ensure your puppy gets adequate protein.
More to this, the food has sweet potatoes and pumpkin that are the primary sources of carbohydrates to provide energy for your active puppy. The food also has added vitamins and minerals that are essential for supporting the immune system.
The food is grain-free hence suitable for dogs with grain sensitivities and allergies. It contains all-natural ingredients to ensure it is balanced and wholesome. The food is, therefore, ideal as part of the regular feeding routine.
Pros
- High-quality chicken
- Enriched with minerals and vitamins
- Easy to digest
- Comes in a perfectly-sized kibble
- Ideal for active large breed puppies
Cons
- Loose stools at first
The puppy food is easily digestible and works well for dogs with stomach issues. It is recommended for its high-quality ingredients and the size of the kibble.
2. Iams Proactive
This dog food is formulated for large breed puppies and provides essential nutrients to promote health and help maintain a healthy weight.
Key Features
- Chicken recipe
- 22 key ingredients found in mother’s milk
- Omega-3 DHA
- Wholesome grains and veggies
The recipe starts with real farm-raised chicken as the primary source of protein. This chicken comes in a wholesome state and provides essential protein to help build and maintain healthy muscles.
Also, the food is enriched with simple carbohydrates to ensure your puppy gets sufficient energy for activity. The food is specially made for large breed puppies and has 22 key ingredients that are found in mother’s milk.
These nutrients ensure your puppy grows as needed while maintaining a healthy weight. More to this, it has omega 3 DHA that is essential for cognitive development. With this food, your little golden retriever will have a shiny, smooth coat; thanks to the precise fat content.
Pros
- High-quality ingredients
- Soft kibble
- Easy to digest
- Ideal for active puppies
Cons
- Not suitable for puppies with grain sensitivities
The puppy food works well for golden retrievers and provides essential nutrients to support their active lifestyle.
3. Royal Canin
This Royal Canin golden retriever puppy food comes with essential nutrients to ensure proper growth and development of your puppy while ensuring it maintains a healthy weight.
Key Features
- Eight weeks to 15 months old puppies
- Exclusive kibble shape
- Antioxidants blend
- High-quality protein
- Prebiotics
The food is formulated to meet the nutritional needs of purebred golden retrievers from 8 weeks to 15 months old. It comes in an exclusive kibble shape that is specifically designed for a golden retriever puppy’s muzzle to easy biting and chewing.
The food contains high-protein sources that come in handy to help with the growth of strong and lean muscles. The food is enriched with an exclusive blend of antioxidants, including Vitamin E.
These help to protect the puppy’s developing immune system and natural defenses. Also, the food reinforces the skin barrier with essential nutrients for healthy skin and a shiny coat. With the prebiotics, your puppy digests the food easily.
Pros
- Small kibble for easy biting
- High-digestible diet
- Enriched with a variety of nutrients
- Ideal for puppies with sensitive tummies
Cons
- Puppies can get diarrhea for the first few days
This dog food may take your puppy a while to adjust, especially if it has a sensitive tummy. But, with time, it is the best formula to ensure your golden retriever puppy gets essential nutrients.
4. Purina ONE
This puppy food from Purina is ideal for golden retriever puppies. It provides a balanced and complete diet to ensure the proper growth and development of your dog.
Key Features
- Real chicken
- Rice
- Natural sources of glucosamine
- Large breed puppy formula
The food is specially formulated for large breed puppies. It comes with high-quality ingredients that provide essential nutrients to ensure your dog gets the best out of it.
It has real chicken as the first ingredient to ensure the dog gets adequate protein for proper growth and maintenance of lean, strong muscles. Additionally, the food has rice, which is a simple carbohydrate.
It is easy to digest and caters to the energy requirements of your active puppy. Also, it is easy on your puppy’s delicate stomach. The food has natural sources of glucosamine, which helps to support your dog’s growing joints.
Pros
- High-quality ingredients
- Easily digestible
- Perfectly-sized kibble
- Nutritious and balanced
Cons
- The food has a strong smell from the bag
This formula can work well as golden retriever puppy food. It includes all the necessary nutrients to steer growth and development.
5. Blue Buffalo Life Protection
This puppy dog food contains essential nutrients that your large breed puppy needs for proper growth and development.
Key Features
- Real chicken
- Formulated for large breed puppies
- DHA and ARA
- A precise blend of antioxidants
- Vitamins and minerals
- All-natural ingredients
This life protection formula has real chicken as the first ingredient. This provides essential protein for the growth of strong and lean muscles. The food contains DHA and ARA, which are essential fatty acids found in mother’s milk.
