Commonly employed as a guard dog in most parts of the world, the Cane Corso is one of the most intelligent and powerful canine protectors out there. This Italian mastiff is usually found in bank securities, government official guards, and the like. They are highly trainable and have an even-tempered nature, despite the fierce “guard dog” look.
Before this strong yet graceful mastiff grows into a fine guard dog, it needs all the proper nutrition it can get. So, how much should you feed a Cane Corso puppy, and how often? This guide will help you figure out feeding schedules that will support your puppy’s nutrition.
In general, Cane Corso puppies can grow up to a hundred pounds or more (females are smaller) and they can stand as tall as 26 inches. While their life expectancy is somewhere between 10 and 12 years, it will still depend on your upbringing whether or not they can go past that bracket.
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How much to feed a Cane Corso puppy?
Let’s get straight to the point: you’ll need to feed a Cane Corso puppy 1 to 2.75 cups of food per day. However, this will vary depending on their age, base weight (at birth), as well as lifestyle, the brand of food that you’re using, their metabolism, any underlying health issues, and other factors.
The frequency of feeding a Cane Corso puppy should be between 2 and 4 times a day. Younger puppies should be fed more to avoid bloating. Then, you can slowly decrease the number of feedings per day once your Cane Corso pup grows into an adult (when they’re about 12 months or older).
Feeding Chart
The Cane Corso is a large breed and is a working dog by nature. However, you need to stick to a feeding chart to give them the right nutrition and to avoid digestive issues. Here are a couple of feeding charts to help you out:
| Age of Cane Corso puppy | Servings per day (cups) Minimum | Servings per day (cups) maximum |
|---|---|---|
| 4 months old | 2 1/3 | 3 1/4 |
| 6 to 8 months old | 3 1/3 | 5 1/2 |
| 9 to 11 months old | 4 1/2 | 6 |
| 12 to 24 months old (1 to 2 years old) | 6 1/2 | 9 1/3 |
A Cane Corso puppy might grow fast during certain points of their puppy development stages. However, don’t be tempted to feed them too much because they might become prone to obesity and other health issues, such as joint problems.
Additionally, here’s a feeding chart on the frequency of feeding for your Cane Corso puppy:
| Age of Cane Corso puppy | The recommended amount of servings |
| 6 to 12 weeks old | 4 times a day |
| 3 to 6 months old | 3 times a day |
| 6 months old and above | 2 times a day |
Keep in mind that while this chart will help you to feed in your Cane Corso puppy properly, it is not supposed to be in exact values all the time. Other factors will come into play, such as your puppy’s weight, any underlying health issues, the brand of food that you’re using, and others.
We still recommend you to talk to your vet, when in doubt. Your vet will know the best kind of nutrition and feeding schedule for your Cane Corso puppy based on their assessment of your canine friend. Generally, vets advise lessening the protein content when they turn 14 weeks old.
Growth Chart
Are you curious to know if your Cane Corso puppy is in the right weight for their age? Don’t worry – we have handy charts for you below. You can use these as a guide to help identify if your pup needs to cut down on the food or not.
Cane Corso Puppy Growth Charts
Here are the charts for the male and puppies. As with most dog breeds, females are typically smaller in size and weight:
| Age in months | Male Weight | Female Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | 9 lbs (4 kg) | 9 lbs (4 kg) |
| 2 months | 20 lbs (9 kg) | 19 lbs (8.5 kg) |
| 3 months | 35 lbs (16 kg) | 32 lbs (14 kg) |
| 4 months | 50 lbs (23 kg) | 47 lbs (21 kg) |
| 5 months | 63 lbs (28 kg) | 59 lbs (27 kg) |
| 6 months | 74 lbs (33 kg) | 69 lbs (31 kg) |
| 8 months | 90 lbs (41 kg) | 81 lbs (37 kg) |
| 10 months | 97 lbs (44 kg) | 88 lbs (40 kg) |
| 12 months | 100 lbs (45 kg) | 90 lbs (41 kg) |
| 15 months | 103 lbs (47 kg) | 92 lbs (42 kg) |
| 24 months | 105 lbs (48 kg) | 93 lbs (42.5 kg) |
Recommended Food
As a working breed, here are the recommended food choices for a Cane Corso puppy to guide you in feeding them:
1. Protein-rich foods
Protein is a must-have for muscular, workaholic dogs like the Cane Corso. As a puppy, they need about 43 to 56 grams of protein, which can translate to 24 to 28% of their food. Smaller and younger puppies should have smaller amounts of protein as compared to older and bigger Cane Corso pups.
