Quick Links: Table of Contents
- Golden Retriever Food Calculator
- Golden Retriever Feeding Chart
- Best Food for Golden Retriever. Golden Retriever Feeding Guide
- How Much Food to Feed the Golden Retriever
- How Many Times to Feed the Golden Retriever a Day
- Conclusion
Introduction to Feeding the Golden Retriever
Most dog owners do not know how to properly feed their dogs.
Also, most dog owners overfeed their dogs.
That explains why 59 percent of dogs and cats are overweight, according to research.
Overfeeding your Golden Retriever will make your Golden Retriever overweight and obese. Obesity leads to worse health problems for your Golden Retriever.
Unfortunately, the Golden Retriever is a dog breed that can become overweight very easily.
Therefore, you need to pay careful attention to what you feed your Golden Retriever and how much food you feed your Golden Retriever.
Furthermore, when you overfeed your Golden Retriever, you waste dog food. Wasting dog food is the same as wasting money. Dog food is a recurring expenditure that adds up to a lot of money over the lifespan of your Golden Retriever.
The average lifespan of the Golden Retriever is 12.2 years.
When you feed your Golden Retriever the right type of food and the right amount of food, your Golden Retriever will be of the right body weight and the right body condition (not overweight or underweight).
Similarly, underfeeding your Golden Retriever is as bad of a problem as overfeeding your Golden Retriever.
When you underfeed your Golden Retriever or feed your Golden Retriever an incomplete or unbalanced diet, you reduce your Golden Retriever`s quality of life.
The right amount of food that your Golden Retriever needs depends on six important factors.
You need to take all these factors into account when developing a meal plan for your Golden Retriever. These six factors are:- The life stage of your Golden Retriever (puppy, adult, or senior)
- The current weight of your Golden Retriever
- The body condition of your Golden Retriever (normal weight, overweight, underweight)
- How active your Golden Retriever is (inactive/obese prone, or active/athletic)
- If your Golden Retriever has been spayed/neutered
- The type of dog food that you feed your Golden Retriever
This article will provide you with a detailed guide on how to properly feed your Golden Retriever based on the above factors as recommended by veterinarians.
This article also includes the Golden Retriever food calculator that you can use to estimate how much food to feed your Golden Retriever based on the six factors we have just mentioned.
Our Golden Retriever food calculator uses the dog food formula and feeding guidelines developed by the veterinarians from The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center and by veterinarians from the Mark Morris Institute.
Moreover, our calculator knows the calorie content per cup in over 800 popular dog foods (data from the Frankin Animal Clinic). Thus, the calculator can automatically calculate the right amount of each popular dog food that your Golden Retriever needs daily.
Importantly, since the nutrient requirements of the Golden Retriever puppy are different from the nutrient requirements of the adult Golden Retriever, this article contains recommendations on the best food to feed the Golden Retriever at different ages.
Golden Retriever Food Calculator
The Golden Retriever Food Calculator above lets you estimate how much food to feed your Golden Retriever.
Similarly, to calculate how much water your Golden Retriever needs, check out our Golden Retriever water calculator
.Our dog water calculator lets you estimate how much water your Golden Retriever needs to drink in a day.
How to Use our Golden Retriever Food Calculator
To use the dog food calculator:✔ Select the name of the dog food that you feed your Golden Retriever from the list.
✔ If the name of the dog food that your feed your Golden Retriever is not on the list, then find the bag or can of your dog food, the bag should have written on it how many kcals per cup is in the dog food. Enter this value in the calculator in the place of the dog food name.
✔ Enter the current weight of your Golden Retriever.
✔ Select your Golden Retriever`s age range, activity level, and neuter status.
✔ If your Golden Retriever is overweight or underweight, and you want your Golden Retriever to lose or gain weight, enter the ideal weight of your Golden Retriever for its current age in the `How much you wish your dog currently weighs` box. Leave this box blank if your Golden Retriever is of normal weight.
To know how much Golden Retrievers typically weigh at different ages, check out our article and calculators on Golden Retriever weight and growth.