These help to support cognitive function and retinal health. The diet also includes whole grains, vegetables, and protein to meet the nutritional requirements of your puppy. It is enriched with a precise blend of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to support your puppy’s immune system.
Also, the food meets life stage requirements and helps to maintain a healthy oxidative balance. It is balanced and complete hence suitable as a regular diet.
Pros
- High-quality chicken
- Easy to digest
- Has essential fatty acids
- Wholesome and complete diet
Cons
- Not suitable for puppies with grain sensitivity
It is one of the best dog food diets that you can get for your golden retriever puppy. It provides the necessary nutrients for overall health.
6. Blue Buffalo Wilderness
Your golden retriever puppy requires adequate levels of protein to ensure it grows lean muscles from an early age.
Key Features
- Real chicken recipe
- High-protein diet
- Grain-free
- DHA and ARA
- Antioxidant blend
- Natural ingredients
This puppy food is designed to satisfy your dog’s love for meat by providing real chicken as the first ingredient. It provides essential protein that helps to encourage strong muscle growth.
The food is grain-free hence suitable for puppies with sensitive tummies and grain allergies. It contains DHA and ARA, which are essential fatty acids found in mother milk. These help with cognitive function and help to promote retinal health.
More to this, the food has a precise blend of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that help to support the immune system of your pup. It caters to your dog’s life stages requirements for overall health.
Pros
- High-quality ingredients
- Easily-digestible diet
- Ideal for puppies with sensitive tummies
- Wholesome and balanced
Cons
- Puppies might have runny stools a few times
It is an ideal golden retriever puppy food that you can introduce gradually to your dog’s diet. It is recommended for the high protein levels and balanced recipe.
7. Purina Puppy Chow
If you have a golden retriever under one year, this dog food can be a great start. It has a simple formula yet rich enough to provide essential nutrients.
Key Features
- High protein content
- DHA
- Added calcium
- Vitamins and minerals
- Chicken
The food is formulated to ensure your puppy gets all the nutrients it needs at an early age. It is designed for puppies under one year and provides all the nutrients your pup requires for optimal health. It has high protein levels to help with the growth and maintenance of healthy, lean muscles.
This food is enriched with DHA that is usually found in mother’s milk to help with brain development and retinal health. It also has added calcium to ensure healthy teeth and bones for your growing puppy.
Vitamins and minerals are added to ensure your puppy gets adequate antioxidants like it would from mother’s milk.
Pros
- High-quality ingredients
- High protein for muscle growth
- Ideal for active puppies
- Wholesome and balanced
Cons
- Couldn’t find any
The diet can work well as golden retriever puppy food with a variety of nutrients it provides for optimal health.
8. Merrick
If you are looking for a beef diet for your puppy, you can get this one from Merrick. It is formulated dog food for puppies and contains essential nutrients to promote health.
Key Features
- Real Texas beef
- Sweet potato
- Contains DHA
- Poultry-free and grain-free
- Vegetables and fruits
The diet is formulated to provide essential nutrients to support your pupping growth. It comes with Real beef as the first ingredient. The meat is farm-raised in Texas and processed in its wholesome state to ensure your little dog gets the most out of it.
It provides high levels of a protein that help to promote lean muscle growth. It also contains sweet potato which provides enough energy for your active puppy. It is enriched with DHA, which usually found in mother’s milk for healthy brain development.
The food is poultry-free and grain-free hence suitable for puppies that get allergic reactions from such foods.
Pros
- Has an attractive beef scent
- High protein formula
- Easily digestible
- Ideal for large breed puppies
It is one of the best puppy food for golden retrievers, especially those that love beef diets. It is recommended for its high-quality, wholesome beef and its perfectly-sized kibble for golden retriever puppy.
9. Diamond Naturals
This puppy food from Diamond Naturals has high-quality protein to promote the growth of strong and lean muscles.
Key Features
- Pasture-raised lamb
- Added vitamins and minerals
- Fatty acids
- Glucosamine and chondroitin
- Proprietary probiotics
- Small kibble
You will love the contents of this food for your golden retriever. It contains real lamb as the first ingredient. This has high levels of protein with an optimal amino acid profile for lean and strong muscles.
More to this, it has added minerals and vitamins which are super-foods for antioxidants. These help to support the immune system. The food is enriched with fatty acids that help to promote healthy skin and a shiny coat. Also, it has DHA for brain and vision health.
The food comes in a small kibble that is rich in nutrients and highly-digestible. It is grain-free hence suitable for dogs with allergies and sensitive stomachs.