The grams mentioned above are based on a 1,000-kcal diet for your pup. Protein sources include meat such as chicken, fish, beef, and the like. Fortunately, aside from grocery puppy food, you also have other options such as raw feeding and home-cooked meals for your Cane Corso puppy.
To maintain your Cane Corso puppy’s strength, since they are a muscular guard dog, you’ll need to buff them up with good amounts of protein in their diet.
2. Joint-friendly food
Look for glucosamine and chondroitin in puppy food. Large breeds such as the Cane Corso are prone to joint problems like dysplasia. Fortunately, there are many glucosamine-rich foods in the market, especially with organic brands of dog food.
A Cane Corso will also likely develop joint problems if they have a history of it, according to your breeder. Moreover, the added weight will also make it difficult for your puppy to maintain their joint health.
3. Low amounts of fat
The recommended amount of fat for a Cane Corso puppy is about 21 grams per 1,000 kcal or 12 to 16% depending on the food. By having low amounts of fat, your Cane Corso puppy will become healthier since their main focus is their protein intake.
Because the Cane Corso is a lean dog when it grows up, they need to be agile and strong. The added weight will not only slow them down but will also cause joint problems in the future.
4. Balanced vitamins and minerals
Your Cane Corso puppy should be fed with various sources of vitamins and minerals, such as vegetables and fruits. For instance, they should get a balanced amount of potassium, calcium, and phosphorus in their diet as well.
Calcium is important for a Cane Corso puppy to help maintain its bones. Since they are a large breed, they are prone to bone problems. That’s why the calcium content should be around 1% for puppies to avoid too much stress on their bones.
Foods to Avoid
When it comes to what you should not feed your Cane Corso puppy, here are some pointers to help you out in planning your pup’s daily diet:
1. Large servings of meals
The Cane Corso is a breed that’s prone to bloating. Therefore, make sure that you don’t give them too much food all at once. Break down the food into smaller amounts and distribute it to about 4 meals a day or as recommended by your vet.
2. Filler-rich foods
A Cane Corso puppy will soon grow into a working dog so they need all of the nutrition that they can get. Filler-rich foods simply aren’t that healthy as an option for them. Don’t compromise on your puppy’s nutrition just because certain supermarket brands are cheaper!
To maintain the strength and health of your Cane Corso puppy when they grow older, they need to feed on food with little to no fillers.
FAQs on Feeding a Cane Corso Puppy
If you have some questions regarding feeding a Cane Corso puppy, you might find the answers below in our FAQ section:
What can I do if my Cane Corso puppy won’t stop begging for food?
Begging tendencies happen if your puppy wasn’t trained to have scheduled feedings. As early as a few weeks old, once you start the weaning process, you should already train your Cane Corso puppy to feed during certain times of the day. Don’t simply feed them once a day!
Another way to curb down your puppy’s hunger pangs is to use a slow feeder bowl or a puzzle feeder toy (discussed below), which can benefit both their brain and their tummy. You can also ask your vet for more plans and options regarding maintaining your Cane Corso puppy’s diet plan.
Help! My puppy won’t eat! What can I do?
Oftentimes, we think that something is wrong if our puppy doesn’t eat. However, this depends on various factors. If your puppy hasn’t eaten only in a meal, it’s probably just full or stressed.
There are also cases of Cane Corso puppies being picky eaters. Newly-weaned puppies may also not eat that much yet since they are still somewhat attached to nursing. Try adding a bit of wet or canned food for added flavor. This also helps puppies that are in the teething stage.
However, if your Cane Corso puppy doesn’t eat for more than 2 meals, you should already ask your vet right away. They could point out any underlying health issues that your pup might have, which is causing them to have a lack of appetite.
