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How Many Calories Does My Dog Need a Day?

Enter your dog’s weight and life stage to see its resting energy (RER), its daily calories and how they change for other life stages.

Talk to your vet. This tool gives a general estimate for healthy pets, based on published veterinary guidelines. It is not a diagnosis or a treatment plan. If your pet is unwell, pregnant, on medication or has a health condition, ask your vet before changing food, supplements or care.

Enter your pet’s details

lb

Calories per day794 kcal

Calories per day

794 kcal

1.6 × RER

Resting energy (RER)
496 kcal
Neutered adult (1.6 × RER)
794 kcal
Intact adult (1.8 × RER)
893 kcal
Inactive or gains easily (1.4 × RER)
694 kcal
Treats, max 10%
79 kcal
Calories per lb of body weight
26.5

Estimates only, not veterinary advice.

How to use the dog calorie calculator

  1. Enter your dog’s current weight.
  2. Choose its life stage. For weight loss, enter the target weight your vet suggested.
  3. Read the daily calories, the resting energy and the calories for the other common life stages.

To turn calories into cups or grams of your food, use the dog food calculator.

The formula

Resting energy requirement (RER) (NRC 2006; WSAVA; Merck Veterinary Manual):

RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75 kcal per day

Raising weight to the power 0.75 reflects that a big dog needs fewer calories per pound than a small one.

Daily calories = RER × factor (Merck Veterinary Manual’s maintenance table):

  • Spayed or neutered adult: 1.6
  • Intact adult: 1.8
  • Gains weight easily or inactive: 1.4
  • Puppy under 4 months: 3.0; 4 months to adult: 2.0
  • Weight loss: 1.0 × RER at the target weight (AAHA 2021)

Treats: keep them under 10% of the daily total (WSAVA).

Tips

  • These are averages. Some dogs need noticeably more or less. Your dog’s body shape is the real test.
  • Count every chew. Dental chews and table scraps can add a lot.
  • Supplements have calories too, including fish oil. See the fish oil calculator.

Sources

  • National Research Council (2006). Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats.
  • Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals.
  • AAHA (2021) Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats.
  • WSAVA: feeding treats to your dog.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories does my dog need a day?

Multiply its resting energy by a life-stage factor. RER = 70 × (weight in kg)^0.75. A neutered adult needs about 1.6 × RER: roughly 350 kcal at 10 lb, 794 kcal at 30 lb, 1,164 kcal at 50 lb and 1,958 kcal at 100 lb. Use it as a starting point and adjust to your dog’s body shape.

How many calories should a dog eat to lose weight?

A common vet starting point (AAHA 2021) is 1.0 × RER at the target weight. For a dog whose ideal weight is 25 lb, that is about 433 kcal a day. Your vet will set the target, then adjust based on weigh-ins.

What is RER for dogs?

Resting energy requirement: the calories a dog uses at rest in a comfortable temperature, for basic body functions. The usual formula is RER = 70 × (weight in kg)^0.75 (NRC 2006). For dogs between 2 and 45 kg, the simpler 30 × kg + 70 gives a similar number (Merck Veterinary Manual).

How many calories should a puppy eat?

More than an adult of the same weight: about 3 × RER under 4 months and 2 × RER from 4 months to adulthood, per the Merck Veterinary Manual. For a closer estimate based on expected adult size, use the puppy food calculator, which uses the NRC growth formula.

How many calories are in a cup of dog food?

It varies a lot between foods, so read the label. US pet foods must state calories as kcal per kg and per cup or can (AAFCO), which is why the same number of cups can mean very different calories from one brand to another.

Last reviewed November 3, 2026. Found a problem? Tell us.