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How Much Should I Feed My Dog?

Enter your dog’s weight, life stage and the calories on your food’s label to get a daily amount in cups, cans and grams.

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

From the calorie statement on the bag.

Also on the bag. Used to show grams.

Feed about2 cups dry a day

Feed about

2 cups dry a day

Then adjust to keep an ideal body shape

Daily calories
794 kcal
Resting energy (RER)70 × (weight in kg)^0.75
496 kcal
Dry food by weight
7.8 oz
Per meal (2 meals)
1 cup
Treat allowance (10%)
79 kcal

Estimates only, not veterinary advice.

How to use the dog food calculator

  1. Enter your dog’s current weight.
  2. Pick the life stage. Choose weight loss only with a target weight from your vet.
  3. Choose dry, wet or mixed food.
  4. Copy the calorie statement from your food: kcal per cup and kcal per kg for kibble, kcal per can for wet food. In the US and UK, foods state this on the label.
  5. Read the daily amount, the amount per meal and the weight in grams.

The formula

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

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

Daily calories = RER × factor. The factors are from the Merck Veterinary Manual’s table of maintenance energy needs: 1.6 for a spayed or neutered adult, 1.8 for an intact adult and 1.4 for an obesity-prone dog. For weight loss we use 1.0 × RER at the target weight (AAHA 2021).

Cups = daily kcal ÷ kcal per cup, and grams = daily kcal ÷ kcal per kg × 1000. With “leave 10% for treats” ticked, food calories drop by 10%, following WSAVA’s advice that treats stay under 10% of the day’s calories.

Tips

  • The number is a starting point. Two dogs of the same weight can need quite different amounts. Weigh every 2–4 weeks and adjust in small steps.
  • Use a real measuring cup, or better, kitchen scales. A “scoop” is often much bigger than a cup.
  • Count treats and chews. They add up fast. For puppies use the puppy food calculator; to see how long a bag lasts, use the dog food bag calculator.

Sources

  • National Research Council (2006). Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats. National Academies Press.
  • Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals (table: daily maintenance energy requirements).
  • WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee: nutrition toolkit and treat guide (treats under 10% of calories).
  • AAHA (2021) Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats.

Frequently asked questions

How much should I feed my dog a day?

Start from calories: resting energy (RER) = 70 × (weight in kg)^0.75, then multiply by 1.6 for a typical spayed or neutered adult (Merck Veterinary Manual). Divide that by the kcal per cup on your bag to get cups a day. Then weigh your dog every few weeks and adjust.

How many cups of dog food per day by weight?

It depends on the food, because kibbles range a lot in calories per cup. Work out the calories for your dog’s weight, then divide by the kcal per cup printed in the calorie statement on your bag. The calculator does both steps with your own bag’s numbers.

How much should I feed my dog to lose weight?

The AAHA 2021 guidelines give 1.0 × RER calculated at the target weight, not the current weight, as the starting point. Plan weight loss with your vet, who will set the target and check progress.

How much wet and dry food should I feed my dog?

Choose “Mix of wet and dry”, set what share of calories comes from wet food, and enter the calories per can and per cup from your labels. The calculator splits the daily calories between the two foods.

Should I feed my dog once or twice a day?

Most adult dogs do well on two meals a day, and many vets prefer it to one large meal. Puppies need more meals. Whatever you choose, the daily total stays the same: divide it by the number of meals.

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