Corgis are some of the highly energized do breeds. However, this energy doesn’t come from nowhere; it comes from the food they eat. To ensure that the energies are kept at the desired levels while at the same time maintaining his health, you need to know how corgis’ diets should be like.
A corgi’s diet should be rich in proteins, grains and fats as these are known to be rich in energy. You could at times introduce some fruits and vegetables as well though in small quantities. However, there are some items you shouldn’t include in corgi’s diet.
So which are the dos and the don’ts? Well, this piece has got you covered in so far as corgi eating is concerned. Take a look.
The Essentials
As you have already had a glance at what a corgi’s basic diet should include, it is better if you now had a detailed look at these. In this section, therefore, you will learn more about the diet.
Carbohydrates
In humans, carbohydrates are known to be among the largest providers of energy in the body system. The same is the case even in dogs. Enriching your corgi’s diet with carbohydrates, especially from grains, will ensure your dog’s energy levels are highly maintained.
Besides, carbohydrates are rich in fibers that help in food digestion by preventing constipation.
Protein
Proteins are home to amino acids which are growth units for body tissues as well as enzymes. Foods rich in proteins shouldn’t, for this, miss in your corgi’s diet. However, you need to know that the amount of proteins to be fed to your corgi might vary from one to the other based on age, health condition and age.
Proteins can be derived from fish, legumes, eggs and dairy products among others. Dogs, corgi included, have 10 different types of amino acids which must essentially be provided to them in the foods.
Minerals
Minerals are known to perform a variety of functions in the body including aiding enzymes perform their functions, muscles and bone building as well as in metabolic functions among others. You only need to have small amounts of minerals in a corgi’s diet even though their importance can never be wished away.
However, you need to do proper balancing of minerals in a dog’s diet as either too much or too little might turn disadvantageous.
Water
It is said water is life and this couldn’t be any further from the truth. Water does a lot more than food in a dog’s metabolic system. Your corgi therefore should have access to clean and safe water at any given time of the day.
Ensure the water is served clean and in sufficient amounts. Corgis are more likely to die faster as a result of dehydration than due to starvation.
Vitamins
Even though corgis don’t need plenty of these in their digestive systems, they are equally important for their wellbeing. Vitamins combine so well with minerals, water and fats to ensure your corgi’s health is maintained. Just as is the case with other essentials, proper balancing of vitamins should be ensured to eliminate health conditions that might arise from either too little or too much vitamins.
Fats
Energy is stored in the dog’s body in form of fats. Providing additional energy in the form of fats is necessary for these highly energetic breeds. The moment you see your corgi’s skin and hair glowing know that there are sufficient fat deposits in his body as well.
Even metabolism of various vitamins is highly dependent on fats. Corgis too love fats but don’t make a mistake of offering them too much as such could cause diarrhea.
Fresh Foods and Homemade Diets
Corgis also need fresh foods though in small quantities. Don’t be surprised at how much your corgi loves bananas, berries and raw vegetables among others. Adding small amounts of already cooked fish or chicken will also work some magic on your corgi dog.
Eggs, as you know, are very rich in proteins but shouldn’t be served to the dog raw. Providing additives like cottage cheese to your pregnant, puppy or convalescent corgi is also highly recommended.
Corgis will rarely refuse to eat their food whether given raw or cooked. In some instances, you can mix both cooked and raw food to give the balanced diet so much desired. Raw corgi diets are now even being sold in the market therefore minimizing your hassle for the same.
Always involve your veterinary nutritionist who will recommend balanced meals of raw diet. Mixing too much of these foods could also lead to food poisoning so you have to be extra careful. Besides, always make sure that the special meals don’t exceed 15% of the entire meal.
Feeding During Different Stages
By now you should have known that dogs have different nutritional needs during their different stages of growth. Sometimes it is quite hard to know how to balance the essentials and the special diets in the right proportions for a balanced meal.
However, we’ve got you covered in this section as below are some of the important things you need to take note of when making a meal for your corgi.
Feeding a Puppy
Puppies picked from breeders often come with set of instructions on how they are supposed to be raised. These instructions contain food-related information as well. Some of these touch on the amount of food, type of food and even instances when the foods should be given to the puppy.
Many a times the seller even offers to give you food that’s supposed to last your puppy a few days as you make adjustments. Always remember to abide by the breeder’s instructions as any deviations might lead to complications including stress.