CONSULT A LICENSED VETERINARIAN FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE BEFORE YOU PUT YOUR DOG ON A WEIGHT LOSS OR WEIGHT GAIN DIET.
How the Golden Retriever Food Calculator Works
First, the calculator estimates what is known as the Resting Energy Requirement (RER) of your Golden Retriever.
The RER is the amount of energy that your Golden Retriever needs when it is `resting`, that is when doing nothing. The calculator uses the current weight of your Golden Retriever to calculate your Golden Retriever`s resting energy.
Next, the calculator scales up the resting energy by a factor that corresponds to your Golden Retriever`s life stage (puppy or adult) and lifestyle (activity level, spayed/neutered, etc). This scaled up energy value (called the maintenance energy) is the energy that your Golden Retriever needs to maintain its life when not resting.
Finally, the Golden Retriever food calculator divides the maintenance energy by the amount of energy in one cup of dog food to calculate how many cups of dog food your Golden Retriever needs.
Monitoring Your Golden Retriever`s Growth
The answer from the Golden Retriever food calculator is a starting point number on how much food you need to feed your Golden Retriever.
Start by feeding your Golden Retriever the amount of food recommended by the Golden Retriever food calculator every day.
While feeding your Golden Retriever this daily amount of food, weigh your Golden Retriever at least once a week to ensure that your Golden Retriever is not on its way to becoming overweight or underweight.
If your Golden Retriever is becoming overweight, reduce the amount of food your feed it by 10 to 15 percent, if underweight increase its food by 10 to 15 percent.
You can use our dog weight tracking tool to keep records of your Golden Retriever`s weight. This tool will let you know if the feeding plan is making your Golden Retriever grow normally or abnormally.
You can also check your Golden Retriever body condition score to find out if it is overweight or underweight. Learn how to check your Golden Retriever body condition score here.
Golden Retriever Feeding Chart
Below is the typical feed chart for the Golden Retriever. This chart provides you a rough guide on how much dry dog food (kibble) to feed your Golden Retriever.
If you want a more accurate estimate of how much food to feed your Golden Retriever, use this Golden Retriever food calculator.
| Age | Typical Weight | How Much Food |
|---|---|---|
| 16 weeks | 33.0 lbs (15.0 kg) | 4.1 cups per day |
| 17 weeks | 34.9 lbs (15.8 kg) | 2.9 cups per day |
| 18 weeks | 36.8 lbs (16.7 kg) | 3.0 cups per day |
| 20 weeks | 40.2 lbs (18.2 kg) | 3.2 cups per day |
| 5 months | 40.2 lbs (18.2 kg) | 3.2 cups per day |
| 6 months | 46.1 lbs (20.9 kg) | 3.5 cups per day |
| 7 months | 50.9 lbs (23.1 kg) | 3.8 cups per day |
| 8 months | 54.7 lbs (24.8 kg) | 4.0 cups per day |
| 9 months | 57.7 lbs (26.2 kg) | 4.2 cups per day |
| 10 months | 60.0 lbs (27.2 kg) | 4.3 cups per day |
| 11 months | 61.7 lbs (28.0 kg) | 4.4 cups per day |
| 12 months | 63.0 lbs (28.6 kg) | 4.4 cups per day |
| 1 years | 63.9 lbs (29.0 kg) | 4.5 cups per day |
| 2 years | 65.4 lbs (29.7 kg) | 3.7 cups per day |
| 4 years | 65.4 lbs (29.7 kg) | 3.7 cups per day |
How to Measure the Right Amount of Dog Food for Your Golden Retriever
Research has shown that most owners over-measure a cup of dog food. As a result, most dogs owners overfeed their dogs. This is because dog owners do not level off the cup when measuring out the food they give to their dogs.
See how and how not to measure ONE cup of dry dog food in the picture below:
Note that one cup of dog food equals 8 oz of dog food or ~237 milliliters of dog food.
You can buy standard dog food measuring cups here on Amazon.
Best Food for Golden Retriever. Golden Retriever Feeding Guide
The Golden Retriever has different nutrient needs at different life stages. Therefore, the dog food that you feed your Golden Retriever at different ages should be the type that is appropriate for its age.
