Hello, Cane Corso parents! Welcome to my ultimate guide on feeding Cane Corso.
In this guide, I will cover how much to feed your Cane Corso, how often to feed your Cane Corso, when to feed your Cane Corso, what foods to feed your Cane Corso, what foods to avoid feeding your Cane Corso, Cane Corso feeding chart, and other questions you may have about your Cane Corso’s nutrition.
You can read the article to the end, or go through the table of contents below and jump to the section that answers the questions you have on your mind.
- Cane Corso Nutritional Requirements
- Factors Affecting The Feeding of a Cane Corso
- Cane Corso Feeding Amount
- Cane Corso Feeding Frequency
- Cane Corso Feeding Schedule
- Food To Feed A Cane Corso
- Food To Avoid Feeding A Cane Corso
- When To Transition Your Cane Corso From Puppy Food To Adult Food
- Frequently Asked Questions on Cane Corso Feeding
- Final Thoughts on Cane Corso Feeding
Cane Corsos are one of the most fierce and loyal breeds of dogs out there; they have a well-defined muscular structure. As a pet parent to this breed, you have to know how to properly take care of it. I will go into details from my personal knowledge working for a vet on every feeding question you might have.
Cane Corsos are known for their strength and agility, they were originally bred for herding and hunting. They possess powerful legs and jaws for both hunting and herding. To maintain peak physical health, they must be fed high-quality nutrients to stay healthy and strong.
Let’s jump into the article.
Cane Corso Nutritional Requirements
Cane Corso are large dogs that have the right amount of nutrients to grow healthy and strong. Like other dog breeds, if some of these nutrients are present in excess amounts or less, it would end up endangering the overall health of your dog.
Your Cane Corso meal when they are in their growing phase should majorly consist of 21% protein, adults 25% protein, 8% fats as puppies, and as adults 6% fats; fiber, carbohydrates, multi-vitamins, and minerals.
Your Cane Corso source of fiber should come from wholesome vegetables from brown rice, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, and sprouts, while its source of protein must come from animal flesh like fish, chicken, turkey, beef, and organ meat. Its source of fat must come from vegetables and fish oil.
Nutritional Requirement For a Cane Corso Puppy
The diet of a Cane Corso puppy and adolescent should consist of 21% protein, 8% fat, and 6% fiber. Cane Corso puppies grow fast and thus will require an adequate amount of quality nutrients to grow strong muscles and bones.
Nutritional Requirement For an Adult Cane Corso
The meal plan for a mature and adult Cane Corso should consist of 25% protein, 20% carbohydrates, 6% fat, and 3% fiber. At this stage, Cane Corsos are most active and will need protein and carbohydrates to keep their weight and energy level optimal. However, you should avoid overfeeding your pet at this stage, as they are prone to obesity and will develop health complications.
Nutritional Requirement For Senior Cane Corso
At this stage of your dog’s life, it is less active than at other stages. The food your pet will eat at this stage of its life should ideally consist of 28 percent protein, 5 percent fat, and fiber. Senior Cane Corsos will need minerals and vitamins added to their food to keep their immune system and bones healthy.
Factors Affecting The Feeding of a Cane Corso
There are some factors that will affect the diet of your Cane Corso, such as the size of the breed, its age, its activity level, and its underlying health conditions.
Let’s take a quick look at those factors before we jump into the quantity of food to feed your dog.
Size consideration
The average length of a Cane Corso is as follows: Males are 62–70 cm and females are 58–66 cm from the soles of their feet to their shoulders. The weight of a Cane Corso is as follows: Males weigh between 45 and 50 kg, and females weigh 40 to 45 kg. The Cane Corso’s size alone plays a huge role in the amount of food it can consume, and underfeeding your dog can lead to health issues.
Males are usually larger than females, so they will require more calories than females.
Age consideration
The different stages in your Cane Corso’s life require different quantities and qualities of nutrients. Puppy foods are usually packed with proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates for growth, and they have to feed more times per day than other stages because of their fast metabolisms.
Cane Corso adult food needs to be packed with proteins because of their large build to maintain muscle weight and with fats to maintain hair growth and minimize shedding. They also need minerals for healthy bones and carbohydrates for energy generation.
Activity Level
Cane Corsos are medium-active dogs that require exercise and mental stimulation, or else they may become destructive. These breeds of dog are known to be powerhouses, and to fuel that power, they would need strict and quality nutrition. Feeding your Cane Corso poor quality food can cause it to become destructive and develop health problems. Feeds high in sodium and fats can cause adverse heart issues for your pup.
Health Consideration
Cane Corsos are prone to certain health conditions, which should be taken into consideration when choosing their diet if you wish to manage or prevent those issues.
Some health issues that affect your Cane Corso include hip dysplasia, epilepsy, mange, bloat, eye issues, and stomach issues.
Feeding your Cane Corso healthy and quality nutrients can help in curbing and even preventing some of these issues affecting your dog.
Cane Corso Feeding Amount
Your Cane Corso, just like any other dog breed, will require different amounts of food according to their stage of development. The amount of food a puppy will need will be different than the amount of food an adult will need according to their nutritional requirements.
