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Best Dog Food for Golden Retrievers 2024
Written by Aurus Sy
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 05/25/2023, edited: 03/07/2024
The Wag! team conducts independent research and consults pet experts to curate our recommendations. This content is supported by our affiliate pet partners and we may receive a commission on the links provided.
With their lustrous golden coats and playful personalities, it’s not hard to see why the Golden Retriever has been one of America’s most popular dog breeds for the past several years. Despite their goofy demeanors, Goldens are sporting dogs who require plenty of daily exercise. Naturally, an active dog needs proper nutrition to keep them in tip-top shape.
When choosing a dog food for your Golden furkiddo, it’s important to consider their age and size. Large breed dogs are different from their smaller cousins, and they shouldn’t go overboard on calories to avoid rapid weight gain. Moreover, your Golden will have different nutritional needs as they go through each life stage.
What are the best dog foods for Golden Retrievers? Here are Wag!’s top choices, including those personally recommended by Dr. Georgia Jeremiah, member of Wag!’s licensed veterinary team!, to her clients!
Overview
Raised Right Dog Food
Vet recommended
Raised Right specializes in home-cooked style, human-grade dog food that’s also limited ingredient, high-protein, and low-carb.
What’s unique about this brand is that it’s a complete and balanced dog food that uses only whole foods and no synthetic vitamins and minerals.
Each vet-formulated recipe is made with a single source of animal protein and zero preservatives or fillers. The ingredients can be traced back to the source, and every batch is lab tested for safety before being shipped.
Dr. Georgia Jeremiah notes that, “Raised Right offers a human-grade dog food consisting of only whole foods and no fillers or synthetic additives such as vitamin and mineral powders. Their ingredients can also be traced back to the source, and each batch is tested for safety.”
Raised Right Original dog food flavors:
- Original Turkey Adult Dog Recipe
- Original Beef Adult Dog Recipe
- Original Pork Adult Dog Recipe
- Original Chicken Adult Dog Recipe
Raised Right Paté dog food flavors:
- Turkey & Pumpkin Paté for Adult Dogs
- Beef & Pumpkin Paté for Adult Dogs
- Pork & Pumpkin Paté for Adult Dogs
- Chicken & Pumpkin Paté for Adult Dogs
Raised Right Puppy Growth flavors:
- Turkey Puppy Growth Recipe
- Beef Puppy Growth Recipe
- Chicken Puppy Growth Recipe
Raised Right Dog Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- Uses only whole foods
- Produced in a human-grade facility
- Vet recommended for healthy dogs as well as those with health issues
- Lab safety tested
- Carbon neutral shipping and plastic neutral
Considerations & Concerns
- Expensive
- Can take up a lot of freezer space
- Some dogs won’t eat certain flavors
What pet parents say about Raised Right dog food
“My dogs love this food and [gladly] clean up the bowl. Their poops are perfect. Their energy is high and they have clear shiny eyes.”
Read more reviews on Raised Right.
Image sourced from the Raised Right website. Copyright Raised Right Pets LP.
Taste of the Wild Dog Food
Vet recommended
While Taste of the Wild doesn’t have any large breed-specific formulas, all of its recipes are formulated to meet the nutritional needs of large breed adult dogs, including its grain-free and grain-inclusive lines.
The original Taste of the Wild and Taste of the Wild with Ancient Grains lines feature roasted and smoke-flavored proteins such as venison, salmon, lamb, wild boar, fowl, and bison, as well as produce like tomatoes, blueberries, and raspberries for dog food that’s packed with protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Each recipe also contains species-specific probiotics for good digestion and omega fatty acids for healthy skin.
Taste of the Wild also offers their PREY line, grain-free, limited ingredient recipes for sensitive systems in 3 variations.
Dr. Jeremiah notes, “Taste of the Wild offers both wet and dry dog and cat foods for all life stages incorporating species-specific probiotics, antioxidants from ancient grains, fruits and seeds, and omega fatty acids.”
