What is the perfect diet for your English cream Golden Retriever?

The English Cream Golden Retrievers are one of the most beautiful and gentle dogs. This breed is very popular worldwide, due to the smartness of these dogs. These golden babies are very easy to train, and are really nice to children, making them the ideal choice for an active family.

Weighing typically between 55 and 75 pounds, the male Goldens are usually larger than females. They have a dense, water-repellent coat, and are known by their rich lustrous golden coat.

The English Cream Retrievers are large dogs, and hence require a lot of attention from the pet parents to ensure that they do not become overweight. Hip and elbow dysplasia are major concerns that you, as a pet parent, will face if your Golden Retriever is not feed and exercised properly. Problems like cancer and heart problems can also develop if not taken care of.

The correct diet to keep your English Cream Golden Retriever healthy, as recommended by the National Research Council of the National Academies is an average daily calorie intake of 1740, for an active adult weighing 70 pounds.

The older dogs, or the ones which have been sprayed, require lesser calorie intakes, while the growing, younger puppies require more calories daily. It basically depends upon the level of activity and the metabolism of your dog. The more the level of activity, the more calories your cream golden retriever requires.

A rich, good quality protein is another thing that you must take care of when selecting dog food for your cream golden retriever. The recommended minimum percentage of protein by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is 22 per cent for the growing puppies, and 18 per cent for the maintenance in adult dogs. These are general recommendations for dogs altogether. Most of the good quality dog foods exceed these percentages.

Another important source of energy for your dog is fat. Your English Cream Retriever’s diet must be 8 per cent of fat for the growing puppies, and 5 per cent for the adults. Fat adds flavour to the food, making the dog food more appealing to your dog. A good source of fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6, fats are good for the skin, coat, heart and the brain of your golden retriever.  

When selecting dog food for your English Cream Golden Retriever, look out for the following features:

·       A good dog food will feature a couple of meat proteins as the first several ingredients.

·       Ensure that the first ingredient is not grain or any other carbohydrate.

·       The dog food with meat “digests” or “by-products” are the less desirable ones.

·       The premium quality dog food contains meat meals as one of the first ingredients.

·       Ensure proper quality of fat, such as chicken fat. Most vitamins are also only fat-soluble. Hence it is all the more important to choose the right one.

·       Fish oil in dog food is also provides with the required nutrients, and omega-3, helping to keep the skin and coat healthy.

·       Avoid artificial preservatives such as BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin.

·       Also avoid artificial flavours, sweeteners and colourings in the dog food.

·       For picking a puppy food, look for the one which includes the compound DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid). It helps in promoting the development of brain in puppies.

·       Puppy foods must also have a proper ratio of calcium and phosphorus. The ideal ratio is 1.2:1, i.e. 1.2 parts of calcium to 1 part of phosphorous.