For example, during its puppy stage, your Golden Retriever needs the type of dog food that has been designed to help boost a puppy`s weak immune system.
On the other hand, the adult Golden Retriever should have already developed a good immune system. So, during the adult stage, you should feed your Golden Retriever the type of dog food that has been designed to prolong the life of a dog.
Nevertheless, some dogs still do well eating the same food at every stage of their lives.
However, feeding your Golden Retriever dog food that has been optimized for its age will ensure that your Golden Retriever grows well, lives well, and lives long.
Feeding Guide for the Golden Retriever Puppy: 12 weeks to one year
The dog food that you feed your puppy should have the nutrients that will boost a puppy`s immune system since puppies easily get infected with the disease at this age.
Also, a good puppy food should have the nutrients that support brain development and good vision.
Finally, a good dog food for the Golden Retriever puppy should be the type that will not make your Golden Retriever fat. The puppy food should also help increase the health of your puppy`s bones.
See our list of the best dry dog food and the best wet dog food for the Golden Retriever puppy below.
These dog foods have all the right amount of nutrients that the Golden Retriever puppy needs to grow well during its puppy years.
Best Dry Food For Golden Retriever Puppy: Hill`s Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Puppy, Chicken Meal & Barley Recipe
Best Wet Food For Golden Retriever Puppy: Purina Pro Plan High Protein Wet Puppy Food
Feeding Guide for the Young Adult Golden Retriever: Ages 1 year to 6 years
The dog food that you feed a young adult Golden Retriever should have the nutrients that will make a dog live longer.
A good dog food for the young adult Golden Retriever should also have the nutrients that will minimize the chances of your Golden Retriever getting infected with common dog diseases.
Also, a good dry dog food for the young adult Golden Retriever should help clean your dog`s teeth as your dog chews on the food.
Below is our best dog food recommendations for the young adult Golden Retriever
Best Dry Food For Young Adult Golden Retriever: Hill`s Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult Oral Care for Dental Health Dog Food, Chicken Rice & Barley Recipe
Best Wet Food For Young Adult Golden Retriever: Hill`s Science Diet Wet Dog Food, Chicken & Barley
Feeding Guide for Mature Adult Golden Retrievers: 6 years and older
You should feed the mature adult Golden Retriever food that has been formulated to improve their quality of life, increase their life expectancy, and increase their overall health.
Older dogs are prone to age-related health problems. A good diet is essential to minimize the possibility of becoming frail with age.
See our recommendation on the best food for the mature adult Golden Retriever below:
Best Dry Food For Mature Adult Golden Retriever: Hill`s Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult 7+ for Senior Dogs, Chicken Meal, Barley & Brown Rice Recipe
Best Wet Food For Mature Adult Golden Retriever: Hill`s Science Diet Wet Dog Food, Adult 7+ for Senior Dogs, Beef & Barley Recipe
Feeding Guide for Senior Dogs
One way to slow down the effects of aging in dogs is to reduce the amount of food you feed old dogs by 20 to 30% of normal while meeting essential nutrient needs.
Reducing a senior Golden Retriever`s food slows the aging process and reduces the risk for cancer, kidney diseases, arthritis, and immune-related diseases.
AAFCO-Certified Dog Food for the Golden Retriever
No matter which commercial food that you feed your Golden Retriever, make sure that the food is approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
AAFCO is an expert body that rigorously tests dog food to make sure that the dog food is safe.
Also, AAFCO ensures that a dog food has all the nutrients (not just calories) that a dog needs to grow well before AAFCO approves the dog food.
Unlike homemade dog food, most commercial dog foods are AAFCO-approved. Double-check the label of your dog food to make sure it has been certified by AAFCO before feeding it to your Golden Retriever.
