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 Farmer’s Dog – Best fresh dog food
Ollie – Best superfood ingredients
We Feed Raw – Best raw dog food
Nom Nom – Best gut health-focused dog food
Spot & Tango – Best preservative-free dog food
See 5 more of the best dog food deliveries for Golden Retrievers
Customizable meal plans
4 recipes including beef, pork, and chicken
Vet-designed recipes
Current deal: Get 60% off on your first order!
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.
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.
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.
To begin, a 2-week trial order is required as the minimum. Following that, your furry friend's food will be sent out every 3 weeks. 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. Those with larger breeds may experience slightly higher prices.
Personalized Golden Retriever meal plans
2 baked and 4 fresh food recipes
Meals meet AAFCO standards
Current deal: Get 60% Off Your First Box!
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.
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.
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.
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.
The 2-week starter box contains 28 food packs, starting at $4-$8 per day for small dogs. As your Golden is a larger breed, anticipate slightly higher prices.
Vitamin- and mineral-fortified food
6 meals including beef, venison, chicken, and more
Customizable meal plans
Current deal: Save 30% off your first subscription box. Code: DR30
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Fresh dog food only
4 meals including beef, turkey, pork, and chicken
Questionnaire for personalized meals
Nom Nom offers a microbiome testing kit to monitor your dog's gut health, which our review explains in further detail. This is a great way to figure out if anything is causing your Golden Retriever to have digestive issues. And, it can help you establish a corrective or preventive eating plan for him or her.
Nom Nom also 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.
Nom Nom's products are free from artificial flavors, preservatives, or fillers. Instead, the brand relies exclusively on fresh, 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’s also vitamins and minerals added to each recipe for added nutrition.
Nom Nom also meal plans for your dog from the results of its 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.
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.
You’ll start with a 2-week trial with costs starting at $2.40. The price for a Golden Retriever is likely to be higher, though, as they’re a larger breed.
GMO and hormone-free dog food
7 recipes available including fresh and UnKibble
Dietary preferences include grain-, gluten-, and soy-free
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.
For instance, 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.
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 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 $7 per week. 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.
Dehydrated human-grade ingredients
Food includes dry and wet, treats, supplements, and more
Free of by-products and preservatives
The Honest Kitchen uses human-grade ingredients to prepare healthy and nutitious food for your Golden Retriever. Our official review highlights the company's commitment to providing additive- and preservative-free food.
One of the standout features of The Honest Kitchen is its dehydrated food. Essentially, it offers the same benefits of fresh food, but it costs less. Dehydrated food is made by removing the moisture using a gentle heat whist maintaining the taste, smells, and nutrients. To prepare these meals, you simply need to add water and wait a few minutes.
I like the quality of proteins available, with options like free-range chicken and wild-caught fish. The service also offers organic fruits and veggies, which is a level of quality that is not found in many off-the-shelf, standard dog food brands.
The Honest Kitchen also offers dry and wet food, supplements, toppers, broths, and dog treats. The Clusters Dry Food comes in whole grain or grain free forms. The wet food comes in a selction of stews and pates, and you can even get variety packs if you fancy trying a few proteins to see which your dog prefers. The variety of treats is impressive with cookies, chips, bone broth bites, and more.
There are a huge number of filters on the website. You can filter by protein, life stage, product type (dry, food, dehydrated food, toppers, etc), and any nutritional requirements such as grain free or high protein. The proteins available are fish, beef, chicken, turkey, duck, and lamb, but the lamb is only available as wet food or a topper.
You can place a one-time order as you need, and there’s no requirement for a minimum order. If you prefer regular deliveries, you can subscribe to flexible delivery every 2-12 weeks depending on what works best for you. The prices start at $5.99 for dry food but will vary depending on the exact items you choose.
Responsibly and sustainably sourced ingredients
Options include dry and fresh food, Rawmix, freeze-dried raw, and more
Grain-free meals with fewer ingredients
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.
