Do you have a fat Corgi? It is not uncommon for both Pembroke and Cardigan Corgis to be overweight.
Weight loss should be a top priority for any Corgi owner. This is because an obese dog is more likely to suffer from health problems and have a lower standard of living overall. How to reduce the weight of your Corgi safely will be explained in this article.
It’s possible to get your corgi to slim down by reducing portion sizes, switching to treats of low-calorie, avoiding table scraps, increasing exercise, or switching kibbles. But, don’t try all of these together.
Fat Corgi’s Weight Problem
Fat Corgi puppies might be cute and lovely in appearance but there are risks associated with having an overweight Corgi. Corgis, regardless of age, often struggle with obesity.
The fact that so many corgis are obese is due to the fact that they are enjoying a luxurious lifestyle. This implies that there will be an abundance of table scraps, large servings, and sweets.
Even if you only eat a few extra calories each day, the effects will show up on the weighing scales over time. And it’s only going to get worse.
A Corgi can gain 10 to 30 pounds of weight due to poor diet, too little exercise, or daily activities easily. Yes, these little cute dogs have the potential to grow to enormous proportions. And when you compare them to other breeds, they gain weight much more quickly.
It is important to rule out health conditions like hypothyroidism and Cushing’s disease. Both of which are common in dogs, as this article will explain in detail later.
What’s the Ideal Corgi Weight?
Do not make your Corgi fat. Overweight Corgi is prone to having other diseases like heart problems and more. Following the Corgi ideal weight would make your dog healthier.
Knowing how much a Corgi weighs will give you the idea if your dog is already obese. Here is the healthy average weight of a Corgi:
• Ideal Weight of Pembroke Welsh Corgi
The size of a Pembroke Corgi can vary depending on a variety of factors, including the dog’s overall height, gender, and genetics. According to these statistics:
Ideal Weight Range:
about 10-14 kilogrammes, or about 24-30 pounds.
Generally speaking, female Pembroke Corgis fall somewhere in the range of 24-26 lbs. Males, on the other hand, tend to weigh in at the higher end of this range, around 27-30 lbs.
• Ideal Cardigan Corgi Weight
Because Cardigans are slightly taller than Pembrokes, they tend to be heavier. There are a number of factors that can affect the size of a Cardigan’s weight range.
Ideal Weight Range for Cardigan Corgi:
About 24-38 pounds (11 to 17 kilogrammes)
At the lower end of this range, female Cardigan Corgis will typically weigh between 24 and 30 pounds. Males will most likely weigh between 30 and 38 pounds.
Based on the information above, female corgi weight is lighter compared to male corgi weight. Ensure that you maintain the healthy Corgi weight to expand the lifespan of your lovely Corgi.
Does Your Corgi Have an Excessive Amount of Fat?
If you want to know if your Corgi is obese, don’t rely solely on the weighing scales. Another reliable indicator of your Corgi’s current health is how he appears and feels. Do not let your fat Corgi puppy become fatter.
An obese Corgi should be taken to your vet as soon as possible to get some diet advice from them.
The ribs should be easily palpable when running along his body with your hand, or at the very least when applying light pressure to them. An indication that you are overweight is if you can’t feel your feet at all or have to apply a lot of pressure to feel them at all.
Do you know how your corgi walks? If your corgi isn’t too old, he ought to be capable of getting around quickly and easily. If your dog can’t walk, run, or even get out of bed from a position of lying down, then it could mean that you have a fat Corgi dog.
The scales will tell you if your Corgi is over or underweight based on these checks and the results.
How to Lose Weight with Your Corgi: 5 Simple Steps
With that in mind, it’s best to consult with your veterinarian before making any changes in your Corgis diet or exercise routine.
If you’re concerned about your Corgis’ weight gain, it’s a good idea to first rule out any underlying health conditions like hypothyroidism or diabetes, which can lead to weight gain.
• Verify the serving sizes
Checking your Corgi’s portion sizes is definitely a good idea, as there must be some source of those excess calories.
One of the most common mistakes pet owners make is to switch to a brand of kibble that is new but feeding the same amount of food as they did before. Despite the fact that every kibble is the same, the number of calories in a single cup can vary widely.
The fact that no two foods have a similar number of calories makes it misleading to make a general recommendation such as “give half a cup to your Corgi per day”.
Your Corgi may fare better with half a cup of high fat kibble, whereas the same amount of low fat kibble (which has fewer calories) is better for him to eat. Weight gain can occur if you overfeed your pet.
