Cane Corso puppy feeding routine at 4 months

You're already thinking about this the right way — getting a large-breed puppy's feeding routine right early is one of the best things you can do for their long-term health, and with a Cane Corso it genuinely matters. Most guides drown new puppy owners in product lists, but the honest truth is the genuine essentials are simpler than that, and buying the wrong things now just costs you money. Can I ask: how old is your Cane Corso, what are they eating at the moment, and when did you bring them home?

Good news — Royal Canin Giant Puppy is a solid choice and the breeder handed you a genuinely sensible starting point, so don't change the food. At 4 months a Cane Corso male will typically be heading toward 20–25 kg already and growing fast, so the feeding amount needs to track his weight weekly, not stay fixed. The critical habit to establish now is three meals a day split evenly — not free feeding, not two large meals. Large and giant breeds are at real risk of bloat (GDV) if they eat one big meal, and overfeeding at this stage causes joints to carry weight before they're ready. The Royal Canin Giant Puppy bag has a weight-based guide on the back — use that as your ceiling, not your floor. Weigh him weekly and adjust. One practical thing: are you feeding him from a standard bowl on the floor, or elevated?

The elevated feeder debate is actually more nuanced than most people think — for giant breeds there's some evidence elevated bowls may slightly increase bloat risk rather than reduce it, so I'd keep him on the floor for now. What does matter practically is the bowl itself. At 4 months he's already a big dog and will be enormous by 6 months — a bowl that's too small means he's gulping and rushing, which increases air intake. The one product I'd recommend here is the Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo-Bowl in the large size. It's a proper slow feeder maze bowl — it physically forces him to eat slower, which reduces bloat risk and improves digestion. At this size and growth rate, slowing down mealtimes is the single most useful thing a bowl can do. It's under £15 on Amazon UK, dishwasher safe, and large enough to last him well into adulthood. Pair that with three measured meals a day based on his weekly weight, and you've got a genuinely solid routine established early.

This is where giant breeds are very different from smaller dogs — don't rush the transition. Cane Corsos are typically considered skeletally mature between 18 and 24 months, and switching to adult food too early removes the specific calcium-to-phosphorus ratios that puppy food maintains for growing bones. Most vets and the Royal Canin guidance itself suggests keeping giant-breed puppies on the puppy formula until at least 18 months. I'd set a calendar reminder for 18 months and have a conversation with your vet around then about timing the switch. Between now and then, just keep adjusting the portion size upward as he grows — he'll go through a lot of food.

You're in great shape. Three meals a day, weigh him weekly, adjust portions to match — and the slow feeder will take care of the gulping. One last thing worth knowing: avoid exercise immediately before or after meals, ideally a 30-minute gap either side. At his size that becomes more important as he gets bigger. You're clearly taking this seriously early, which is exactly when it counts with a Cane Corso.