Pros
- High protein levels
- Promotes a shiny coat
- Provides adequate energy
- Wholesome and complete diet
Cons
- Couldn’t find any
The diet is ideal as golden retriever puppy food with all the essential nutrients it provides. It is recommended for its balanced recipe that ensures your pup is healthy all through.
10. Orijen
This dog food contains high levels of protein and works well as a regular diet for your golden retriever puppy.
Key Features
- Chicken, turkey, and fish
- High protein diet
- 20 % carbohydrates
- Vegetables and fruits
The food is formulated to meet the nutritional requirements of large breed puppies such as golden retrievers. The food contains high protein levels that cater to the large muscle mass. It has the required calorie levels to support your puppy’s active lifestyle.
On this note, the food provides 20 % carbohydrates to provide vital energy. More to this, it is enriched by adding a variety of vegetables and fruits to provide essential minerals and vitamins. These help to support your little dog’s immune system.
Also, these enhance the taste and color of the food, making it attractive for your puppy. It is ideal for picky eaters and is safe for dogs with sensitive tummies.
Pros
- A variety of meats
- Provides high protein levels
- Promotes a healthy and shiny coat
- Ideal for active puppies
- Easily digestible
Cons
- Couldn’t find any
This is one of the high-quality dog food diets that you can get for your golden retriever. It meets the nutritional needs of your puppy and helps to support the immune system.
11. Fromm Family Foods
Fromm Family Foods
This dog food is a high-protein diet to support your puppy’s growth and development.
Key Features
- Lamb, chicken, and duck
- Whole eggs and cheese
- Added vitamins and minerals
- All-natural, wholesome ingredients
The food is formulated to ensure your little golden retriever gets adequate protein for proper growth. It comes from some of the best protein sources such as lamb and duck to ensure your dog gets enough of it. It helps to build and maintain strong, lean muscles.
The food is enriched with whole eggs and cheese, which add on to the protein levels while providing essential fats that promote healthy skin and coat. It comes with natural, wholesome ingredients to ensure your puppy gets vital nutrients in the best state possible.
Pros
- Easy to digest
- Ideal for large breed puppies
- High-protein levels for proper growth
- Small kibble for easy biting and chewing
Cons
- Can cause diarrhea the first few days
This works well as golden retriever puppy food when introduced gradually. It is recommended for its high protein content.
12. Nutro Max
This bag of puppy food comes with a simple formula that is easy to digest for your puppy.
Key Features
- Farm-raised chicken
- Whole grains
- All-natural ingredients
- Added vitamins and minerals
This puppy food is formulated to provide large breed puppies with a wholesome diet that caters to the nutritional requirements. It has chicken as the first ingredient to ensure your dog gets adequate protein. The protein is essential for building and maintaining healthy muscles.
The food also has added vitamins and minerals that help to boost the immune system and overall health. The food also has rich carbohydrate sources that provide sufficient energy to support your puppy’s active lifestyle.
These are easy to digest for your young dog hence suitable for dogs with sensitivity. It is important to note, however, that this food has whole grains therefore not ideal for puppies with grain allergies.
Pros
- High-quality ingredients
- Easy to digest
- Small kibble
- Ideal for puppies up to 12 months
- Wholesome and balanced
Cons
- Runny stools at first for sensitive dogs
The puppy food is one of the simplest for puppies and has all the essential nutrients for proper growth and development.
Bottom Line
It is important to note that your large breed dog requires most of the nutrients that other puppies need. They are growing as well and require nutrients to support their immune system while ensuring they maintain a healthy weight.
On this note, you should ensure the food is balanced and made from safe, natural ingredients. A balanced diet for your golden retriever puppy should provide high protein levels to support their fast-growing muscles.
Also, it should have added vitamins and minerals to boost their immune system. Most importantly, the food should have a simple carbohydrate that is easily-digestible to provide energy and support your puppy’s active lifestyle.
When searching for the best food for your puppy, be sure to check for fillers, preservatives, and artificial colors. Also, ensure it does not contain elements that your puppy is allergic to.
That way, you ensure the food is 100% safe and provides the right nutrients for proper growth. The above examples are some of the best golden retriever puppy food options that you can get. They are complete and meet your pup’s life stage requirements.
The Review
Best Dog Food For Golden Retriever Puppy
Check out our review of the best dog foods for Golden Retriever puppies on the market.
Review Breakdown
-
Nature's Recipe
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Iams Proactive
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Royal Canin
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Purina ONE
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Blue Buffalo Life Protection
-
Blue Buffalo Wilderness
-
Purina Puppy Chow
-
Merrick
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Diamond Naturals
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Orijen
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Fromm Family Foods
-
Nutro Max
Best Dog Food For Golden Retriever Puppy DEALS
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