Feed Your Golden Retriever Dog Food or Human Food?

Though many people prefer to feed their dogs only on dog food, there are many types of what we consider to be human food which Golden Retrievers love, and which are actually good for them as well. These dogs love attention, and will want to watch you while you eat. It is fine to give them some of your food if you want, provided you know what kinds of food they should eat, and which ones they should not.

All dogs have good senses of smell, and love tasty food too, and can be quite excited when they see you eating food. Many of the foods you eat can be good for them too.

Some of the foods which we consider to be 'human food', and which are excellent foods to include in a Golden's diet to keep him healthy, including chicken, turkey, oatmeal, brown rice, raw vegetables and fruit.

When you open your refrigerator, your Golden Retriever may run up to it because he can smell something tasty in there. Many people think this is a way of begging for food, but it is really just his way of showing you that he would love some 'real' food, and it is a sign that you should really consider giving him some. There are however some types of 'real' food which you should not give him:-

Egg whites should not be fed in great quantity, because they contain avidin. This is a very destructive substance which can cause your dog to be deficient in the B vitamin biotin. This is fine if you feed whole eggs instead, because egg yolks have a high biotin content and this offsets the effect of the avidin in the whites. You can even include the egg shells in your dog's diet, because these contain valuable protein. Best of all is to give him whole, raw eggs, with the shell intact.

Chocolate should not be fed to any animal, because of the bromine content which is highly toxic for cats and dogs alike. The worst kind of chocolate, with the highest bromine content, is unsweet chocolate. Bromine is a chemical which is so toxic that feeding it to your pet is frequently fatal.

There are other types of food which have not been mentioned here and can be either good for your Golden Retriever or harmful. Your veterinarian is always a good person to ask if you have any questions concerning your pet's nutrition, and can give you good advice about which foods are good for him and which ones should be avoided. If you want to experiment with 'real' foods yourself, do so, but always remember to avoid giving your dog any kind of chocolate.