Cane Corso Feeding Guide | 2024

A Cane Corso‘s physical and mental health needs a special diet. A new owner may be unsure when determining what to feed a Cane Corso puppy or adult dog.

Many food manufacturers provide a variety of completed food brands, breeders laud natural food, and vets prescribe dietary or medicated food hence it may get completed to find out what is the best food for your Cane Corso ( Italian Mastiff ) puppy or an adult dog.

In this Cane Corso feeding guide, you’ll find some helpful hints so you can keep your dog healthy and give them the food they like.

Puppies of the Cane Corso breed are incredibly clever and trainable. They make excellent guardians since they are self-assured and assertive.

A normal Cane Corso may reach over 100 pounds in adulthood so you need to make sure you are feeding them the right diet for their size.

Did you know Cane Corso’s name is influenced by Latins which translates to “bodyguard-dog”? They are a noble and ancient breed that extends to ancient Rome and has a history of providing company and feeling their family safe for centuries.

Cane Corso has a stern look that effectively deters attackers, making them ideal for protection for your family. They are devoted to their owners and ready to please them. It’s no surprise that they’re regarded as bodyguards because of these characteristics.

As a pet owner, you would be responsible for feeding a Cane Corso puppy.

When owning a large breed dog such as Cane Corsos you will need to remind yourself that they will require much more food than your average dog, but you don’t want to overfeed them to keep them healthy.

We’ve created this food plan for you to remove the guessing from feeding a Cane Corso puppy, so you’ll know precisely how much to give them.

Cane Corso feeding guide

How much do you feed a Cane Corso puppy?

If your Cane Corso will ultimately grow 100 pounds or more, it doesn’t imply you should overfeed him as a puppy to help him gain weight.

To keep your Cane Corso puppy’s development on pace, you’ll need puppy food. Cane Corso feeding amount by age is much crucial for better body growth. 

Dry kibble is typically the best option, but a daily dose of wet food will surely aid development.

Remember that the feeding quantities shown below are just estimates. To establish the precise amount their dogs should be given, pet owners should always see their veterinarian and study the Cane Corso food feeding chart.

The weights and energy levels of the dogs should be the primary considerations when calculating how much food they need each day.

The amount of food you give your Cane Corso puppy depends on the kind of food he eats.

That is why it is vital to read the label on commercial dog food and follow the directions for your puppy’s weight and age.

The most important thing is to start with small amounts of food and gradually increase them as your dog grows. The Cane Corso, being a large breed dog, requires much more growth than other breeds. Cane Corso weight chart is as below:

  • Around four months, he will require 2 ⅓ to 3 ¼ cups of kibbles.
  • By six to eight months, he will require between 3 ⅓ to 5 ½ cups of kibbles.
  • Between the ages of nine and eleven months, your puppy will most likely need  4 ½ to 6 cups of kibbles every day.
  • When your dog is one to two years old, you’ll need to give him between 6 ½ to 9 ⅓ cups of kibbles every day.

It should be remembered that these figures will vary depending on the puppy’s age and the brand of the food. Another thing to consider is that puppies that consume a lot of food mature faster. Many dog owners try to feed their pets too much as a reward.

If a puppy grows too quickly, it is more likely to have joint abnormalities, bone deformations, and other issues. Puppies will ultimately grow to adult size if they are appropriately fed. Therefore there is no need to overfeed to accelerate growth.

How often should I feed my Cane Corso puppy?

The American Kennel Club offers feeding recommendations for large breed puppies like the Cane Corso. Cane Corso’s feeding amount by age is given below

  • Feed your Cane Corso four times a day between the ages of six and twelve weeks.
  • Around 10 weeks of age, start introducing some wet food.
  • Around 3 to 6 months, reduce to three meals each day.
  • Two times a day should be enough when your Cane Corso is 6 to 12 months old.
  • When your Cane Corso is a year or older, switch to adult food, but check with your vet first to make sure he’s ready.

How much should you feed an adult Cane Corso dog?

It might be challenging to make the shift from kid to adult eating. Calorie counts for various dry diets vary significantly, so keep to roughly 20 calories per pound unless your veterinarian advises differently.

American kennel club recommends giving your Cane Corso around 4 ¼  cups of dry food each day for a 100-pound dog.

Most Cane Corsos will do great with up to 4 ½ cups each day or less, adding an extra ¼ cup for every additional 10 pounds.

Even while it’s tempting to leave a bowl of dog food out in the morning, Cane Corsos are prone to bloat.

Bloat is a situation in which the stomach is overburdened with gas and food. The stomach turns over on itself at a certain point, trapping the extra air and food within. It cuts off blood supply to the remainder of the body, which may be deadly.

Heavy meals are more likely to cause bloat, so give your Cane Corso numerous small meals throughout the day. That involves breaking down your Cane Corso’s 4 ½ cups dry food into two to four smaller meals each day.

It’s essential to feed a Cane Corso the appropriate diet to help him live a longer life and avoid obesity and joint problems. Even if you want to save a few dollars, taking shortcuts on your Cane Corso’s health is not a good idea. So, here’s a list of the top Cane Corso dishes.

How often should I feed my Cane Corso adult dog?

The amount of food your adult furry friend consumes is determined by his size, age, body type, metabolism, and degree of activity. Dogs, like humans, are unique individuals who do not need the same quantity of food.

An active dog will almost probably need more than a lethargic dog. The quality of dog food you purchase matters, too: the better the dog food, the more it will feed your dog.

Instead of putting food out all the time, measure your Cane Corso’s food and feed him twice a day. Offer him the eye exam and the hands-on test if you’re unsure whether he’s overweight.

Look him in the eyes first. A waistline should be visible. Then, with your thumbs along his spine and your fingers splayed downward, put your hands on his back.