How Much Food to Feed the Golden Retriever
How Much Food to Feed a 14-Week-Old Golden Retriever Puppy
You should feed your 14-week-old Golden Retriever puppy 3.7 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
You may divide this food into two or three separate meals and give it to your Golden Retriever puppy over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food should feed your 14-week-old Golden Retriever puppy assumes that the weight of your Golden Retriever is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 14-week-old Golden Retriever puppy is 28.8 lbs (13.1 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food you should feed your Golden Retriever also assumes that you feed your Golden Retriever a dog food with a calorie content of 389 kcal per cup.
If you want a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Golden Retriever puppy based on its exact weight, the exact type of dog food that you feed your Golden Retriever, and other factors, use our Golden Retriever food calculator.
How Much Food to Feed a 19-Week-Old Golden Retriever Puppy
You should feed your 19-week-old Golden Retriever puppy 3.1 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
You may divide this food into two or three separate meals and give it to your Golden Retriever puppy over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food should feed your 19-week-old Golden Retriever puppy assumes that the weight of your Golden Retriever is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 19-week-old Golden Retriever puppy is 38.5 lbs (17.5 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food you should feed your Golden Retriever also assumes that you feed your Golden Retriever a dog food with a calorie content of 389 kcal per cup.
If you want a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Golden Retriever puppy based on its exact weight, the exact type of dog food that you feed your Golden Retriever, and other factors, use our Golden Retriever food calculator.
How Much Food to Feed a 6-Month-Old Golden Retriever Puppy
You should feed your 6-month-old Golden Retriever puppy 3.5 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate portions and give it to your Golden Retriever puppy over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food you should feed your 6-month-old Golden Retriever puppy assumes that the weight of your Golden Retriever is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 6-month-old Golden Retriever puppy is 46.1 lbs (20.9 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Golden Retriever also assumes that you feed your Golden Retriever dog food that has an average calorie density (389 kcal per cup).
Use our Golden Retriever food calculator to calculate a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Golden Retriever.
How Much Food to Feed a 8-Month-Old Golden Retriever Puppy
You should feed your 8-month-old Golden Retriever puppy 4.0 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate portions and give it to your Golden Retriever puppy over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food you should feed your 8-month-old Golden Retriever puppy assumes that the weight of your Golden Retriever is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 8-month-old Golden Retriever puppy is 54.7 lbs (24.8 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Golden Retriever also assumes that you feed your Golden Retriever dog food that has an average calorie density (389 kcal per cup).
Use our Golden Retriever food calculator to calculate a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Golden Retriever.
How Much Food to Feed a 5-Year-Old Golden Retriever
You should feed your 5-year-old Golden Retriever 3.7 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate portions and give it to your Golden Retriever over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food you need to feed your 5-year-old Golden Retriever assumes that the weight of your Golden Retriever is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 5-year-old Golden Retriever puppy is 65.4 lbs (29.7 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Golden Retriever also assumes that you feed your Golden Retriever dog food of that contains 389 kilocalories of energy per cup.
Use our Golden Retriever food calculator for a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Golden Retriever.
How Much Food to Feed a 7-Year-Old Golden Retriever
You should feed your 7-year-old Golden Retriever 3.7 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate portions and give it to your Golden Retriever over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food you need to feed your 7-year-old Golden Retriever assumes that the weight of your Golden Retriever is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 7-year-old Golden Retriever puppy is 65.4 lbs (29.7 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Golden Retriever also assumes that you feed your Golden Retriever dog food of that contains 389 kilocalories of energy per cup.
Use our Golden Retriever food calculator for a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Golden Retriever.
How Much Food to Feed a 44-Pound Golden Retriever
You should feed your 44-Pound Golden Retriever 3.1 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate potions and give it to your Golden Retriever over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Golden Retriever also assumes that you feed your Golden Retriever a dog food that has an energy content of 389 kilocalories per cup, and that your Golden Retriever is reproductively intact.
Also, we assume that your Golden Retriever is not overweight or underweight.
Use our Golden Retriever food calculator for a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Golden Retriever.
How Much Food to Feed a 57-Pound Golden Retriever
You should feed your 57-Pound Golden Retriever 3.7 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate potions and give it to your Golden Retriever over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Golden Retriever also assumes that you feed your Golden Retriever a dog food that has an energy content of 389 kilocalories per cup, and that your Golden Retriever is reproductively intact.