In case you want to make any deviations from the foods that you were supplied with from the breeder, ensure you do it gradually so that your corgi doesn’t experience any stomach upsets. The ideal way to introduce new food is by mixing the new and the old in proportions such that with time the new becomes the largest portion.
At this stage the puppy tends not to eat a lot. However, this changes as he grows. When feeding the puppy, watch his weight out so that he doesn’t become obese. Providing the little friend with 3 meals every day is very much okay only that you have to make sure the meals are evenly spread apart.
Feeding an Adult Corgi
After a year, your corgi will have grown from a puppy to an adult dog. These changes come with a change in a dog’s diet. Adult dogs should be fed twice in a day. Any diet changes should be done gradually and in most cases after consultations with your veterinarian.
Even before introducing any supplements, ensure you have a conversation with your vet. Besides, you need to know that every corgi has his own nutritional needs and therefore if you happen to have two or more of them then you need to feed them separately.
Can Human Foods be Fed to Your Corgi?
In as much as human foods are highly nutritious, they are not so ideal for dogs. It doesn’t mean dogs can’t eat what humans eat, it is only important that we feed them specifically on dog meals that are well balanced.
Once in a while you can share what you eat with the dog too but only as a treat and not a main meal. Things like sugar, alcohol and chocolate are however toxic and shouldn’t be fed to dogs. Too much human foods could cause stomach upset in dogs.
Whatever human food you give to your dog, always ensure that it doesn’t constitute more than 15% of your friend’s diet.
The Chubby Corgi: What to Do in Case Your Dog is Overweight
Corgis eat a lot. If overfed they become obese. Obesity is not a good health sign in dogs.
A properly kept corgi has his body well partitioned with his waist clearly visible right after the hip bones when viewed from above. The ribs of such a dog can easily be felt by hands without necessarily pushing through thick layers of tissue.
Avoid giving the dog too many treats as such are the root causes of obesity. A corgi, regardless of how big he is, shouldn’t weigh more than 30 pounds. To maintain the weight within the right standards, ensure your dog exercises well and gets the necessary nutrients in every meal.
In case you realize he’s getting bigger, you can make adjustments to his diet. If after making adjustments there is still no change, you need to seek assistance from your vet. There are medically formulated diets that help in shedding off the excess weight.
Foods to Avoid
Corgis, being omnivores, will not say no to any food. It therefore means that they’ll lay their mouths on anything so long as it is edible. However, there are foodstuffs that might be dangerous to the dog regardless of how sweet they could be.
In this section, we seek to enlighten you on some foodstuffs that could be toxic to your corgi. These are based on research done by ASPCA. Here they are:
- Garlic and onions – thiosulphate contained in these could break your dog’s red blood cells causing problems.
- Very fatty foods – fried foods that are fatty like chicken skin are known to cause stomach upsets in dogs.
- Spicy foods – are known to cause stomach upsets.
- Alcoholic beverages – intoxication by alcohol in dogs can lead to death.
- Raisins and grapes – will make your corgi diarrhea, vomit and experience both lethargy and abdominal pains.
- Milk – for puppies you can use powdered or canned milk as alternatives during weaning. For adults, cheese and plain yogurt will just work fine. Milk do cause diarrhea in dogs.
- Coffee and chocolate – theobromine and caffeine contained in these two items can cause cardiac arrest in dogs. In some cases, breathing difficulties and even vomiting can be experienced.
- Yeast dough- not unless the yeast dough is cooked, don’t give it to your dog.
- Foods sweetened with xylitol – xylitol will lower your dog’s blood sugar levels which might result in liver complications with time.
- Macadamia nuts – might cause paralysis and muscle weakness to your corgi.
Wrapping Up
Corgis love eating and would always want to eat anything that comes their way. With this feeding habit, you need to always be on the lookout so that your little friend doesn’t end up consuming even toxic foodstuffs.
Again, you need to train him so that he takes his meals at regular times of the day. The meals must always contain the essential nutrients as detailed above. ‘Corgi eating’ is therefore a must read for anyone owning or planning to own a corgi.
As you feed him, ensure you check on his physical appearance as well so that he neither gets malnourished or overweight. Also, you can always visit your vet for clarifications in case there is some stuff that you don’t understand. As you have already seen, getting the right food for your corgi can be so simple if you already what to look for; which now you know.
Have you learnt anything new from this article? Is there anything that you still don’t understand? Feel free to share your thoughts with us.
