Maximus Cane Corso

Feeding A Large Breed Puppy



When you have a large breed puppy like Cane Corso the goal is to keep him lean, with controlled growth. A healthy, large or giant breed puppy will thrive on a portion-controlled, balanced diet.

A lot of times when I look at young pups I see a fat dog. The owner sees a nice happy puppy. I’m immediately thinking hip dysplasia, OCD and ACL injuries.

Large breed puppies require special diet to avoid or lower the chance of these health coditions and live a long, healthy, active life.

Large breed puppies grow quickly and keep growing longer than smaller dogs and continue to grow and can still be considered puppies until 12 to 24 months.

Overfeeding is a primary reason for excessive growth, which is why it is important to feed your large breed puppy a diet that is:

– Lower in fat
– Lower in calcium
– Lower in phosphorus
– Lower in vitamin D
– Correct ratio between calcium and phosphorus

There are 3 proven causes for Hip Dysplasia:
– Genetics
– Overfeeding
– Excessive dietary calcium

How much you feed your puppy also matters. When I’m looking at my dog or puppy, I like to see the belly before hind legs visibly indented and one or two ribs visible when the dog is moving.

Recommended Calcium Guidelines:
1.2 to 1.8% calcium
1.0 to 1.6% phosphorus
Calcium-to-phosphorus ratio 1:1 to 1.8:1

Foods I’ve personally tried with my pups before and recommend:
– Earthborn Holistic Meadow Feast (ALS – all life stages formula)
– Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch (ALS – all life stages formula)
– Wellness Core Puppy (puppy formula)
– Orijen large breed puppy (puppy formula)

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