Also, we assume that your Golden Retriever is not overweight or underweight.
Use our Golden Retriever food calculator for a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Golden Retriever.
How Many Times to Feed the Golden Retriever a Day
When it comes to how many times to feed a dog, there are three different ways to feed the Golden Retriever
One way is to make food available to the Golden Retriever at all times (free-choice feeding).
Another way is to feed the Golden Retriever two or three times a day (food-restricted feeding). This is the feeding method that works the best for most Golden Retrievers.
The third way is to make food available to your Golden Retriever for a short time (about 10 minutes) once or twice a day (time-restricted feeding).
Each of these feeding methods has its advantages and disadvantages, which will be discussed next.
Free-Choice Feeding
This is a feeding method when you make food available to your Golden Retriever all the time.
Food-Restricted Meal Feeding
Food-limited feeding requires feeding a measured amount of food based on the Golden Retriever’s daily energy requirements divided into two or three meals per day.
This is the method of choice for feeding puppies that are at risk of developing bone diseases due to rapid growth. Restricting the food of a rapidly growing dog will ensure that the dog grows normally.
Time-Limited Feeding
This is a dog feeding method in which dogs are allowed access to food for a short period, usually 10 to 15 minutes, once or twice daily (three times per day for the first month after weaning, then twice per day).
| Method | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Free-choice feeding |
|
|
| Food-restricted feeding |
|
|
| Time-restricted feeding |
|
|
Effect of Neutering/Spaying on How Much Food your Golden Retriever eats
Neutered/spayed dogs tend to get fat twice as easily as intact dogs.
Studies have shown that neutering/spaying may increase your Golden Retriever`s appetite for more food. Also, your Golden Retriever`s physical activity decreases after neutering/spaying. These factors lead to weight gain.
Neutering may lead to more weight gain in male Golden Retrievers because neutered dogs roam less (which means less exercise).
Therefore, the amount of food that you give to a neutered Golden Retriever should be reduced after you neuter your Golden Retriever to prevent weight gain.
Use our Golden Retriever food calculator to calculate how much food to feed a neutered/spayed Golden Retriever.
Effect of Weather on How Much Food Your Golden Retriever Needs
Golden Retrievers that live in cold environments need more food (especially, food high in fat) than Golden Retrievers that live in hot environments.
Hot weather, on the other hand, does not increase the amount of food your Golden Retriever needs. Hot weather only makes your Golden Retriever need more water.
Since most Golden Retrievers live in a temperature-controlled environment as their owners. Therefore, owners do not need to increase or decrease the amount of food they give to their Golden Retrievers based on the outside weather.
Important Note on Treats and Table Food
Because meeting a dog`s nutrient requirements is not the primary goal of dog treats, most commercial dog treats do not contain the essential nutrients that your Golden Retriever needs.
However, a few treats are complete and balanced and are approved by AAFCO, or some other credible dog food regulatory agency. Check the label on your dog treat to know if the dog treat has a complete and balanced nutrient profile.
Nevertheless, dog treats, either balanced or unbalanced in nutrients, are valid sources of calories for your dog. Therefore, if you give your dog lots of treats, you should reduce the amount of the regular dog food that you give your dog accordingly to account for the treats. That way, you will not overfeed your dog.
Also, human table foods do not contain the important nutrients that your Golden Retriever needs for healthy growth.
Also, human table foods may contain very high levels of fat or sodium and other minerals that are harmful to your Golden Retriever.
Moreover, know that when you feed your Golden Retriever table food, you fill your Golden Retriever`s stomach with dog `junk food`. This will suppress your Golden Retriever`s appetite and thereby make your Golden Retriever unable to eat its normal dog food that contains the essential nutrients for your Golden Retriever`s growth.
We do not recommend giving your Golden Retriever table food.
Conclusion
Most commercial dog food labels contain recommendations on how much of the food to feed a dog. However, their recommendations are very general.
Therefore, in this article, we have provided your specific advice on how to properly feed your Golden Retriever.