10 Best Dog Food Delivery for Golden Retrievers 2024

Selecting the best dog food delivery for Golden Retrievers can be overwhelming due to the plethora of options. These are very active dogs and require a nutrient-dense diet to support their daily activities. So, it’s crucial to choose food that has a well-balanced macro and micronutrient profile.

Fortunately, I’ve done extensive research and analysis to help you make an informed decision. Not all dog food products on the market today meet the same quality standards as those on my list. As such, my recommendations prioritize the use of quality, human-grade ingredients that are approved by AAFCO.

After meticulous vetting and confirmation, my top recommendation is The Farmer's Dog. Its products are free from GMOs and gluten and made with fresh ingredients fortified with taurine. Furthermore, its food is vet-approved, and it focuses on providing the perfect portion sizes, nutrient selection, and responsibly sourced whole ingredients to maintain your Golden’s optimal health.

The Best Dog Food Deliveries for Golden Retrievers Reviewed

1. The Farmer’s Dog – Best Fresh Dog Food

The Farmer's Dog is a unique service that offers customized, healthy meals for Golden Retrievers. The Farmer's Dog provides a personalized approach to canine nutrition with a focus on fresh ingredients, which promotes overall health and well-being.

What’s on Offer?

When you sign up for The Farmer's Dog, you'll be taken through a questionnaire. It’ll ask you a series of questions about your dog's breed, age, weight, and activity level. This information is used to create a personalized meal plan that’s tailored to your dog's specific needs.

It’s committed to sourcing and providing only the best ingredients. Our full review mentions that the food is devoid of artificial preservatives, fillers, and additives that can negatively impact your pup’s health. Instead, it uses fresh, whole-food ingredients that not only taste great but also provide optimal nutrition.

The meal options available from The Farmer's Dog are Turkey, Beef, Chicken, and Pork recipes. These meals are all composed of balanced macronutrient profiles, with roughly 8 to 11% crude protein and 4.5 to 9% crude fat. The meals are pre-portioned and conveniently packaged, making mealtime easy and hassle-free.

What Makes It Special?

The meals exclusively contain fresh, human-grade ingredients that meet or surpass AAFCO standards. Plus, it’s nice to see the use of USDA-certified beef, turkey, or chicken, along with nutrient-dense veggies such as sweet potatoes, green beans, and carrots.

The Farmer's Dog DIY plan allows you to craft your dog's meals at home using their DIY Nutrient Mix. This unique offering is perfect if you prefer a hands-on approach to your pet's nutrition, providing flexibility to incorporate fresh, local ingredients. 

Is It Good Value?

To begin, a 2-week trial order is required as the minimum. If for any reason you or your companion aren’t satisfied during the trial, a full refund can be obtained, provided that the remaining food is donated to a pet shelter.

The starting price is $2/day, but please note that this is for smaller dogs. Larger breeds like Golden Retrievers will need more food and your order will cost more.

2. Ollie – Best Superfood Ingredients

Ollie is becoming a favorite among pet owners for a few reasons. Firstly, its use of the sous-vide cooking method ensures optimal flavor and nutrition in every meal. This is a very popular cooking technique used for human food in fancy restaurants throughout the world, which to me speaks volumes about Ollie.

What’s on Offer?

A tailored meal plan is created for your Golden based on a pre-subscription questionnaire. It’ll consider his or her unique dietary needs and preferences. Plus, all ingredients used are ethically sourced and of human-grade quality.

You can also choose between fresh meals or baked kibble, with a variety of recipes available. For instance, you can get Fresh Beef, Chicken, Turkey, Lamb, or baked Beef or Chicken kibble. Check out our official review for more details about the fresh and baked recipes.

Another standout feature is the inclusion of numerous superfoods in each meal. You can expect carrots, rice, blueberries, kale, spinach, and other veggies. On top of that, the meals contain antioxidants, micronutrients, and an average of 7-10% crude protein.

What Makes It Special?

Ollie also provides an assortment of treats and supplements for your furry friend. These include Chicken & Apple Treats, Hope & Joint Supplement Chews, and Probiotic Chews.

Furthermore, its meals are devoid of artificial preservatives, fillers, and by-products. I like to see this as this type of food is better at promoting a healthier diet and catering to dogs with specific allergies or sensitivities. A lot of off-the-shelf pet store food can have an unnecessarily large number of poor-quality ingredients that you wouldn’t want to feed your pup.