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.
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.
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/lb without auto-shipment for small dogs, Golden Retrievers and other larger breeds may incur slightly higher costs.
Free consultations with a certified nutritionist
Fresh Frozen, Pantry Fresh, DIY Homemade, and more available
Convenient in-store purchases or home delivery available
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.
One of the unique features of JustFoodForDogs is its pre-purchase questionnaire. This questionnaire allows you to select the desired outcome for your dog's health, such as weight management, allergy reduction, or improved digestion. Once the questionnaire is completed, you’ll get a fully customized meal plan tailored to your dog's specific needs.
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.
In addition to its customized meal plans, JustFoodForDogs 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.
You can also indulge your furry friend with a range of treats, supplements, and bundles, as our full review covers in more detail. Options include Beef Brisket Treats, Probiotic Live, and combo packs that include 2 meal options, 2 treat packs, and 3 plush toys.
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 wet or dry food. You can’t mix and match these to reach that $99.
1% of revenue donated to White Buffalo Land Trust
Choose from dry and fresh food
One-time purchase available – no subscription necessary
A Pup Above uses the sous-vide cooking method to prepare it’s food, just like Ollie. This involves slow-cooking food at low temperatures to preserve the nutritional value and taste of the meals. However, A Pup Above surpasses Ollie by offering 2 additional recipes, totaling 8, compared to Ollie's 6.
There are 3 varieties of food – dry, fresh, or a combination, which our full review covers in detail. The food all have memorable names such as Beef Pot Roast, and Chick A Pupatouille which just are 2 of the 4 dry food options.
Fresh food options also have fun names including Porky's Luau and Turkey Pawella. You can also easily mix and match any of the options from the fresh and dry lineup. There are 4 dry foods an 4 wet foods to choose from.
All of the meats are humanely raised, and antibiotic-free – plus, they appear as the 1st ingredient. This ensures there are no fillers. And, the meals contain more protein than that from many other pet food delivery services, at around 10%+ crude protein.
A Pup Above provides meals that are gentler on your pup’s digestive system as well. For those looking to help their dogs lose weight, there are meals containing fewer ingredients that are suitable for a low-calorie or high-protein diet. The produce in the meals is non-GMO and pesticide-free.
Feeding the correct portions to your pup is also quite simple. Just thaw the meal in the fridge and serve it. You can also choose to thaw the meals out the night before if you like.
There’s also no subscription necessary. You can order just 1 bag of either fresh or dry food if you want to give it a try. However, ordering larger sized bags can save money and subscribing can save you 10% off each order. If you subscribe, the delivery schedule is flexible and you can receive meals every 1-8 weeks.
And lastly, prices start at $7.50/lb for smaller dogs. Prices may be slightly higher for medium to large-sized Golden Retrievers.
Kibble and treats available
16 meal choices available
Limited list of ingredients
Jinx has its own exclusive probiotic that claims to guarantee better gut health. There’s also naturally occurring prebiotic fiber in the meals. Just keep in mind that the probiotics and prebiotic fiber are in the meals already and can’t be purchased separately. Check out Ollie’s Probiotic Chews instead if you want to purchase separate probiotics.
Aside from probiotics, the product line includes dry and wet food, meal toppers, treats, and dental chews. You can choose from various options such as Beef & Sweet Potato Kibble, Grain-Free Chicken & Sweet Potato Pate Wet Food, and Chicken & Pumpkin Topper.
Jinx offers a range of meal options to cater to your dog's specific needs. These include limited-ingredient meals for dogs with sensitive stomachs and low-calorie, high-protein meals for dogs needing to lose weight. Learn more in our dedicated review.
Jinx's wet food contains approximately 8 to 10% crude protein, while the dry food has around 30% crude protein. Meat is also the primary ingredient, so there are no unnecessary fillers. This is something I love to see.
