Should Golden Retrievers Eat Chicken?
There are many different protein sources that you can feed your Golden Retriever. Chicken is a very popular protein to feed to your chicken.
Chicken is also something that is bland that you can cook for your dog to feed them when they are not feeling well to help entice them to eat.
You may be looking to see if chicken is okay to give your dog each day.
Should Golden Retrievers eat chicken?
Chicken is safe for your Golden Retriever to eat. Most dog foods are made with chicken as their main protein source. If you are cooking a homemade diet for your Golden Retriever, chicken needs to be supplemented with carbs, vegetables, vitamins, and minerals to make sure that they are getting a well-balanced diet.
While chicken is good and healthy for your Golden Retriever to eat, it’s important to make sure that the chicken is prepared with ingredients and using methods that keep it safe for your dog.
After all, fried chicken vs. boiled chicken makes a big difference in your dog’s diet.
For a full rundown on how to give your Golden Retriever chicken safely, keep reading!
What foods are bad for Golden Retrievers?
There are some foods that should be off-limits in your Golden Retriever’s diet. These foods should never be given to your dog.
- Chocolate
- Onions, and garlic
- Grapes and raisins
- Macadamia Nuts
- Avocados
- Cherries
- Dairy
- Prunes
- Coffee
- Artificial sugars such as xylitol
- Very sugary or salty foods
- Citrus fruits
- Soda and Alcohol
All of the foods are toxic to dogs and should not be fed to them.
If your dog did accidentally gets ahold of any of these foods, it is best for your Golden Retriever to see your vet right away.
Is chicken good for dogs every day?
Chicken is a great protein source to feed your Golden Retriever each day.
There are also other protein sources that you can feed in case your dog has allergies to chicken.
Other common protein sources are beef, salmon, duck, rabbit, and venison.
Most Golden Retrievers do not mind eating the same thing each day.
If you did want to switch their diet some make sure that you make any changes slowly and gradually to help decrease GI issues like vomiting and diarrhea.
What food is best for Golden Retrievers?
There is no one best food to give to your Golden Retriever.
It is best to make sure that your dog is eating high-quality dog food. Most people will buy commercially prepared dog food to feed their dogs.
If you want to cook your dog’s food for them each day, it is best to make sure it is completely balanced.
There are many veterinary nutritionists that you can talk with to help you formulate a diet that is completely balanced for your dog.
Another place to look is online at many of the great recipes for dogs.
Balanceit.com is one site that can help you make a meal plan for your dog.
When looking at the different protein sources for your dog these are a few common proteins that you can include in your Golden Retriever’s diet.
- Beef
- Rabbit
- Duck
- Venison
- Bison
Many of the more exotic meats can be hard to find at the grocery store to feed to your dog but you can find many of these in commercially prepared dog foods.
When should a Dog not eat chicken?
Some dogs have food allergies and if they are allergic to chicken, they should not eat any foods with chicken in them.
If you think that your dog has a food allergy it is best to have your vet test your dog for food allergies.
There are a few different ways that you can test your dog.
Skin allergy testing
This is the best way to test your dog for food allergies. This usually will be done by a veterinary dermatologist.
They will place a small amount of the protein that they could be allergic to under their skin and watch for signs of hives.
This is the same procedure that is done in human allergy testing.
Blood Allergy testing
If you are not able to see the veterinary dermatologist, your local vet can send blood to a lab for allergy testing.
They would take a small blood sample that the lab can test against different food allergens.
Food Trials
If you did not want to do allergy testing on your Golden Retriever, you can do a food trial.
During a food trial, you would switch your dog to a different diet that had a protein source that they have never eaten before.
This would be the only thing that they would be allowed to eat.
No treats or human food just this one diet. You would look to see if the signs of allergies cleared up or did not change at all.
If your dog’s allergies improve most likely they are allergic to the old food and should strictly eat the new food.
Food trials can take 6 to 8 weeks for you to see a response.
Signs of Food Allergies in Golden Retrievers
If your Golden Retriever has food allergies, you will see these signs:
Skin rash
Most dogs with food allergies will have a skin infection.
Your Golden Retriever may itchy and scratch their body. They may also have red skin and hair loss.
Many signs of this rash and infection are located around their rectum.
They may also be scooting the bottom on the floor too.
Ear infections
If your Golden Retriever is constantly having ear infections, they can also have food allergies.
Many of these infections are very difficult to clear and are constantly reoccurring.
GI issues
Most Golden Retrievers who have food allergies will have signs of stomach issues.
Your Golden Retriever may also have gas or have a little bit of diarrhea.
You may notice that your dog seems uncomfortable after they are eating.
Their abdomen may be a little bloated and they may be passing gas.
This should not be confused with bloat as that is an extremely enlarged abdomen that is a medical emergency.
If you think that your dog has food allergies and is showing any of these signs, it would be best for them to see your vet right away to have them tested for food allergies.
Final Thoughts
Chicken is a great source of protein for your Golden Retriever to eat.
This should not be the only thing that they eat.
When making a homemade diet it is best to include things like rice, eggs, vegetables, or fruit to make sure that your dog is eating a well-balanced diet.
Most commercial dog foods contain all the needed vitamins and minerals for your pet to live a long and healthy life.