It is estimated that an adult Corgi which is healthy and weighs 25 lbs, needs 780 calories a day, according to the National Research Council.
As a result, a good starting point for determining an appropriate serving portion for the amount of kibble you own is 780 calories. And don’t forget about the dog treats, okay?
Then there are the raw-food diets, that are much more difficult to calculate caloric intake for. Depending on the type of raw food you’re feeding, you’ll need to conduct extensive research.
• Change to treats with fewer calories
All kinds of dog treats are available, with varying ingredients and calorie counts, on the market. Dog treats typically have more calories per treat compared to what’s ideal, which is unfortunate.
Some dog jerky, biscuits, and pig ears may contain more than 100 calories for each serving. This is quite a bit, given that 780 calories is the calorie consumption for this person daily.
Fortunately, there are low-calorie dog treats that you can give to your lovely Corgis. You can use these treats as a form of general praise and as a training tool. Then there’s treat-control, which is a must.
• Stop using table scraps in any way
Tidbits, doodles, and the scrumptious leftovers of the meal. We know how much your Corgi likes that you put the food down for her, however it’s actually doing more harm than good for her health.
Recent research shows 40% or more dog parents in the United States give their dogs table scraps daily. This explains why the majority of canines in the United States are obese. Incorporate more physical activity and exercise.
We have a problem with feeding our fur buddies our own food because it was originally designed for us. Dogs are sensitive to a wide range of ingredients in our food because we consume lots more calories and a wide variety of foods.
Even if your dog doesn’t lose any weight, the extra calories should be adequate to put an end to it. A burger patty may contain 300 calories, while a single sausage made of pork may contain 200 calories.
Remember that an adult corgi that is healthy needs about 780 calories a day to maintain good health. There could be as many as 100 calories in the gravy juices that are still in the pan!
A Corgis’ weight will almost certainly increase if they consume this many extra calories each day on top of what they normally eat.
• Increase the amount of physical activity with your Corgi
Increasing your corgi’s activity level is another surefire method to burn calories and lose weight.
Calorie intake minus calorie expenditure determines weight increase or decrease. Your Corgi will lose weight if he expends more calories than he takes in.
To burn more calories, he must increase his physical activity, of course. An adult corgi that is healthy needs 60 to 80 minutes of exercise a day (and that excludes extra playing time).
However, this one should be approached with a great deal of caution! Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) affects Corgis and other small breeds that are greater in length than height.
It’s a grave and crippling condition that ought to be prevented no matter what. IVDD happens once the vertebral discs that act as shock absorbers rupture or bulge outwards, without going into too much detail.
This can lead to a variety of problems, ranging from excruciating pain to paralysis.
Excessive sprinting and jumping up and down can lead to this kind of injury, with jumping up then landing hard being the primary cause.
When it comes to increasing your corgi’s activity, it’s best to be cautious.
• Change the kibbles if you can
To keep things simple, we only cover the most important aspects of the kibble world.
The “whole” and “fresh” ingredients of a kibble that is premium are the primary focus of the product. Because the ingredients have undergone less processing, they are more similar to their natural state and therefore contain more nutrients, both macro and micro.
Kibbles that are high quality tend to be more expensive than the ones of low quality.
The breakdown of macronutrients is an important second consideration (protein, fat and carbohydrates). Carbohydrates are commonly found in kibbles of low quality. This is because they serve as fillers, are inexpensive, and can be stored for a long period of time.
Even though carbohydrates aren’t bad for you, they’ve been linked to weight gain in the past.
Consider switching to a diet that emphasizes protein first, then fat, and finally carbohydrates. That is if your dog is currently eating an overly carb-heavy diet.
Brands like Orijen and Acana are also known for their emphasis on whole and fresh ingredients. As well as avoiding preservatives and artificial nonsense.
Changing your diet is a big decision. Before you make the switch, make sure you know how many calories are in each serving.
Why is this happening? For the majority of dogs, carbs aren’t the best option. According to the National Research Council, “zero carbohydrate intake is required to maintain a healthy canine diet”. In the end, they’re not doing much to boost your diet’s nutritional content.
A wild canine’s diet consisted primarily of protein and fat prior to the process of domestication. Protein and fat are better digested by dogs’ bodies than carbohydrates, resulting in a greater nutritional intake and overall utilization of the meals they consume.
Does Weight Matters?