The dental chews come in 3 sizes, depending on your dog's weight, and are made with protein and nutrient-rich veggies. For instance, you can expect ingredients like sweet potatoes, carrots, and green beans.
All products are free from artificial preservatives, fillers, and by-products – and, they meet the AAFCO's strict standards. Jinx also provides meals without corn, soy, and gluten. It’s important to keep this in mind as most other competitors’ meals may contain these items.
There’s no minimum order, and pricing starts at $30/bag for small breeds. You can subscribe and receive new deliveries every 3 to 8 weeks, saving 15% on each order. If your Golden Retriever isn’t satisfied, Jinx offers refunds. In that case, you can contact [email protected].
Starting Price | Minimum Order | Best For | Meal Type | Shipping | Active Deals | |
$2/day | 2 weeks worth of meals | Dogs who like fresh food | Fresh | Free | Get 60% off on your first order! from The Farmer’s Dog | |
$4-$8 per day | 2 weeks worth of meals | Dogs who like fresh food | Fresh | Free | Get 60% Off Your First Box! from Ollie | |
$6.59/lb | 3 weeks worth of meals | Dogs who like raw food | Raw (frozen) | Free | Save 30% off your first subscription box. Code: DR30 from We Feed Raw | |
$2.40 | 2 weeks worth of meals | Dogs who like fresh food | Fresh | Free | Take 60% Off Your First Order from Nom Nom | |
$7 per week | 2 weeks worth of meals | Dogs who like fresh food and kibbles | Fresh, UnKibble | Free | 50% Off Your First Order from Spot & Tango | |
$5.99 for dry food | No minimum | Dogs of all ages and breeds | Dehydrated, wet, treats, toppers | $5.00, free on orders over $49.00 | Up to 60% Off! Code: SUMMERSALE from The Honest Kitchen | |
$7/lb without auto-shipment | 1 item | Dogs of all ages and breeds | Fresh, dry, freeze-dried raw, raw mix, gently cooked | $5.99 or free for orders over $50 | Save 20% off your first Autoship with code: AUTOSHIPLIFE from Open Farm | |
$6.45 | 7.8lb bag | Dogs of all ages and breeds | Fresh Frozen, Pantry Fresh (shelf-stable), DIY Nutrient Blend | $19.99 or free for dry or frozen orders over $99 | Save 40% off your first order and 5% off recurring autoship orders! from JustFoodForDogs | |
$7.50/lb | 3 lb bag | Dogs of all ages and breeds | Fresh | $15, or free when you order 3 or more bags | $50 Off your 1st Order with code TRYNOW from A Pup Above | |
$30/bag | No minimum | Dogs of all ages and breeds | Dry, wet, toppers, treats, dental chews | $5 for orders less than $35; free shipping over $35 | Subscribe and save 15% from Jinx |
Here’s what I considered when 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, whole-food ingredients, free from artificial additives, preservatives, and fillers.
Golden Retrievers benefit most from macro- and micronutrient-balanced food. If you’re looking for dog food that best fits the bill, The Farmer's Dog offers fresh, human-grade ingredients that are customized to meet your Golden Retriever's specific dietary needs.
Golden Retrievers may benefit from slow feeders, especially if they’re prone to eating too quickly. However, this isn’t really necessary. Instead of feeding your 4-legged furball less frequent, giant meals, try feeding him or her smaller meals more often.
For instance, Ollie offers an easy way to accomplish this. When signing up, you’ll fill out a questionnaire about your dog’s stats like age, breed, activity level, and more. Plus, its deliveries come with a personalized food scoop that lets you feed your pup the exact right amount of food.
Generally, no – most Goldens tend to swallow anything you put in front of them whole, like pills! This can present a huge problem with overeating and eating way too quickly. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to solve this.
With We Feed Raw’s raw food diet, it’s not so easy for your pup to swallow the food without chewing it thoroughly. And, if your pup tends to be more picky, raw food may be a great way to get him or her to eat as it can be pretty irresistible 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.