Is It Good Value?

There are various plans available such as Full Fresh, Mixed Bowl (fresh + baked), and Half Fresh. The latter 2 options are less expensive than the Full Fresh plan. And, the Half Fresh plan is ideal if you just want your Golden Retriever to give it a try. A team of veterinary nutritionists also supervises each meal plan.

Your first order is a  2-week starter box. Prices start at $4-$8 per day for small dogs. As your Golden Retriever is a larger breed, anticipate slightly higher prices.

3. We Feed Raw – Best Raw Dog Food

We Feed Raw delivers nutrient-rich raw dog food to promote your pet's health and well-being. As Golden Retrievers, like all dogs, evolved to this way, this service's dedication to raw food is particularly appealing.

What’s on Offer?

You’re also getting customizable meal plans based on a pre-purchase questionnaire. For instance, it covers your dog's breed, age, weight, activity level, and health concerns. This data allows We Feed Raw to craft a personalized meal plan for your furry friend.

Conforming to the AAFCO's guidelines, its meals cater to your dog's distinct nutritional requirements. As discussed in our comprehensive We Feed Raw review, meals contain quality ingredients like flaxseed, beef heart, beef liver, and beef kidney. Available proteins include chicken, turkey, beef, duck, venison, and lamb.

The recipes do lack veggies, but We Feed Raw supplements meals with essential vitamins and minerals. If you prefer your Golden Retriever to consume veggies, consider alternatives such as The Farmer's Dog or Ollie.

What Makes It Special?

However, Golden Retrievers sometimes suffer from digestive issues, which veggies can exacerbate. Raw food, in this instance, is a great alternative as it’s far easier to digest. Your pup will therefore not have to worry about indigestion specifically caused by veggies.

Raw food is whole-food based and doesn’t include overly processed ingredients. Animals can benefit from whole foods just as much as humans do – so seeing these human-grade ingredients is a huge bonus in my eyes.

Is It Good Value?

Also, remember that raw food storage differs from fresh meals. We Feed Raw advises refrigerating meals for a maximum of 4 days or freezing them in the original packaging for up to 6 months.

You must start with a 2-week trial and subsequent orders are dispatched and billed on a regular schedule. Prices begin at $6.59/lb for smaller breeds, with Golden Retriever costs slightly higher, depending on your pet's size and activity level.

You must start with a 2-week trial and subsequent orders are dispatched and billed every 3 weeks. Prices begin at $6.59/lb for smaller breeds, with Golden Retriever costs slightly higher, depending on your pet's size and activity level.

4. Nom Nom – Best Gut Health-Focused Dog Food 

Nom Nom offers a choice of 2 distinct probiotics to support your pup's digestive system. All recipes also meet or exceed the AAFCO guidelines, and it employs in-house board-certified veterinary nutritionists to ensure food quality. Our Nom Nom review covers this in more detail.

What’s on Offer?

Nom Nom's products are free from artificial flavors, preservatives, or fillers. Instead, the brand relies exclusively on premium, wholesome ingredients. There is a selection of 4 recipes available made with beef, turkey, pork, and chicken.

Every recipe is meticulously designed using top-quality meats and vegetables. The pork recipe (called Pork Potluck) is made from USDA-certified pork, russet potatoes, kale, green beans, squash, and cremini mushrooms. There are also vitamins and minerals added to each recipe for added nutrition.

Nom Nom's Pork Potluck recipe is an excellent choice for Golden Retrievers with sensitive stomachs. If your furry friend struggles with digestive issues, this carefully formulated meal offers a blend of ingredients known for being easy on the stomach. 

What Makes It Special?

When you sign up, you’ll complete a short questionnaire. This asks for general information about your dog such as its age, weight, and activity level. This is similar to The Farmer’s Dog and simple to fill out. The information is then used to create a meal plan that meets your Golden Retriever's specific nutritional requirements.

Nom Nom offers a sample pack of all the recipes, perfect for pet owners looking to test out meals before making a decision. If you're curious about finding the best fit for your pet's palate and health needs, this option allows you to explore the variety Nom Nom provides without the commitment to a full order. 

Is It Good Value?

The food arrives pre-portioned which offers added convenience. You don’t have to commit to a full order and can start with a half portion to see if your dog likes the food.

Prices for Nom Nom start at $5/day. You’ll start with a 2-week trial to check the food suits your pup. The price for a Golden Retriever is likely to be higher, though, as they’re a larger breed.

