Feeding A Corgi Puppy – The Best Schedules For Small Breeds

Feeding a Corgi puppy isn’t always straightforward.

From schedules, brands and routines to the right foods, it’s no wonder if your head is in a spin!

But with these great tips, you’ll soon have the perfect diet for your new friend.

Feeding a Corgi Puppy

If you are the proud new owner of an adorable Corgi puppy, you probably can’t wait to take him or her home.

Before the arrival of your new best friend, it’s a good idea to study up on your puppy’s dietary needs.

A good diet as a puppy can lay the foundation for a healthy growth and a long life.

If the options are overwhelming, don’t fret. We’ve got you covered!

We’ll have a look at how to choose the best feed for your Corgi pup, how much of it to feed, how often, and more.

Swapping Puppy Food Brands

Once you have chosen the optimal feed for your puppy, you’ll be itching to start him or her on the new dietary regimen right away.

When feeding a Corgi puppy, a bit of patience goes a long way though. Your puppy’s digestive system is already used to the food he or she received from the breeder (or shelter).

If you change foods abruptly, you risk giving your little Corgi an upset stomach.

Keep feeding what your breeder was giving to your pup for at least two weeks.

Then, start to mix the “old” and the “new” foods. Gradually increase the amount of “new” food over the course of one week.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

If the “old” and “new” foods are very different in texture (e.g. you want to switch from wet food to kibble or vice versa), make this transition period longer.

Two weeks of mixing the foods should give your puppy’s stomach time to get accustomed.

Studies have shown that your puppy’s good gut bacteria can suffer during diet changes.

To support your Corgi pup’s microflora, you can mix dog probiotics under his food daily.

A great example is Purina ProPlan FortiFlora Dog Probiotic Supplement.

Corgi Puppy Diets

Puppies have different dietary needs than adult dogs.

To promote your puppy’s healthy growth, there are a couple of things to watch out for when choosing puppy feed.

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) recommends a food with at least 22.5% of high-quality protein for puppies.

Your growing pup also needs more of certain vitamins and minerals than an adult Corgi does.

These include:

• Calcium
• Phosphorus
• Magnesium
• Vitamin A.

A study on long-bodied breeds in 2010 showed that they are more likely to develop hip dysplasia.

As Corgis are also prone to obesity, this means that they have two risk factors for developing hip joint issues.

To prevent hip dysplasia, you’ll want to promote a slow, healthy growth.

It’s important to control calories and monitor your Corgi pup’s weight and body condition score closely.

How Feeding A Corgi Puppy Changes As He Ages

In general, puppies need more calories per body weight than adults.

Generally, two times RER (Resting Energy Requirement) is the recommended daily amount of calories.

Don’t worry about the math. Your puppy’s food normally comes with recommendations for portion sizes. If you are unsure, ask your veterinarian for guidance.

Make sure to adjust the daily calories according to the guidelines as your pup grows older and heavier.

Your puppy’s total daily portion should be spread over multiple feedings.

When feeding a Corgi puppy, a rough guideline to follow is:

• 2 – 4 months of age: 4 meals daily
• 4 – 6 months of age: 3 meals daily
• 6 – 8 months of age: 2 – 3 meals daily
• Over 8 months of age: 1 – 2 meals daily.

What To Feed A Corgi Puppy

There are many options to choose from, and we know it can be confusing.

Let’s have a look at the different types of puppy food: kibble, wet food, homemade food and raw diets – and how they can complement each other.

Feeding a Corgi Puppy Kibble

Kibble is a safe and easy option to feed when feeding a Corgi puppy.

Kibble designed especially for puppies is packed with all the nutrients your Corgi needs to grow.

Choose a puppy kibble for small breeds to make sure the pieces are small enough for your puppy to chew and swallow.

Not all kibble is created equal, though.

Choose a food with high-quality protein sources. Preferably, steer clear of kibble that contains cereals.

A good thing to look for in puppy food is a high level of antioxidants, which boosts the immune system.

Studies have shown that this can increase the efficacy of your puppy’s vaccinations.

You can find out more about feeding your puppy on kibble in this article. https://thehappypuppysite.com/how-to-feed-your-puppy-on-kibble/

Feeding a Corgi Puppy Wet Food

Wet food designed specifically for puppies will also provide your Corgi pup with all the necessary nutrients and minerals.

If you want to feed your puppy only on wet food, make sure to choose a brand that is a “complete” food (not “complementary”).

One downside of wet food is that it is spoils more easily. In contrast to kibble, it’s also not that easy to feed on the go or use as a treat when training your puppy.

Fed on its own, wet food does not provide a “teeth-cleaning” effect.

It is also known to cause loose stools in some dogs.

Therefore, you can get the most benefits if you feed kibble and wet food together.

Just make sure not to go overboard on calories. Your vet can help you calculate portion sizes of both foods.

If your puppy is a picky eater – which seems rather unlikely as Corgi pups tend to be “foodies” – wet food can help increase his or her appetite.

Feeding a Corgi Puppy Raw (BARF)

Raw diets for dogs have steadily gained popularity in the past years.

Many people believe that all-natural ingredients are healthier for their pup.

Raw diets certainly have a lot of upsides, but there are some things to watch out for.

