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With recent scares in the pet food industry, many golden retriever owners are wondering about the best diet and way to feed their golden retrievers. As with anything, the old adage of 'You get what you paid for' holds true, and the DOG food industry isn't any different. However, recent scares are not associated with only cheaper DOG food providers, but some nationally well known brands as well.
Check the ingredients. Generally, the cheaper the ingredients, the less it costs to package, which provides savings to golden retriever owners. However, cheap ingredients won't supply your puppy or adult golden retriever with the proper nutrients your golden retriever needs to grow and thrive. You should always supplement your golden retriever's food with a good vitamin supplement. Many people don't realize that they need to check the expiration dates on cans of DOG food as regularly as they do on human canned foods. As with human canned food, always avoid purchasing dented cans.
Check the contents of DOG foods to see what nutritional values each brand contains. You want to stay away from 'by-products' if at all possible, as these are usually anything but meat. If you wouldn't want to eat it, don't make your golden retriever dog eat it, either. Watch for the number and amount of preservatives listed on the DOG food label. Such items as BHA and BHT can cause cancer, and artificial flavorings aren't so good either.
Make sure you feed your golden retriever dry kibble to ensure good gum and tooth health as well as breaking up the monotony of their diets. If you choose to feed your golden retriever homemade DOG food, make sure you provide lean meats, vegetables and grains in his diet. Preparing homemade DOG food takes time, patience and extra effort to make sure your golden retriever doesn't get fat. Proper portion sizes are as important for golden retrievers as they are for humans.
More people will likely opt to start preparing home cooked food for their golden retrievers. Doing so may cost a little more, but knowing exactly what your golden retriever is eating is more than enough benefit for most golden retriever owners to balance the cost and effort involved.