🥣 Free tool

Dog Food Calculator: How Much Should I Feed My Dog?

Calculate how many calories your dog needs per day and how many cups or grams of food to feed, based on weight, age, activity and your food's calorie content.

How to check
Check your bag's label ("kcal/cup"). Typical dry food: 330–450.
For an amount in grams.

How this calculator works

It uses the formula veterinarians commonly use to estimate energy needs:

  1. Resting Energy Requirement (RER) = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75
  2. Daily energy requirement = RER × a factor for life stage and activity (for example, 1.6 for a typical neutered adult, 3.0 for a puppy under 4 months).
  3. Food amount = daily calories ÷ calories per cup (or per kg) of your food.

Read more in how much and how often to feed a dog.

Important notes

  • This is an estimate. Individual dogs can need 20–30% more or less. Start here, weigh your dog every 2–4 weeks and adjust by about 10% at a time.
  • Overweight dogs: the calculator uses a conservative factor, but a proper weight-loss plan should be based on your dog's target weight and set by your vet. See overweight dogs.
  • Treats count. Keep treats and chews under about 10% of the daily total — the calculator shows this budget.
  • Puppies: large-breed puppies should be kept lean; ask your vet about growth rate.
  • Health conditions (kidney disease, diabetes, pancreatitis and others) change nutritional needs. Follow your vet's advice.