The following links are webpages about Golden Retrievers that we feel contain helpful information
- These tips came from the Dog Food Adviser website. The website tells you how to pick the best dog food for your dog. They also have a list of dog food brands which they give between 1 and 5 stars to help you find the best most nutritious food for your dog/puppy.
- The bag must say complete and balanced on its label
- The nutritional value must identify which animal the meat products are from. Never buy dog food that says "meat meal" or "animal meal", If the type of meat is not listed it could contain road kill, dead zoo animals, euthanize cats and dogs, spoiled supermarket meats, etc.
- Divide the fat by the protein. If it is over 80% the dog food contains too much fat.
- This information was also on the Dog Food Adviser website. Hip Dysplasia is a common problem with Golden Retrievers and anything you can do to spare your dog of this affliction is well worth it.
How to Choose the Best Large Breed Puppy Food and Lower Your Dog's Risk of Hip Dysplasia
The article gives 5 tips
" Feed a "complete and balanced" food that meets the AAFCO nutrient profile for growth or all life stages"
"Don't feed your large breed puppy any dog food specifically formulated for adult maintenance"
"Use our Calcium Content Analyzer tool to make sure the food doesn't contain too much calcium or calories" The Calcium Content Analyzer is found on the webpage
"Don't use nutritional supplements when feeding your large breed puppy any commercial diet"
"Don't overfeed your puppy- focus on controlled growth. Maintain your puppy at a lean body condition score (BCS) of "4" on a 9-point scale. Avoid free choice feeding, and serve small, measured meals on a regular schedule"
- Understanding cancer in Golden Retrievers by Rhonda Hovan is another great article. One in three Golden Retrievers die from cancer, although some studies show that it is less in English Golden Retrievers, any preventative measures your can take that will give your puppy a better chance is time well spent. Rhonda Hovan explains in the article how we have choices that can significantly improve our dogs' cancer risk profile. She explains how important it is to raise puppies to follow a slow growth curve and keep them lean and fit when they become adults. She includes a growth chart and a list of environmental exposures that have been linked with an increased risk of cancer, and can act as carcinogens by damaging DNA and/or increasing the DNA mutation rate. I highly recommend this article.
Fidosavvy.com is a well written website. You can get all kinds of information on Puppy Training, Crate Training almost any questions you may have about your puppy.
Soapstone Mountain Goldens Ellington CT -