5. Spot & Tango – Best Preservative-Free Dog Food

Spot & Tango is a great choice for pet owners looking for additive-free pup food. It offers 2 types of fresh food: fresh and UnKibble. Although both options are fresh, UnKibble has certain advantages.

What’s on Offer?

Spot & Tango’s UnKibble provides the same nutritional value as fresh food but at a lower cost. Check out our full Spot & Tango review to learn more about the exact differences between fresh and UnKibble.

Spot & Tango has a diverse range of meal options to cater to the varying needs of Golden Retrievers. The Turkey + Red Quinoa recipe is loaded with protein and enriched with nutrients from spinach, carrots, and blueberries. Other fresh options include Beef + Millet and Lamb + Brown Rice.

UnKibble offers Beef + Barley, Chicken + Brown Rice, Cod + Salmon, and Turkey + Sweet Potato. All ingredients are fit for human consumption and meet the standards established by the AAFCO. The recipes have been developed by veterinary nutritionists.

What Makes It Special?

The fresh food is pre-portioned, while UnKibble comes with a personalized food scoop. This definitely makes it far easier to feed your pup the correct amount of food. You can opt for full orders or toppers only, and the topper-only plan can help your pup try the food first and save you money.

Spot & Tango's recipes stand out for being GMO-free, catering to pet owners who prioritize clean eating for their furry companions. Additionally, the majority of its recipes are gluten-free, accommodating pets with specific dietary sensitivities or preferences. 

Is It Good Value?

Spot & Tango also offers a variety of treats and snacks, including Sweet Potato Bites, Chicken Bites, and Bison Bites. I haven’t noticed many other competitors offering these sorts of items, so it’s a nice added bonus.

The minimum order is a 2-week trial, starting at <$1 per meal. The cost for Golden Retrievers may vary based on their size. If your pup doesn’t like the food, you can get a full refund for your trial order.

6. The Pets Table – Best Fresh and Dried Meal Options

The Pets Table offers nutritious meal options tailored for Golden Retrievers. It focuses on both fresh and air-dried foods free from fillers, synthetics, and artificial ingredients. Its product line includes vet-designed recipes that specifically cater to the dietary needs of Golden Retrievers.

What’s on Offer?

Among the fresh meal options are Chicken Casserole with Green Beans, Beef Stew with Carrots, and Turkey Casserole with Broccoli. Air-dried alternatives like Chicken & Sweet Potato and Beef & Berries offer an interesting variety for those seeking something different.

The commitment to avoiding fillers, synthetics, or artificial ingredients in its meals is commendable. This focus on quality ensures that every ingredient contributes positively to your Golden Retriever’s diet, providing only the best nutrition.

While its primary focus is on meal solutions, it's noteworthy that it doesn’t extend its product range to include items like treats or supplements. For those looking for a more extensive product line, Ollie might be a viable alternative.

What Makes It Special?

Vet-designed recipes incorporating superfoods for optimal gut health stand at the core of its offerings. Check out our in-depth review to find out more on nutrition and ingredients of The Pets Table’s recipes.

The option to personalize your plan and recipes through a quick quiz is particularly useful. This ensures that you get precisely the right amount of food, along with feeding instructions tailored to your pup’s daily needs.

It provides a variety of plan options, including Fresh, Half-Fresh, and Mixed plans, to accommodate different dietary preferences and requirements. This flexibility allows you to select the best plan for your dog’s unique tastes and health needs.

Is It Good Value?

The starting price point is $1.59 per meal and the risk-free 2-week trial order allows you to evaluate its offerings without a long-term commitment. This makes it easier to decide if it’s the right fit.

The Half-Fresh plan is an economical way to add nutrition to your dog’s regular kibble. This plan serves as a nutritious topper, offering a way to introduce variety and additional nutrients into your Golden Retriever's diet.

7. JustFoodForDogs – Best Veterinarian-Approved Food

JustFoodForDogs offers high-quality, personalized dog food and treats. It uses only fresh ingredients, which ensures that your furry friend receives the best possible nutrition. The company also offers a range of goodies, supplements, and prescription diets for dogs with specific health issues.

What’s on Offer?

JustFoodForDogs features a feeding calculator, a tool designed to eliminate the guesswork from your pet's nutrition. By inputting specific details about your dog, such as age, weight, and activity level, you'll receive recommendations on the precise amount of food to feed your dog, as well as suggestions for the best-suited recipes from its range. You can find out more in our full JFFD review. 