Taste of the Wild dry dog food flavors include:
- Appalachian Valley Small Breed Canine Recipe with Venison & Garbanzo Beans
- High Prairie Canine Recipe with Roasted Bison & Roasted Venison
- High Prairie Puppy Recipe with Roasted Bison & Roasted Venison
- Pacific Stream Canine Recipe with Smoke-Flavored Salmon
- Pacific Stream Puppy Recipe with Smoke-Flavored Salmon
- Pine Forest Canine Recipe with Venison & Legumes
- Sierra Mountain Canine Recipe with Roasted Lamb
- Southwest Canyon Canine Recipe with Wild Boar
- Wetlands Canine Recipe with Roasted Fowl
- Ancient Mountain Canine Recipe with Roasted Lamb
- Ancient Prairie Canine Recipe with Roasted Bison & Roasted Venison
- Ancient Stream Canine Recipe with Smoke-Flavored Salmon
- Ancient Wetlands Canine Recipe with Roasted Fowl
- PREY Angus Beef Recipe
- PREY Trout Recipe
- PREY Turkey Recipe
Taste of the Wild wet dog food flavors:
- High Prairie Canine Recipe with Bison in Gravy
- Pacific Stream Canine Recipe with Salmon in Gravy
- Sierra Mountain Canine Recipe with Lamb in Gravy
- Southwest Canyon Canine Recipe with Beef in Gravy
- Wetlands Canine Recipe with Fowl in Gravy
Taste of the Wild Dog Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- Uses unique and highly digestible animal proteins
- Includes real produce for antioxidants
- Contains 80 million live, active cultures per pound
- Reasonably priced
- Family owned
Considerations & Concerns
- Some dogs won’t eat it
- May cause tummy issues in some dogs
- Bag is not resealable
What pet parents say about Taste of the Wild
“All my pets love this food [and] they always look forward to dinner time.”
Read more reviews on Chewy.
Product image sourced from Chewy. Copyright SCHELL & KAMPETER, INC.
NutriSource Large Breed Dog Foods
Vet recommended
For large breeds like your Golden furbaby, NutriSource's original dog food line offers five grain-inclusive and three grain-free recipes.
Most feature real meat as the first ingredient, and all recipes are supplemented with L-carnitine, taurine, choline chloride, and DL-methionine for a healthy heart. They also contain prebiotics and probiotics to support your dog’s gut health. The kibble size of the puppy variants is smaller than that of the adult variants, making it a great food for puppy jaws and teeth.
“Nutrisource offers convenient and affordable kibble varieties for dogs of various life stages," says Dr. Jeremiah.
NutriSource Large Breed grain-inclusive dry dog food flavors:
- Large Breed Puppy Chicken & Rice Recipe
- Large Breed Chicken & Rice Recipe
- Large Breed Beef & Rice Recipe
- Large Breed Lamb Meal & Rice Recipe
- Large Breed Trout & Rice Recipe
NutriSource Large Breed grain-free dry dog food flavors:
- Large Breed Puppy Turkey, Whitefish Meal & Menhaden Fish Meal
- Large Breed Chicken & Peas Recipe
- Large Breed Lamb Meal & Peas Recipe
NutriSource Large Breed Dog Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- Does not contain corn, wheat, soy, or by-products
- Includes supplements that support proper absorption of nutrients
- Committed to local, independent pet stores
- Gives back with every purchase
- Third generation family owned
Considerations & Concerns
- Some dogs won’t eat it
- May cause tummy issues in some dogs
- Adult variants do not come in a smaller bag if you want to try it first
What pet parents say about NutriSource Large Breed
“Good for my Golden Retriever puppy. My puppy has a weak stomach and this works perfectly for her.”
Read more reviews on Amazon.
Image sourced from the Amazon website. Copyright Tuffy's Pet Foods.
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed Dog Foods
Blue Buffalo’s Life Protection Formula large breed dog foods are meat-first recipes that are specially formulated for the health and well-being of bigger pups like your Golden.
These recipes are made with real chicken, whitefish, or lamb, as well as whole grains, fruits, and veggies.
The adult and senior variants have glucosamine and chondroitin to support the mobility needs of larger dogs. All dry recipes also include the brand’s exclusive LifeSource Bits, which are a cold-formed blend of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed dry dog food flavors:
- Large Breed Puppy Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe
- Large Breed Adult Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe
- Large Breed Adult Fish and Oatmeal Recipe
- Large Breed Adult Lamb and Brown Rice Recipe
- Large Breed Adult Healthy Weight Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe
- Large Breed Senior Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed wet dog food flavors:
- Large Breed Adult Chicken Dinner with Garden Vegetables
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Large Breed Dog Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- Uses high-quality natural ingredients
- Does not contain artificial flavors or preservatives
- Formulated to help keep large breed dogs mobile
- Appeals to picky eaters
- Puppy and senior variants come in a smaller kibble size that’s easier to chew
Considerations & Concerns
- May cause tummy issues in some dogs
- Doesn’t come in a smaller bag if you want to try it first
- Wet food is available in only one flavor
What pet parents say about Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed
“My 9 year old Golden loves it. She has always been a picky eater and this is the ONLY food she’s ever been happy with.”
Read more reviews on Chewy.
Image sourced from Chewy. Copyright Blue Buffalo Company Ltd.
FAQ
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