Responsible corgi ownership means making sure you feed your best friend right. But it’s hard to keep good habits when your dog has a face that makes you just want to give them treats all day.
How much a corgi eats changes throughout their life. Younger dogs eat more while older dogs often need their diet reduced because they are no longer growing and are less active
Here’s a few guidelines to ensure you are giving your corgi the correct amount of food.
How much do you feed a corgi a day?
You should feed your adult corgi between ⅔ to 1 ½ cups of dog food a day. This should split across two meals, one in the morning and one in the evening.
So that’s between ⅓ and 3/4 of a cup each meal. You can measure out how much food you should give your corgi using a standard kitchen measuring cup.
However, you may still be wondering: “how do I know which of these measurements is best for my corgi?”
The amount of food to give your corgi depends on a few factors. These include:
- The body type of your corgi
- The height, length, and size of your corgi
- The age of your corgi – and whether they are an adult or a puppy
- The amount of activity your corgi gets each day – and what they do!
- The metabolism and metabolic rate of your corgi
The bigger and more energetic your corgi is, the more food they are going to need. Smaller corgis, or corgis that are very young or very old, do not need enough food to sustain themselves.
With time, you will get a sense of how much food your corgi needs. If they start gaining weight, or losing weight, you may need to adjust their diets.
You should also ensure that you are giving your dog high-quality food (check the ingredients!) This will help keep your corgi healthy, full, and will stop them pining for treats later in the evening.
You should also always have water available to them, so that they can stay hydrated. This is critical in warmer countries and hot seasons!
How often should you feed a corgi?
For an adult corgi, it’s generally recommended to feed them two meals a day.
This feeding schedule helps regulate their metabolism and prevents overeating, which can be a concern for this breed prone to obesity.
Divide the daily portion of food into two equal meals, and make sure to choose high-quality dog food appropriate for their age, weight, and activity level.
How much do you feed a corgi puppy a day?
From 2–4 months, you want to slowly move them from ⅓ cup of food to around 1 cup of food, adding a little more each week. By 10 months, they should be able to eat a similar amount to a full-grown dog.
You should also ensure that you are feeding them puppy food (i.e. food that is specially designed for puppies) rather than generic dog food.
Higher protein levels and extra nutrients are better for your corgi puppy’s growth and will help keep them healthy.
How often should you feed a corgi puppy?
When your corgi is a puppy, you should feed them smaller portions, more often, rather than bigger portions, less often. You should feed them 4 times a day for the first few months. This can be cut down to 1–2 times a day as they grow.
Corgi puppies are a little bit different when it comes to how much they need to be fed. But as you’d expect, a smaller dog means a small diet.
Like their adult counterparts, it is very important to keep them hydrated. You should leave water out and keep it available to them all day. The last thing you want is poor puppy health from a lack of water.
When to switch your dog from puppy to adult food?
From 2–4 months, you want to slowly move them from 1/3 cup of food to around 1 cup of food, adding a little more each week. By 10 months, they should be able to eat a similar amount to a full-grown dog.
You should also ensure that you are feeding them puppy food (i.e. food that is specially designed for puppies) rather than generic dog food. Higher protein levels and extra nutrients are better for your corgi puppy’s growth and will help keep them healthy.
It’s hard, isn’t it? You want your puppy to stay a baby forever (but somehow have all the training of a grown dog!), and keep all their cute features.
As much as we want it to be so, our puppies aren’t going to be puppies forever. Sooner or later, they grow up, graduate puppy school, and they’re off to university!
Adult dog food has different ingredients that are more suited to their new adult needs.
Some corgis will adjust to this straight away and will easily take to new food. Other corgis you may need to ween onto the new brand, by slowly substituting in the new food in portions over a few weeks.
However long it takes, this is an important step in your corgi’s development, and one that all corgi owners eventually have to take.
It is fine for adult corgis to have the occasional treat, but don’t make them the main part of the diet.
Can I free-feed my corgi?
I recommend only feeding your corgi at set times during the day, and only the amount they required. This will help keep their weight under control.
If you’ve never heard this term before, free-feeding is leaving food out all day for your corgi to graze on. Like a dog bowl filled with kibble.
Free-feeding means that your corgi can eat whenever they are hungry. This sounds good in principle.
However, corgis are often voracious eaters, and can have a hard time limiting their intake. That means that even with the best intentions, you might end up with a dog two or three times the recommended size! That’s why free-feeding is not a great option for corgis.
Final thoughts on feeding your corgi
Whether you have a little baby corgi pup, or a fully grown corgi dog, it’s important to feed them right.
The amount of food your corgi needs depends on their age, size, and activity level. For adults, ⅔ to 1 ½ cups of food split into two meals is generally recommended.
Corgi puppies require smaller, more frequent meals and a gradual transition to adult food by one year of age. While occasional treats are okay, they shouldn’t dominate their diet. Avoid free-feeding, as it can lead to overeating.
Balancing their diet is essential for their health and well-being. So, resist those pleading eyes, maintain a structured feeding routine, and your corgi will thrive as a cherished member of your family.
