5 Best dog food for Labradors: Ultimate guide to choosing the right dog food

Finding the best dog food for Labradors?...

Get some of our great suggestions below. All options contain high-quality protein and many necessary nutrients to the Labs’ bodies. Besides, we also share some useful tips for choosing the right dog food. Let’s discover!

Best dog food for Labradors 

Best dog food for Labradors

Canidae All Life Stages Premium Dry Dog Food 

The first name in the list of the best dog foods for Labradors we want to introduce is the Canidae All-life stages food. It contains animal protein from chicken meal, turkey, and lamb, providing optimal energy for your Labrador the whole day.

Furthermore, it has no corn, no wheat, and no soy. This is a good choice to offer complete and balanced nutrition for your lovely pet.

NUTRO ULTRA Adult High Protein Natural Dry Dog Food

Nutro Ultra Adult high protein food draws a major part of its animal protein from fresh chicken, lamb, and salmon. It delivers a menu of elevated, nourishing recipes, and makes fully satisfying moments for pets and pet parents.

This dog food has no BHA, BHT, or other high-risk chemical preservatives. Highly recommended product for your lovely labradors. 

Rachael Ray Nutrish Premium Natural Dry Dog Food

Rachael Ray Nutrish dog food for Labs has a variety of flavors for your adorable pets. It gets animal protein mainly from chicken, beef, and salmon. With a high amount of omega-3 fatty acids with other necessary vitamins, it helps support an active mind, and immune system and maintain balanced energy.

This food is safe for your dog with no fillers or poultry-by-products, no artificial flavors, color, or preservatives. 

ORIJEN Original Dry Dog Food

This best dry dog food for Labradors elevates your pet's nutrition. Each recipe contains at least 5 ingredients that are fresh or raw meat, poultry, or fish. Thus, Orijen dry dog food provides protein-rich food for your naughty Labradors. 

Champion Petfoods, the developer of Orijen, has long advocated for a meat-based, "biologically appropriate" diet for dogs. This meal has an established, balanced recipe, making it an excellent choice for Labs of all ages.

Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Dry Puppy Food

Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy primarily sources its animal protein from fresh chicken, ensuring a high-quality protein source for growing puppies. Each recipe is carefully formulated to maintain the ideal calcium-phosphorus balance, which helps minimize the risk of hip and joint diseases, particularly important for breeds like Labs prone to such issues.

Furthermore, the entire Pro Plan product line adheres to stringent guidelines set forth by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association, ensuring quality and safety in every aspect of production and formulation.

What to look for when choosing dog food for Labradors?

Choosing the best dog food for Labradors entails careful evaluation of factors such as their specific nutritional needs, breed-related health issues, budget considerations, potential allergies, and digestibility concerns.

Foremost, ingredient quality is paramount. Although affordability might seem appealing, it's essential to recognize that quality correlates with price. While high prices may appear as a drawback, lower-priced options often compromise on ingredient quality and sourcing.

What to consider about dog foods?

Additionally, scrutinizing the label for the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) statement is crucial. This statement confirms that the dog food meets the minimum nutrient requirements set by AAFCO, assuring its nutritional adequacy.

Nutritional needs for labradors

Specific nutritional needs for labradors include high protein, lower fat, taurine, digestible carbs, glucosamine and chondroitin, omega 3s, calcium and phosphorus, and probiotics. It would help if you determined your dog needs how much nutrition each day to feed them properly and choosing the right dog food. 

• High quality Protein:

All dog breeds need high quality, animal-centric diets, Labradors do too. All of dog food for your Labs should be at least 22% protein.

• Lower fat:

Like other dog breeds, Labrador Retrievers require fat in their meals, but the amount should be reasonable. The AAFCO recommends that adult dogs consume at least 5% fat and pups consume at least 8%.

Omega-3s and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are two fatty acids to watch out for. DHA is especially crucial for lab pups because it promotes brain and ocular development. Lab pups, as a big breed, develop quickly and require appropriate nourishment to keep up with their size. You should select a dog food with at least 0.5% omega 3s on the label.

• Digestible Carbohydrates

The AAFCO indicates that your Labs' carbohydrate consumption should be no more than 20% of their diet. Too much carbohydrates can cause health problems including obesity, diabetes, and cancer.

Necessary nutritions in the dog food for Labs

• Chondroitin and Glucosamine

As Labradors get older, their joints may experience decreased flexibility and increased vulnerability to wear and tear. To maintain strong and flexible joints of senior Labrador Retrievers, using supplements containing chondroitin and glucosamine is essential.

These beneficial compounds can be sourced from ingredients such as chicken meal, or they can be included separately as additives in dog food formulations.

• Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are extremely beneficial to brain development, eye health, inflammation reduction, and joint health. Dog foods containing omega-3 fats from 0.3% to 0.7% are quite good for your labs.

• Calcium and Phosphorous

Calcium plays a crucial role in the development of strong bones and joints, especially during the rapid growth phases experienced by Labrador puppies. Proper calcium levels in their diet can help prevent conditions like Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD). However, it's important to manage calcium intake, as excessive amounts can contribute to joint issues.

Phosphorus works alongside calcium to support healthy bones and teeth in Labs. It must be balanced carefully in their diet, as excessive phosphorus can lead to liver and kidney issues or hyperphosphatemia.

Calcium and Phosphorus are vital nutrition in the dog food

• Taurine

Taurine is an amino acid and plays a vital role in the health of Labradors. Some benefits of this nutrition are Cardiovascular Support, Eye Health, reproductive health, digestive aid…

• Probiotics

Probiotics are also another important nutrition because they work well in the digestive system support.