Without exerting too much pressure, you should be able to feel but not see his ribs. If you can’t, he’ll need to eat less and exercise more if you can’t help him.

Best times in the day to feed my Cane Corso?

When it comes to feeding Cane Corso pups, experts suggest providing them between 3-6 times a day (depending on the animal’s age).

For a puppy, you can feed them as soon as they get up, brunch, late lunch around 2 pm and dinner around 7 pm.

For an adult dog, the practice of feeding once a day is quite acceptable, and even expert breeders advocate it.

What should I feed Cane Corso?

Every stage of a dog’s life and every breed has its own unique set of dietary requirements. This segment has all the information you need to pick a dog food brand for your new Cane Corso puppy. Before introducing a new diet, it’s always a good idea to consult your veterinarian first.

Puppies of large breeds have unique nutritional needs, as evidenced by numerous scientific investigations into the best food formulations for these pups.

As a general rule, growing puppies should consume the following nutrients concerning their caloric intake, as recommended by the Merck Veterinarian Manual.

What to feed a Cane Corso puppy is often asked by dog lovers hence here are a few suggestions:

  • Over 14-week-old puppies should consume 56.3 grams of protein per day.
  • 43.8 grams of protein per day for pups under 14 weeks old
  • 20.33 grams of fat
  • 1 gram of calcium
  • Phosphorus is 2.5 grams per litre.
  • 1.1 milligrammes of potassium per kilogramme

According to research, feeding your giant breed dog the following recipe will help promote normal development and decrease skeletal growth deformations. In terms of weight as a percentage of total food:

  • carbohydrate content: 40% to 45%
  • A protein content of between 24% and 28% is recommended.
  • Between 12% and 16% fatty acids
  • Minerals make up between 4% and 8% of the total.
  • Vitamins in the range of 0.45 to 0.65%

0.75% to 0.95% of the total dietary weight should come from calcium, and 0.62% to 0.72% should come from phosphorus to maximize this formula. Minerals are included in the food weight percentages stated above.

Recommended dry food for puppies: Hills Science Diet Dry Food

Recommended dry food for adult dogs: Royal Canin Adult Large Breed Dry Food

Calcium

Another study indicated that dogs need to ingest between 9% and 23% calcium to ensure proper bone growth. The National Research Council and the Association of American Feed Control Officials suggest calcium levels by 1.2% to 1.8%.

Because Cane Corsos may grow to be rather significant, it’s crucial that you pay attention to the calcium requirements when choosing a puppy food for your pup.

Due to their higher risk of growth-related skeletal abnormalities, large breeds need lower calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D doses than standard breeds. Therefore, calcium content between 0.95 and 1.2% is recommended for Cane Corso pups.

It may seem like much work, but it is vitally necessary to provide a balanced meal for your large, beloved Cane Corso. Nothing beats the warm, contented slobber of a happy dog.

The following foods must be included in the puppy’s diet: Cane Corso raw feeding chart gives information for the furry friend.  

  • Rabbit, raw beef, boiling turkey, or fowl Meat items account for at least half of the overall quantity of food consumed.
  • Porridge made with beef broth, rice, or buckwheat, with oats added.
  • Carrots, both boiled and fresh
  • Milk, kefir
  • Don’t eat more than 100 grams of cottage cheese every day.

Check out our guide on supplements and vitamins for Cane Corso

Is raw food the best diet for my Cane Corso?

Vets do not believe that there are advantages of raw food over dry food when it comes to nutrients if you feed your pup a high-quality kibble diet.

Raw feeding has recently received much attention and for good reasons. Raw feeding is popular among pet owners because you can readily see what you’re giving your puppy and calculate their nutritional intakes, unlike store dog food.

You should try to stay away from supermarket kibble that provides low-quality nutrients. Thus raw feeding is preferable if you want to ensure your Cane Corso puppy is getting the best nutrition possible if you can’t get access to high-quality kibbles.

Some of the advantages of raw feeding a Cane Corso puppy over kibbles are:

  1. Improved oral hygiene

Raw feeding dogs and puppy pioneers will tell you that your puppy’s oral health significantly improves once you start feeding him raw food.

That’s because you get to pick the texture and ingredients for your dog, ensuring that they get a good combination of softness and crunchiness, which will benefit both their teeth and taste buds.

  1. Improved skin and coat

Because you’re more confident in the omega-3 fatty acids found in market fish and other healthy sources, your Cane Corso puppy is more likely to get nutritional meals that benefit their skin and hair.

Some people mix organic dog food with raw feeding for the most significant results.

  1. Less unappealing faeces

Unfortunately, excessive fillers in dog food will cause your Cane Corso puppy to defecate excessively. However, this seldom happens when you transition to raw or semi-raw feeding.

That’s because raw diets don’t include fillers that your Cane Corso pup’s body can’t process. Cane Corso feeding guide is necessary for proper body health.

Helpful resources

Best durable toys for large Mastiff dogs

Best beds for your large Mastiffs dogs

Best dog treadmills for large dogs

Cane Corso health problems that you should know

Homemade recipes for Cane Corso pups and adults

Conclusion

To conclude, here are a few things you should consider for your Cane Corso Puppy or Adult dogs

  • Choose a meal that is rich in protein but low in fat.
  • Puppies should first take four meals per day, then two by reaching adulthood.
  • To avoid bloating, eat small meals often.
  • At the age of 12 months or more, switch to adult food.
  • An adult Cane Corso should have 6 to 9 cups of water each day.

Author Bio

Dr. Adnan is a doctorate in Veterinary Medicine who loves all animals. He shares his home with two dogs and three cats and spends most of the time with them when he is not busy treating the animals.