JustFoodForDogs is committed to using only the best ingredients in its meals. It works with a team of veterinarians and nutritionists to formulate its meals, ensuring that they’re nutritionally balanced and meet the highest standards of quality. The meals are also free from preservatives, fillers, and by-products.

JustFoodForDogs also offers a range of other products. The Pantry Fresh category includes options like Turkey & Whole Wheat Macaroni, while the DIY nutrient blends allow you to create your own dog food using fresh ingredients and a collection of vitamins and minerals. It also offers prescription diets for dogs with specific health issues like kidney disease, liver disease, and diabetes.

What Makes It Special?

You can also find treats and supplements tailored to address specific canine health concerns. Among these, Joint Care and Skin & Allergy Care supplements stand out for their targeted support. These are designed with your dog's overall wellbeing in mind, providing nutritional support that complements a balanced diet. 

JustFoodForDogs' Pantry Fresh meals use whole food ingredients that stay good for up to 2 years without needing refrigeration. They are preservative-free and shelf-stable, offering a convenient option for feeding your dog healthy food.

Is It Good Value?

JustFoodForDogs offers one-time orders and flexible autoship options. And, discounts are available for first-time purchases and subsequent orders.

Delivery schedules range from 1 to 8 weeks – and you can even choose to pick up orders from a nearby store. Prices start at $6.45 for small dogs, and shipping costs a flat fee of $19.99. For free shipping, you’ll need to purchase at least $99 in frozen or non-frozen food. You can’t mix and match these to reach that $99.

8. PawFoods – Best Fresh Food with Organic Ingredients

PawFoods provides fresh food options with organic ingredients for Golden Labradors. Emphasizing gluten-free meals enriched with superfoods, it offers a trio of protein-centric recipes alongside organic treats designed to enhance health across various fronts.

What’s on Offer?

PawFoods’ meals include steak, chicken, and fish-based recipes and include organic fruits and vegetables. Learn more about its meals and the nutritional values in our well-researched PawFoods review.

The inclusion of superfoods like spinach, chia seeds, and broccoli in every meal highlights PawFoods’ dedication to canine health. These gluten-free meals are formulated to provide all the necessary nutrients to support a healthy lifestyle for Golden Labradors.

Organic treats offered by PawFoods are tailored to support healthy skin, digestion, and gut health. These treats, available in 3 distinct options, are an excellent supplement to the main meals, providing additional health benefits.

What Makes It Special?

Every fruit and vegetable included in PawFoods’ recipes is certified organic, ensuring that your Golden Labrador is not exposed to harmful chemicals. This commitment to organic produce supports not only the health of your pet but also promotes sustainable farming practices.

PawFoods simplifies meal selection by eliminating the need for a personalization quiz. Instead, portion sizes are determined based on your dog’s weight, making it easy to choose the right amount of food for your Golden Labrador.

Its paw-shaped containers add a playful touch to mealtime, and the free dental treat with every meal is a really unique idea. This not only adds value but also promotes dental health in Golden Labradors.

Is It Good Value?

With pricing that starts at $2.86 per meal, PawFoods is a premium option. PawFoods is definitely geared towards pet owners who prioritize organic ingredients and superior nutrition for their dogs. 

The meals are delivered frozen, ensuring freshness and convenience. By keeping a few meals thawed in the fridge, you’re always prepared for the next feeding time. Just keep in mind that larger dogs like Golden Labradors are going to cost a lot more to feed than smaller breeds.

9. Maev – Best Frozen Raw Food Option

Maev revolutionizes the pet food industry with its frozen raw food offerings. Catering especially to those prioritizing a natural and unprocessed diet for their pets, Maev ensures every meal is not just nutritious but also tailored to the specific needs of dogs at various life stages.

What’s on Offer?

Ready-to-serve frozen meals make feeding time effortless and nutritious. Maev provides beef and chicken recipes, including a special formulation for puppies, ensuring that dogs of all ages have access to quality meals. 

For those seeking additional health support for their dogs, Maev offers supplement bars tailored for hips and joints or skin and coat health. For more details on what you can find, check out our full Maev review.

This alongside their beef bone broth toppers provides a well-rounded diet that addresses various health concerns, making mealtime not just about feeding but also about caring for your dog's overall well-being.

What Makes It Special?

