Best Foods for a Young Golden Retriever's Health

Care and Feeding Tips for Golden Retriever Puppies

1. Remember, puppies are not like adult dogs. When you bring a new puppy home, it's crucial to carefully prepare its initial diet. Nutrients such as protein, calcium, and vitamin D are vital, as puppies between 6 months to a year old typically require twice the amount of calories as adult dogs per kilogram.

2. For the first month, it's best to feed your puppy mostly milk, as their stomach and teeth are not fully developed at this stage. Introducing a variety of foods can disrupt the growth of their stomach and teeth, and can affect their overall development. Especially avoid giving them milk, as many puppies are lactose intolerant and it can lead to diarrhea. Instead, opt for puppy formula milk or goat's milk.

3. Due to their smaller stomachs, it's important to follow the principle of "less frequent but more meals" when feeding a Golden Retriever puppy.

4. After two months of age, you can begin the weaning process for your puppy. Initially, you should feed them at least four times a day, ensuring that each meal is appropriately portioned and not too much food is given at once.

Weaning should be done gradually. Start by offering soft foods like puppy biscuits, nutritional paste, or softened kibble as a liquid diet for your puppy.

5. Golden Retriever puppies need to eat soft food. Always soak their kibble in water or goat's milk before feeding, and never give them dry kibble directly. Avoid feeding leftovers, as this can lead to picky eating habits. Additionally, the nutritional content in human food is different from what puppies need, which can cause imbalances in their nutrition and affect their growth.

Tip: Click on "How to Care for a New Golden Retriever" to learn more about the specific care and feeding methods for Golden Retrievers.