Raw feeding a Cane Corso puppy
There’s been a lot of hype with raw feeding recently. Many pet owners rave about raw feeding because unlike with supermarket dog food, you can easily see what you are feeding to your puppy and make accurate calculations of their nutrient intakes.
Most of them will tell you that not all supermarket kibble are genuine in terms of quality, which makes raw feeding much better if you want to make sure about your Cane Corso puppy’s nutrition.
With that in mind, raw feeding does come with a challenge: it will take a huge chunk of your budget and time. That’s why multi-dog homes with a Cane Corso puppy usually mix both raw feeding and supermarket dog food to avoid spending too much for their pup.
Benefits of raw feeding for a Cane Corso puppy
Here are reasons why raw feeding for your Cane Corso pup is beneficial:
1. Better dental health
Pioneers of raw feeding dogs and puppies will tell you that dental health is greatly enhanced once you start feeding your puppy with raw food. That’s because you can choose what kind of texture and ingredient you want for your puppy so they can have a balance of softness and crunchiness, which, in turn, will help both their teeth and taste buds.
2. Improved coat and skin
Because you’re surer about the omega-3 fatty acids coming from market fish and other healthy sources, your Cane Corso pup will likely get nutritious meals that will help their skin and coat become healthier. Other folks combine organic dog food with raw feeding for best results.
3. Less undesirable poop
Unfortunately, dog foods with excessive fillers will make your Cane Corso puppy poop too much. However, it doesn’t usually happen when you switch to raw or semi-raw feeding. That’s because, with raw foods, your Cane Corso pup doesn’t eat fillers that their body cannot digest.
4. Better strength and energy
Has your Cane Corso puppy been down in the dumps lately? Why not try feeding them raw food or mix some raw meat with their current puppy food? Many pet owners will tell you that energy levels and strength will go up for your puppy, once fed properly and in the right proportions.
5. Peace of mind
Many folks will say that they won’t easily trust what’s on the label of a dog food brand. That’s why many pet owners are opting for raw feeding because they can be sure of what their Cane Corso puppy is eating. You have control over where you get the ingredients from, how much, and how they are prepared.
Bonus points if you live on a farm or if there’s a farm nearby – you can simply ask them for an arrangement when it comes to puppy food sources. You can be sure that what your Cane Corso puppy is eating is purely organic – and healthy!
Challenges of raw feeding for a Cane Corso puppy
On the other hand, here are some considerations when feeding raw to your Cane Corso pup:
1. Potential bacterial infection
The number one risk for raw feeding any puppy is a bacterial infection, especially with mishandled meat. Salmonella infection is common if the meat hasn’t been kept in the fridge for quite a while, so you have to practice good safety standards when it comes to meat handling for your Cane Corso puppy.
Uncooked meals in humans are, after all, not always healthy due to such bacterial infection risks. Make sure you read guidelines when handling raw food for your puppy.
2. Preparation time
If you want to give your Cane Corso puppy quality food, you’ll have to invest in time and effort. Preparation time for raw feeding is usually trickier and more time-consuming than just dumping kibble or canned food over Fido’s bowl. If you have extra time, however, perhaps raw feeding is for you!
3. Cost
Not all pet owners have extra $$$, especially multi-dog and multi-pet homes, as well as shelters. Therefore, you have to prepare a big budget if you want to go all-out raw feeding for your Cane Corso puppy.
4. Missing nutrients
We think it’s best to get expert advice from a vet or breeder when it comes to raw feeding a Cane Corso puppy. You might be missing out on important nutrients in your pup’s daily meal plan without guidance!
Slow-feeding a Cane Corso puppy
You can slow-feed a Cane Corso puppy if you find them always gobbling their food like crazy. There are two kinds of feeding mechanisms that you can use:
Slow feeder bowl
This special bowl limits the amount of food that your pup can pick up from the bowl, making it a great way to reduce your puppy’s weight in the long run. Many slow feeder bowls are available in the market today so you won’t have to worry about where to get one.
Puzzle feeder toy
A puzzle feeder toy will incorporate playtime with feeding time, thereby making it more challenging in a healthy way for your pet to get their food. This will also enhance their intelligence and paw-eye coordination as future working or show dogs.
