Happy Thursday, friend! This year, I have the opportunity to partner with an AWESOME brand – one that I love and that has become a staple in Archer’s routine. Meet Solid Gold!! We have switched Archer’s food and we use their Bone Broth + Sea Meal as a part of his daily meal. He LOVES it, and we feel so good that we are giving him the nutrition he needs to be a healthy dog. There are lots of great dog food brands out there (even one’s that we’ve tried for Archer) but I wanted to talk a little bit about why we made the switch for our 80lb pup. Let’s dive into this!
Why We Switched Our Large Breed Dog To Solid Gold
This post is sponsored by Solid Gold Pet. All opinions are mine and mine alone.
First let’s talk about large breed dogs.
They have different needs than small breeds, and that means I need to make sure Arch is getting ALL of the nutrients he can be during his mealtimes. Large breeds are any dog over 60lbs as a full grown adult. Large breed dogs and pups need a diet that promotes a slow, healthy growth scale and adults specifically need to make sure their weight is managed so as not to put too much pressure on their joints. They need lots of space to spread out, run, play and get their energy out. Archer is a very high energy dog. It isn’t enough to just let him run around in the back yard a few times a day (although sometimes in the winter that’s hard to escape) – he needs daily walks and solid play time. That means he’s burning more calories and means that he needs a larger energy source to pull from.
What should you look for in your dog food?
We decided that holistic recipes was the way to go when switching Archer’s diet. We like the ingredient quality guarantee, and we were impressed by the standards set by Solid Gold.
When researching the food that Solid Gold offers large breed dogs, I discovered that many of the products in the dog food line list REAL meat as the very first ingredient. Point 1! Though real meat tends to lose some (not all) of the nutrients after it’s dehydrated to make dry kibble, the ingredient list ALSO makes sure to include meat meal which is jam packed with protein so it all evens out. Of course, the ingredients are holistic as mentioned, and they use only natural sources of proteins, nutrients, and vitamins. They also offer grain-free recipes for dogs with allergies. Their ingredient lists are packed with so many good things like: folic acid, vitamin E, iron, zinc, manganese, salmon oil, etc. We also love that the dry dog food doesn’t contain ANYTHING that will harm Archer’s heart.
Why Solid Gold?
Solid Gold has won NUMEROUS awards and is praised as one of the top wet and dry dog food brands on the market (my veterinarian confirmed this for me)! It was born in 1974 as America’s first holistic pet food and has been making quality food for over 45 years. Solid Gold is a brand that supports cat and dogs’ systems by providing holistic food that cleanses, balances, and fuels the gut so they can live their best lives. If you read the reviews from customers (which I highly recommend) – you’ll see that there are THOUSANDS of real people praising Solid Gold Pet for helping their dogs with increased energy, healthy hearts, shiny coats and happy demeanors. That is definitely something I can get behind.
Archer’s routine:
We currently have Archer on Hund-N-Flocken (the Lamb, Brown Rice & Pearled Barley Recipe) as his meal base, topped with their Bone Broth meal topper and SeaMeal powder for breakfast AND dinner.
About the dog food: This is the FIRST official recipe made the founder, Sissy McGill, of Solid Gold Pets – so it’s a tried and true favorite of the brand and has fueled over 20 generations of dogs. Made specifically for big dogs – the website proudly boasts:
This recipe…provides the best natural nutrient profile derived from pasture raised lamb, healthy whole grains, and our unique blend of nutritious superfoods, living probiotics and rich omegas to promote gut health and overall immune support!
About the Bone Broth: Archer LOVES bone broth. He gets so excited when we pull the packet out of the cabinet! He loves all three flavors: Beef, Chicken + Turkey. I love the Chicken + Lavender flavor for him because it smells AMAZING. It boosts naturally occurring collagen for increased bone and joint health, and it’s 100% human grade. We add 2 tablespoons to Archer’s breakfast and dinner (though it can also be fed alone as a treat or mixed with some water for a hydration boost).
About the SeaMeal: Easily our favorite thing from Solid Gold!! Here is the excerpt from the website (they explain it better than I ever could):
Sourced from the coast of the United States, this carefully selected blend of seaweeds provides an excellent source of iodine and chlorophyll to provide important essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants for skin and coat and thyroid health. Since coat and skin issues and digestive issues often go hand-in hand, digestive enzymes are added to support digestive health. Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids, flaxseed meal is included to provide additional support for skin and coat health.
This meal combo is SO great for Arch – both in nutrients and also in flavor. He’s excited for mealtime and I am so confident knowing he’s getting the best of the best, as SeaMeal promotes a healthy gut, skin and coat.
Grab a $5 SeaMeal coupon HERE so you can try the brand for yourself! It’s good for both dogs AND cats!
Every pet is different – but I can guarantee that Solid Gold has something for every one’s dogs – large OR small! They have an extensive line of dog food and supplements to help ensure that your pet is getting everything they need to be healthy, happy and thriving.
What kind of dog food do you use? Have you ever tried Solid Gold? Let me know in the comments below!
Our animals eat so well! I will have to look into this brand. I researched dog food for months before we got our golden puppy ,
It’s so important to be aware of what is in our pet’s food. And I’m so glad that you are conscious of it! What a lucky and cute pup!
I don’t have any pets but I used to have a dog a long time ago! To be honest, I can’t remember what dog food we used, but it sounds like you found the perfect thing for your dog! Your dog is so cute too!
Well, I don’t have a pup, but our townhome is sandwiched between two tenants who definitely have doggos, and so I should suggest this to them!
I had no idea that big and small breeds had different dietary needs, but that makes so much sense! This was helpful
This is good to know – right now our puppy Watson is about 30 pounds but he’s only 5 months old and they’re predicting he’ll be around 60 pounds or so when fully grown and I know the time to switch from his puppy food to big boy food is going to come soon. I’ll have to look into this brand!
This dog food sounds amazing! I need to try it for Our Australian Shepherd.
We don’t have a dog but I know that it’s important to pay attention to their diet as if they were a human!