For starters, Corgis are short-legged dogs. Sheep and cattle herders with long, lean bodies. Their bodies would be put under extreme stress if they gained even a few extra pounds.
Hip dysplasia, intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), and hip/joint/back complications are common in Corgis due to the structure of their body.
Preventing health problems and diseases can be as simple as eating a healthy diet and staying within a healthy weight range.
In addition, carrying around extra (unnecessary) weight puts strain on the heart and lungs, among other organs. The weight can cause paws to change their shape in order to distribute it more evenly!
To put it another way, as stated by VCA (Veterinary Centers of America), joint damage from excess weight and obesity can lead to osteoarthritis (OA). It is a painful condition that can last for years.
It’s now known that fat tissue secretes hormones and other chemicals that can both cause and enhance inflammation. When fat cells produce the hormone leptin, it infects joints and causes inflammation.
The bone changes that occur as a result of osteoarthritis may also be influenced by leptin.
Even more importantly, inflammation can alter the body’s response to other hormones, including cortisol and insulin, resulting in an imbalance in the body’s ability to self-regulate, as well as influencing the amount and extent of pain dogs feel.
Overweight and obesity exacerbate this cycle of inflammation and pain associated with OA and degenerative joint disease, which is an important takeaway from the study.
Helping Your Corgi to Lose Weight Is Essential
The health of a plump corgi, regardless of how adorable it may appear, is compromised in more ways than one. And owners may be unaware of the extent of the problem.
When it comes to canines, it’s better to be a little underweight than overfed (although keeping the breed average is ideal, of course).
An obese dog may have difficulty moving around, running, and being as quick as they’d want to be. This is in addition to the direct health consequences that I will discuss below.
You can’t tell them, but your corgi would like to run as quick as the rest of the pack, but they can’t tell you that they don’t want to be slow. So much better and more pleasant for them.
Help your Corgi shed the pounds quickly. Overweight corgis are more prone to:
• Diabetes
• Arthritis
• Reduction in Lifespan
• Diabetic Hypertension
• Heart Problems
• a few forms of tumors
And that’s just the beginning; the range of health problems caused by obesity is far longer.
Paying a Visit to Your Pet’s Vet
Prior to making any changes, it is important to consult your veterinarian to rule out any health issues that may be causing your pet discomfort.
It’s critical to rule out conditions like diabetes and hypothyroidism, which are still prevalent in dogs. Canines that are obese are more likely to develop diabetes, but the weight loss that comes with it is due to having diabetes.
Weight gain can be due to a variety of health conditions, so it’s important to avoid wasting time on dietary changes if that isn’t the case. Ask your vet for an effective overweight Corgi diet and activities to prolong the life of your lovely Corgi.
What to Do and Not to Do
Your corgi’s health is something you can influence through preventative care. You can help your loved one maintain their weight and fitness by following these simple guidelines.
What TO DO:
• Do take regular walks or runs on a daily basis (3-4 times a day is ideal). Exercising is absolutely essential!
• On the weekends, take your dog for a walk.
• Don’t forget to measure your dog’s food to the pound.
• Do keep an eye on your dog’s physical condition on a regular basis so that any underlying issues can be addressed.
• Freeze-dried food with low calories treats should be given.
• Do enquire about your pet’s weight to your vet.
What NOT TO DO:
• Don’t give them any leftovers from your meal. Refuse to their begging.
• Do not overfeed your dog.
• Don’t provide daily treats with a lot of calories.
• Don’t let your dog become lazy.
• Don’t use the excuse that “they’re big boned” to excuse your dog’s obesity.
Final Thoughts
Examine and feel your dog’s midsection. Consult your veterinarian if their health isn’t where it should be and devise a weight-loss plan.
When it comes to feeding the dog in front of you, it is always best to do so. Ignore the serving size on the bag, your dog’s weight, and how much other people feed their dogs when determining the appropriate amount to feed your pet.
Every time you feed your dog, use a kitchen food scale or measuring bowl to ensure that you are being accurate with your portion control efforts.
The most important thing is to keep a close eye on your dog’s daily calorie intake, exercise routine, and body condition score.
We owe it to our canine companions to keep them in shape. It is recommended to begin adjusting your pet’s diet, calorie intake, and exercise levels after your veterinarian has completed the necessary tests.
How do you keep your Corgi healthy? Do you have some good tips to share with us? Comment down below and help our fellow dog lovers!
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