Maev’s recipes are vet-designed and incorporate only human-grade, USDA-certified ingredients. This not only elevates the quality of each meal but also reassures pet owners of the safety and nutritional value being offered to their pets.

Maev stands out for its dog bundles, catering to the diverse needs of dogs, including the Big Dog bundle for larger breeds and specific options for dogs experiencing mobility issues or those in their senior years. 

Another distinctive feature of Maev's raw food is its beneficial impact on oral health. The frozen texture of the food aids in reducing plaque buildup, providing a delicious meal that also contributes to maintaining your dog's dental hygiene.

Is It Good Value?

Positioned as a premium product, Maev's pricing starts at $143 per bag. However, the brand also offers flexibility in how their food can be incorporated into a dog’s diet, whether as a primary meal or a nutritional supplement.

Adjusting your subscription is straightforward, allowing for a personalized feeding schedule that can evolve with your dog’s changing dietary needs. This makes Maev a valuable option for those who prioritize their pet's health and well-being.

10. Open Farm – Best Selection of Meal Types

Open Farm boasts an extensive selection of meal plans, including dry, wet, and freeze-dried raw. It also recently introduced RawMix, as detailed in our comprehensive Open Farm review.

What’s on Offer?

All meals are crafted using humanely raised meats, wild-caught fish, and organic fruits and vegetables. For dogs with food sensitivities, limited-ingredient diets are also available. Sometimes, Golden Retrievers may have certain allergies or sensitivities, so feeding quality ingredients like this can be beneficial.

What's more, I find Open Farm's grain-free options impressive. For example, the New Zealand Venison Grain-Free Dry Dog Food uses field peas, sweet potato, and ocean whitefish meal instead of grain or wheat products. The carbs come from green and red lentils and flaxseed.

Each meal is protein-packed and enriched with essential vitamins and minerals. Options such as the Grass-Fed Beef Recipe are made exclusively with grass-fed and grass-finished beef, and the Homestead Turkey Recipe is made with humanely-raised turkey.

What Makes It Special?

I also love seeing that Open Farm prioritizes minimizing its environmental impact. The use of sustainably sourced salmon from the Pacific Northwest in the Wild-Caught Salmon Recipe is definitely welcome.

In addition to meals, Open Farm offers a range of extras, including snacks, supplements, and bone broths. These include dehydrated chicken, beef, and pork treats, probiotics, and beef, turkey, and chicken bone broths.

Is It Good Value?

Open Farm's flexible ordering system allows for one-time purchases or autoship every 1 to 16 weeks, with no minimum order requirement. While pricing starts at $7/day for small dogs, Golden Retrievers and other larger breeds may incur slightly higher costs.

Quick Comparison Table

Tips for Choosing the Best Dog Food Delivery For Golden Retrievers

I recommend keeping the following points in mind when making your selection:

• Nutritional requirements: Golden Retrievers have specific nutritional needs to support their active lifestyle, strong muscles, and maintain a healthy weight. Look for a dog food delivery service like The Farmer’s Dog that offers balanced and complete nutrition, including high-quality proteins, healthy fats, and essential vitamins and minerals.

• Life stage and size: Golden Retrievers are a large breed, and their dietary requirements will vary depending on their life stage (puppy, adult, or senior). Choose a dog food delivery service such as Ollie. that caters to your dog's age and size to ensure they receive the proper nutrients for their growth and development.

• Customization options: Dogs, like humans, can have individual dietary needs and preferences. Opt for a delivery service that allows you to customize your dog's meal plan based on factors such as allergies, specific health concerns, or dietary restrictions. The Farmer’s Dog has an extensive questionnaire covering these factors.

• High-quality ingredients: The quality of ingredients in dog food is crucial for your Golden Retriever's overall health. Look for delivery services such as Nom Nom that use natural, wholesome ingredients, free from artificial additives, preservatives, and fillers.

FAQ

Which dog food is best for Golden Retrievers?

Do Golden Retrievers need slow feeders?

Are Golden Retrievers picky with food?

What is the best food topper for Golden Retrievers?

There’s no real “best food topper” for Golden Retrievers. However, I recommend checking out Spot & Tango if you’re specifically looking for a topper plan. The toppers are a nice way for your Golden to try out some new food without having to commit to a large amount of it. Plus, it’s a cost-effective way to transition him or her gradually.

Best Dog Food Delivery for Golden Retrievers 2024 — Final Score