Dog Food Calculator
Enter your dog's weight and life stage. You'll see daily calories and how many cups of your food that is, split into meals.
How the calculation works
Vets start from the resting energy requirement (RER), the calories a dog burns at rest:
RER = 70 × (weight in kg)0.75
That number is multiplied by a factor for life stage and activity to get the maintenance energy requirement (MER). A typical neutered adult needs about 1.6 × RER. Growing puppies need 2 to 3 times RER. Divide the daily calories by the calories per cup on your food's label to get cups per day.
| Life stage | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Puppy under 4 months | 3.0 |
| Puppy 4 to 12 months | 2.0 |
| Neutered adult | 1.6 |
| Intact adult | 1.8 |
| Inactive or weight-prone adult | 1.2 to 1.4 |
| Weight loss | 1.0 (of ideal weight) |
| Working dog | 2.0 to 5.0 |
Worked example
A 40 lb (18.1 kg) neutered adult: RER = 70 × 18.10.75 ≈ 615 kcal. MER = 1.6 × 615 ≈ 985 kcal per day. With a food that has 370 kcal per cup, that's about 2.7 cups a day, or 1⅓ cups at each of two meals.
How much to feed a dog by weight
Adult neutered dogs at 1.6 × RER; cups assume 370 kcal per cup. Check your bag's kcal per cup and adjust.
| Dog weight | Calories a day (neutered adult) | Cups a day at 370 kcal/cup | Calories, low activity (1.3×) | Calories, puppy 4 to 12 months (2.0×) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 lb | 207 | 0.6 | 168 | 259 |
| 10 lb | 348 | 0.9 | 283 | 435 |
| 15 lb | 472 | 1.3 | 383 | 590 |
| 20 lb | 585 | 1.6 | 476 | 732 |
| 30 lb | 794 | 2.1 | 645 | 992 |
| 40 lb | 985 | 2.7 | 800 | 1231 |
| 50 lb | 1164 | 3.1 | 946 | 1455 |
| 60 lb | 1335 | 3.6 | 1084 | 1668 |
| 70 lb | 1498 | 4.0 | 1217 | 1873 |
| 80 lb | 1656 | 4.5 | 1345 | 2070 |
| 100 lb | 1958 | 5.3 | 1591 | 2447 |
Frequently asked questions
Why is this different from the chart on the bag?
Feeding charts on bags cover a wide range of dogs and often run high. Treat both as a starting point. Weigh your dog every two to four weeks and adjust portions by about 10% if the weight moves the wrong way.
Do treats count?
Yes. Keep treats under 10% of daily calories, and cut the meal portion to make room for them.
How do I know if my dog is a healthy weight?
You should be able to feel the ribs easily without pressing hard, and see a waist from above. Your vet can give your dog a body condition score and an ideal target weight.