Should my Golden Retriever puppy switch to Royal Canin food?

Hello, thank you for your question about Bran. The most important tip to remember when choosing a diet for a puppy is to ensure that the diet is specifically designed for puppies. As a general rule puppy foods tend to have higher calorie content and a higher percentage of important minerals such as calcium. Every veterinarian has their own opinions on various dog food brands. Personally, I find that Royal Canin is a good choice, because they have veterinary nutritionists on staff that ensure their diets are nutritionally balanced. I have very limited experience with the Arden Grange company, but in my research I do not think this is a bad type of food. If you would like to transition Bran to this brand of food I would recommend making a slow transition over 3-5 days, slowly increasing the amount of Arden Grange offered (and decreasing the amount of Royal Canin). If Bran develops diarrhea or does not seem to tolerate the new brand of food, I would recommend switching him back to Royal Canin. Hope this helps, good luck!

There is no one "best" food. The optimal diet is one that your dog eats, can easily be bought and does not cause stomach upset. That said, certain brands are better than others. Stay away from store or discount brands. These typically contain low quality ingredients and more fillers. Better or premium brands include ProPlan, Canidae, Orijen, Royal Canin and Acana.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Charlie. First, it is fine to switch dog food brands, but you will need to transition slowly. You should mix the foods and gradually change the proportions of old and new. This will help to prevent any vomiting or diarrhea from the the change. Next, he should eat a large breed puppy food to best meet his nutritional needs. Personally, I use Purina, Hill's, Royal Canin or Iams. These are large companies with veterinarians on staff to research and formulate their diets. They also tend to offer of a variety of products to fit different budgets. I hope this information helps!

I would recommend a good quality large breed puppy formula such as Royal canin or iams. Feed twice daily. Amount varies by nutritional content of the food so follow label directions on how much to feed. Good luck with your pup!

Congratulations on your new puppy! Out of those three I would choose the Life protection chicken and rice large breed. Golden Retrievers are a breed that are susceptible to heart disease and grain free diets have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and so I would always avoid those diets. At this time the link is not completely understood but it's best not to risk it. Henry will be a large breed dog and so he needs large breed puppy food to regulate his growth which makes him less prone to skeletal diseases. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Goku. I recommend Royal Canin. It is a large company with veterinarians on staff. They do extensive research on their diets. They are also able to perform feeding trials in real dogs. This provides much more accurate information on a diet's performance as compared to laboratory analysis. I hope this information helps!

No, I do not recommend it. It's a grain free diet, and vets are seeing a rise in heart disease in dogs who are fed grain free and boutique diets. Dogs are dying from this, and the FDA is now researching it. Grains are fine for dogs, grain free is a fad. I recommend brands such as Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, Purina ProPlan, and Iams. I hope this helps!