On average, feed your puppy Cane Corso 1 to 6 cups of food that has 1130 to 2000 kcal per day; feed your adult Cane Corso 6 to 9 cups per day that has 2000 to 2500 kcal per day, according to their activity level; and feed your senior Cane Corso 4.5 to 7.5 cups per day that has 1600 to 2200 kcal per day.
I will provide you with charts below to help you plan your dog’s meals from its puppy years to its senior years. However, this meal plan is not one-size-fits-all. It’s just a general guideline that should be followed based on your dog’s needs and recommendations from your vet or dog nutritionist.
How Much To Feed Your Puppy Cane Corso?
The meal meant for your puppy and adolescent should be very rich in protein and contain a moderate amount of fat that can be gotten from animal meat for them to grow into healthy adults.
A Cane Corso puppy should be given 1 to 6 cups of food per day that contains 1130 to 2000 kcal of nutrients based on its age, weight, size, gender, and physical activity.
The feeding requirement of your puppy is given in detail in the charts below:
| Age | Daily FoodQuantity (Cups) | Kilocalories(Per day) | Protein | Fats |
| 2 – 3 months | 1-2.5 | 1130 – 1200 | 22% | 8% |
| 4 – 5 months | 3 – 3.75 | 1300 – 1500 | 22% | 8% |
| 6–9 months | 3 – 5.25 | 1340 –1800 | 22% | 8% |
| 10-12 months | 4-6 | 1500-2000 | 22% | 8% |
Following the guidelines above will aid in bone development and muscle growth and strengthen their immune system to fight off common bacteria and viruses that can lead to some health complications.
How Much to Feed an Adult Cane Corso?
The nutritional requirements in the meal of an adult Cane Corso are different from those of a puppy. The food of a mature Cane Corso should have a lower percentage of proteins and fats to prevent obesity. This is done by reducing the feeding frequency to two times per day.
A mature and adult Cane Corso puppy should be given 6 to 9 cups of food per day that contains 2000 to 2500 kcal of nutrients based on its age, weight, size, gender, and physical activity.
The chart below will give you an understanding of the daily consumption needs of an adult Cane Corso and help you with their meal plan.
| Age | Daily Food Quantity(Cups) | Kilocalories(Per day) | Protein | Fats |
| 1–6 years | 6 – 9 | 2000 – 2500 | 25% | 6% |
How Much To Feed A Senior Cane Corso?
Senior Cane Corsos are generally less active than their younger counterparts due to fragile bones and joints. This means their meals will contain lesser quantities of calories, protein, and fat.
Geriatric Cane Corsos are often plagued with health issues. Some of these issues can be controlled by feeding your senior dog more vitamins and minerals to help revive his weak immune system and fragile bones.
Senior and geriatric Cane Corso puppies should be given 4.5 to 7.5 cups of food per day that contains 1600 to 2200 kcal of nutrients based on their age, weight, size, gender, and health issues.
The table below gives you some details about the meal plan for older Cane Corsos.
However, you must still ensure that they get the essential nutrients they need.
| Age | Daily Food Quantity(Cups) | Kilocalories(Per day) | Protein | Fats |
| 10 years and above | 4.5 to 7.5 | 1600-2200 | 28% | 5% |
You can continue giving your senior dog the same food you gave them as an adult, only in a lesser quantity, as they don’t need as many calories as adult dogs. However, you should still consult your vet or pet nutritionist to be on the safe side.
Cane Corso Feeding Frequency
Your Cane Corso’s meal frequency will vary the same as the feeding amounts, which are majorly dependent on its age. Below is a list of how often to feed your Cane Corso:
How Often Should You Feed Your Cane Corso Puppy?
• During the weaning process or at 8 weeks old and below: feed them four times a day at equally spaced intervals.
• 8 weeks to 3 months old: feed them four times a day at equally spaced intervals.
• 4 months to 12 months old: gradually transition to feeding them three times a day with equally spaced time intervals
How Often Should You Feed Your Adult Cane Corso?
You should feed your adult Cane Corso two times a day, with 12 hours of spacing between meals. Ideally, one in the morning and one in the evening.
How Often To Feed Your Senior Cane Corso?
You should feed your senior Cane Corso two times a day except given a specific schedule by a vet.
Cane Corso Feeding Schedule
• Cane Corso puppies should be free-fed or fed in the morning, afternoon, evening, and night due to a faster metabolism in comparison to their adult colleagues
• Adolescent Cane Corso should be fed in the morning, afternoon, and evening to help them transition properly into an adult.
• Adult and Senior Cane Corso should also be fed in the morning and in the evening unless stated differently by your vet or pet nutritionist.
As a general rule, you should feed your Cane Corso a few hours before going to bed in the evening, so they have enough time to digest the food before going to sleep.
In total, we shouldn’t spoil our companions with treats as they may grow too attached to them. Treats should be heavily used as a reward when training your dog.
Food To Feed A Cane Corso
The food you feed your Cane Corso should specifically cater to large breeds and contain the required nutrients necessary for a strong and healthy dog.