Bone fragments can injure your dog or block his or her intestines.

The preparation of raw meats can also pose a risk for you and your family (especially for small children or elderly family members).

But the biggest drawback of raw diets for puppies is that it’s up to you to make sure your dog gets all the nutrients it needs.

Nutrition on a Raw Diet

Unfortunately, we still see patients in the clinic with nutrition-related health issues due to “wrong” raw feeding.

There are also case reports of puppies not getting enough nutrients for healthy growth.

Should you choose a commercial puppy food, you will certainly have peace of mind.

These foods are put together very carefully so that your pup gets enough calcium, magnesium, vitamins, and so on.

If you do decide to feed your puppy a raw diet, ask an experienced veterinarian to help you calculate nutrition requirements and portions.

You can find more information on raw diets here.

Feeding a Corgi Puppy a Homemade Diet

When feeding your puppy a homemade diet, the same rules of caution apply as with raw diets.

The only major difference is that the risk of food poisoning from raw meats for you and your family is lower.

It’s important to note that human food is not good for puppies.

Our meals generally contain too much salt and fat for dogs. If you want to cook for your dog, you will have to do so separately from your own meals.

With homemade diets – as with raw diets – it’s important to ask a vet to help you put together an adequate meal plan.

How Much Should I Feed My Corgi Puppy?

As mentioned above, you can calculate your puppy’s calorie needs as two times the Resting Energy Requirement for his or her weight.

If you choose a commercial puppy food, you will be spared the calculations.

Commercial dog foods come with detailed instructions on how much to feed.

Consult your vet if you think the recommended amount is too little or too much.

Is My Puppy The Right Weight?

As Corgis tend to become overweight easily, it’s important to keep an eye on the scale.

Numbers aren’t everything, though. Often you can tell more about your puppy’s health by judging his or her body condition.

If your puppy is too thin, this can impair growth and lead to long-lasting bone deformities.

On the other hand, a fat puppy will grow too quickly. This causes joint issues such as hip dysplasia.

If you think your puppy is too fat or too thin, talk with the veterinarian of your trust. They can help you adjust your pup’s diet.

A puppy that loses weight even though it’s eating the right amount of calories can have an underlying condition.

Have your vet check your pup for worms, infections, and other health issues.

My Puppy Is Still Hungry

Is your puppy one of those ever-hungry creatures that inhale their food like a vacuum?

It takes a while for your puppy’s stomach to signal to his or her brain that it is full.

Therefore, slower eating can help your puppy feel full. A slow feeder bowl can help slow down you puppy’s food intake.

Another option is to take some of your pup’s kibble from the daily portion, and use it throughout the day as treats for puppy training.

Just remember to count these treats towards your Corgi’s daily calorie intake.

If your pup is still hungry, consider spacing out his or her meals.

You can distribute the total daily serving onto several feedings throughout the day.

My Puppy Won’t Eat

With the stress of moving into a new home, it’s possible that your puppy’s appetite suffers for a day or two.

Try offering some palatable wet food if your puppy is used to it.

If your Corgi pup misses more than two meals or 12 hours of eating, make an appointment with your vet for a check-up.

Puppies can get dehydrated quickly if they don’t eat and drink regularly.

Should your pup show any other symptoms, call your vet right away.

These symptoms include (but are not limited to):

• tiredness
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• fever.

How Long Is A Corgi Considered A Puppy?

Your Corgi is considered a puppy until he or she reaches 12 months of age.

Between 12 and 14 months, you should switch your Corgi over to an adult diet.

Plan the transition slowly, just like when you started your dog on the puppy food.

Mix the two foods together at first, slowly increasing the amount of adult food.

If it’s available, we recommend using an adult food by the same brand as the puppy food you purchased.

To support your dog’s gut bacteria during diet changes, you can give him or her canine probiotics once daily.

We hope these tips have helped you choose the ideal diet for your Corgi pup.

If you’re preparing for a Corgi puppy, you might also want to check out our fun guide to small dog names! 

If you have any questions about feeding a Corgi puppy, or have tips to share, head on over to the comments section. We’d love to hear from you!

References and Resources

Pedigree Puppy Age Calculator

Purina’s Healthy Dog Body Condition

AAFCO Recommendations for Dog Food

Ohio State University’s Basic Calorie Calculator

Biourge, V., et. al., ‘The Use of Probiotics in the Diet of Dogs’. The Journal of Nutrition, 1998.

Roberts, T., McGreevy, P.D., ‘Selection for breed-specific long-bodied phenotypes is associated with increased expression of canine hip dysplasia’. The Veterinary Journal, 2010.

Khoo, C., et. al., ‘The role of supplementary dietary antioxidants on immune response in puppies’. Veterinary Therapeutics, 2005.

Gawor, J. P., et. al., ‘Influence of Diet on Oral Health in Cats and Dogs’. The Journal of Nutrition, 2006.

Hutchinson, D., et. al., ‘Seizures and severe nutrient deficiencies in a puppy fed a homemade diet’. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2012.

Jackson, J.R., et. al., ‘Effects of Dietary Fiber Content on Satiety in Dogs’. Veterinary Clinical Nutrition, 1997.