Royal Canin Golden Retriever Puppy Food Review: Pros, Cons, Recalls

Written by Judie Sigdel
Published: March 29, 2022
© otsphoto/Shutterstock.com

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Royal Canin Golden Retriever Puppy Dog Food is formulated to give your Golden Retriever pup the precise nutrition they need to grow healthy, strong, and beautiful.

Summary

Golden Retriever puppies need specialized nutrition to develop their gorgeous golden adult coats. That’s why Royal Canin developed Royal Canin Golden Retriever Puppy Dog Food, which features essential nutrients to support their healthy skin and coat. This breed-specific formula was created to meet the dietary needs of purebred Golden Retrievers that are eight weeks to 15 months old.

Royal Canin’s team of researchers, including veterinarians and animal nutritionists, study the differences between each breed. Then they formulate recipes that provide the exact nutrition they need – at every stage of life. For example, Royal Canin Golden Retriever Puppy Food includes an exclusive blend of antioxidants, including vitamin E, to strengthen your puppy’s developing immune system. They’ve also incorporated high-quality proteins and prebiotics to boost their digestive health and promote optimal stool quality.

Royal Canin even created a uniquely shaped kibble that’s easy for Golden Retriever puppies to pick up and chew with their straight muzzles and scissor bites.

Our Top Pick
Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy
  • Specially formulated for Golden Retriever Puppies
  • Contains antioxidants and vitamin E
  • Developed by veterinarians and animal nutritionists
  • Good for digestive health
Check Chewy Check Amazon

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy: Benefits and Features

  • Made just for your eight weeks to 15-month-old Golden Retriever puppy
  • Kibble is uniquely designed so a Golden Retriever can pick it up easily
  • Contains essential nutrients to support skin and coat health
  • Includes a proprietary blend of antioxidants with vitamin E to support immune system development
  • Aids digestive health and optimal stool with high-quality proteins and prebiotics

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy: Pros & Cons

Pros:Cons:
Created specifically to meet a Golden Retriever puppy’s nutritional requirementsSome of Royal Canin’s ingredients, including chicken by-product meal and corn, are controversial
Developed by Royal Canin, one of the leading pet food innovators for over 50 yearsThe product is expensive at $99.99 for a 30-lb. bag ($3.33 per pound) retail
Available in 30-lb. bagsSome reviewers report that their puppies won’t eat the food
Royal Canin products are 100% satisfaction guaranteedOther reviewers reported that their puppies developed digestive issues from eating this food

Where is Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy Made?

Royal Canin was founded by a veterinarian in France over 50 years ago and its headquarters are still there today. As a global company, they have 13 manufacturing facilities around the world.

Their U.S. headquarters are located in St. Charles, MO. The company manufactures kibble and wet pet foods at its facilities in Missouri and South Dakota.

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy: Ingredients

Royal Canin includes two controversial ingredients in their pet food: chicken by-product meal and corn.

Many manufacturers don’t include chicken by-product meal in their premium pet food because it is made from the “less desirable” parts of a chicken, including the liver, lungs, kidneys, and spleen. Royal Canin contests that these organs provide nutrients that dogs need. For example, chicken liver is a valuable source of iron, B vitamins (especially B12), and vitamin A. Moreover, according to Royal Canin, these chicken parts are even more bioavailable after they’ve been processed into by-product meal.

By the same token, some information suggests that corn is a cheap filler that dogs can’t digest. Royal Canin declares that this is true only if corn hasn’t been processed correctly. Corn that has been properly milled, on the other hand, is easily digested and absorbed by dogs. It’s rich in protein, carbohydrates, antioxidants, as well as key vitamins and minerals.  

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy contains a scientifically formulated balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. It is also fortified with nutritional supplements like taurine for heart health. Other supplements include L-carnitine, which transforms fat into usable energy in your pup’s body and is essential for optimal brain, heart, and muscle function, and glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health.

Which Types of Dog is Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy Best Suited for?

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy provides the optimal nutrition that purebred Golden Retriever puppies from eight weeks to 15 months old need to develop into healthy adults. At 15 months, Royal Canin recommends switching them to Royal Canin Golden Retriever Adult Dry Dog Food.

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy: Recalls

As of March 23, 2022, the puppy food featured in this review has been recalled according to the FDA recall database.

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy: Where to Buy

You can purchase Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy from the sites below:

Our Top Pick
Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy
  • Specially formulated for Golden Retriever Puppies
  • Contains antioxidants and vitamin E
  • Developed by veterinarians and animal nutritionists
  • Good for digestive health
Check Chewy Check Amazon

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy Specs

Design

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy is available in 30-lb. bags. After opening, it should be stored in air-tight containers to prevent exposure to moisture.  

Safety

Royal Canin conducts extensive quality checks during every stage of production. They purchase raw materials only from long-term, trusted suppliers. They test each shipment of raw materials extensively before it’s sent to be processed. Finally, they conduct 10 separate quality checks during the manufacturing process itself — over half a million annually!

Durability

Dry kibble can be stored in an air-tight container for up to two months.

Price

A 30-lb. bag of Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy retails for $99.99 ($3.33 per pound).

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy vs. Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed

AttributesRoyal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever PuppyHill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed
First three ingredients:chicken by-product meal, corn, wheat glutenchicken meal, whole grain wheat, and whole grain oats
Breed-specific:YesNo
Price:A 30-lb. bag of Royal Canin retails for $99.99 ($3.33 per pound).A 30-lb. bag of Hill’s Science Diet retails for $67.99 ($2.27 per pound).

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy: Bottom Line

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy is formulated to meet the specific developmental needs of Golden Retriever puppies. It includes all the nutrients your puppy needs to develop healthy skin and a stunning coat, a strong immune system, and an optimal digestive system. And when your puppy reaches 15 months old, you can switch them to Royal Canin Golden Retriever Adult Dry Dog Food for breed-specific nutrition to keep your best friend healthy for a lifetime.

About the Author

My passion is writing about animals. I’ve published articles on pet parrots, birds, and small animal care and reviews about pet food and products. I have an ever-evolving aviary and menagerie that has included cockatiels, parakeets, conures, European starlings, a chukar partridge, guinea pigs, dogs, and cats. I’m also the author of Faith without Labels: a Guide to Eclectic Spirituality.

Royal Canin Golden Retriever Puppy Food Review: Pros, Cons, Recalls FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) 

Is Royal Canin good for Golden Retriever puppies?

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy was developed to meet the nutritional needs of Golden Retrievers from eight weeks to 15 months old. It contains the high-quality proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and other nutrients they need to reach their full potential.

When should I stop feeding my Golden Retriever puppy food?

When your Golden Retriever puppy is 15 months old, you should switch them to Royal Canin Golden Retriever Adult Dry Dog Food. At this point, your pup should be close to their adult height and won’t need as much energy or calories from their food.

Is it OK to give a puppy regular dog food?

You should feed your puppy food that’s formulated to meet their nutritional needs. Puppy food includes more calories and a different nutritional profile than adult food does. That’s because your puppy’s body is growing and developing at an astounding rate. A breed-specific dog food, such as Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Golden Retriever Puppy, will give your puppy an even stronger nutritional foundation by providing a more exact nutritional profile than regular puppy food.

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