The kind of food to feed your Cane Corso includes dry dog food, wet dog food, a home-cooked diet, and biologically appropriate raw food to ensure your dog eats a balanced diet.
Let me touch on these few points to help you understand what to feed your dog:
Dry Food: Dry dog or kibble is a portion of commercial pet food made by grinding and mixing up ingredients like meats, grains, and nutritional additives, which are then shaped into little kernels and cooked at high temperatures to remove the water content. Dry dog contains more carbs, less fat, less water, and sometimes less protein, and is often recommended by vets due to its lower cost, dental health benefits, convenience, weight loss support, and playtime perks.
Wet Food: Wet dog food, or canned food, is made by mixing up and cooking the ingredients before adding or extracting varying amounts of water. Unlike dry dog food, wet dog food contains more water, fewer carbs, more fat, and often more protein. They are recommended by veterinarians due to their high water content, taste, ease of eating, and high nutritional profile.
Home-Cooked Diet: Home-cooked diets are a great option for pet parents who are not into commercial dog food and want to go the extra length to prepare a meal for their furry companion. Feeding your dog a home-cooked meal will give you control over its nutrition and can put you at ease knowing that you will always give your dog the best treatment.
BARF Diet: Biologically Appropriate Raw Food is a type of food that contains raw meat, raw eggs, crushed animal bones, fruits, vegetables, probiotics, and other natural ingredients. BARF diets are used as a substitute for processed foods with preservatives. The BARF diet is the best for Cane Corso, as several Corso owners have testified. However, consult your vet before feeding your pet a raw diet to avoid health complications from harmful substances.
Food To Avoid Feeding A Cane Corso
We should take caution before giving whatever food we’re eating to our Cane Corso. They have large appetites, which makes it tempting to hand them whatever we find ourselves eating.
There are certain human foods, fruits, and vegetables to avoid feeding your Cane Corso because these foods contain toxins that are harmful to your pet that could lead you to frequent trips to the vet.
Human food to avoid feeding your Cane Corso includes chocolates, coffee, gums, peanut butter, candies, cooked bones, etc.
The Fruits and vegetables to avoid feeding your Cane Corso include grapes, avocado, garlic, onions, etc.
You should always check the ingredients on the food label to see if these ingredients are present in the food. Or you can simply consult a vet, or pet nutritionist to check the ingredients with them.
When To Transition Your Cane Corso From Puppy Food To Adult Food
You should transition your Cane Corso puppy from puppy food to adult food when he’s around 10- to 12-months old.
Transitioning your adolescent Cane Corso from puppy food to adult food is an important stage in your dog’s development. Puppy food contains more calories and nutrients than adult food to meet the nutritional requirements at that stage of life.
Transitioning needs to be gradual by introducing adult feed bit by bit until you get to 100% adult feed.
However, feeding your adult puppy food will fill them with more protein and fat than their body requires and will lead to obesity due to the high fat content the body doesn’t need for optimum growth.
Frequently Asked Questions on Cane Corso Feeding
Why Is My Cane Corso Not Eating
illness, dental problems, medication, spoiled food, stress, and underlying sickness.
Cane Corsos can be picky eaters like other breeds, so your pup’s food should be mixed. If you have been feeding your pup kibble, it is best that you start mixing its meals with barf or wet dog food. Treats can be used to incentivize dogs that are picky eaters to eat.
Why Is My Cane Corso Always Hungry
An alternative reason might be if your dog is engaged in too many exercises or is extremely hungry even after being fed, which may be a sign of an underlying illness like diabetes.
Do Cane Corso Eat A Lot?
Can Cane Corso Become Vegetarian?
Taking your Cane Corso on a vegetarian diet can be quite expensive and tedious because they are large dogs that consume a large number of calories, and you have to do it with plants.
There are some studies that link dogs placed on a vegetarian diet to heart disease. The best way to combat this is to supplement your dog’s food with nutrients that may be absent or in low quantity in plants.
The best course of action is to consult a pet nutritionist or vet for more in-depth information.
Can Cane Corso eat bones?
However, you ensure that bones fed to your dog are disposed of after two to three days to prevent infection. Some guidelines concerning this have been stipulated by the American Kennel Club.
What Human Food Can I Feed My Cane Corso?
What Fruits and Vegetables Can I Feed My Cane Corso?
Should You Give Your Cane Corso Supplements?
Final Thoughts on Cane Corso Feeding
Cane Corsos are fierce, powerful, and loyal dogs that should be treated with the utmost care. They have sensitive stomachs like most big breeds, so pet parents should be conscious of what they feed their pups. A strict and nutritious diet is non-negotiable.
Options such as dry, wet, raw, and homemade diets are all great for them. The best type of feed for your Cane Corso is the Barf diet, but others are also acceptable; food toxic to dogs has been listed above and should be avoided.
However, if you desire more information on how to take care of your Cane Corso, you should contact the nearest vet for information on essential nutrients, and you can also see a pet nutritionist for a regimen schedule for your pet.
