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How Much Should I Feed My Puppy?

Enter your puppy’s weight, expected adult weight, age and the calories in its food to get the daily amount and meals.

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
lb

Not sure? Use the puppy weight calculator, or the breed standard.

months

From the calorie statement on the bag.

Feed about2 ½ cups a day

Feed about

2 ½ cups a day

Split into 3 meals

Daily calories
957 kcal
By weight
8.9 oz
Meals per day
3
Per meal
¾ cup
Share of adult weight reached
20%

Estimates only, not veterinary advice.

How to use the puppy food calculator

  1. Weigh your puppy and enter its weight now.
  2. Enter its expected adult weight. Use the breed standard, the parents’ weights or the puppy weight calculator.
  3. Enter its age in months and the calories on your puppy food’s label.
  4. Read the daily amount, how many meals and the amount per meal.

The formula

Puppies need energy to live and to grow. The National Research Council’s 2006 equation for weaned puppies is:

kcal per day = 130 × (weight in kg)^0.75 × 3.2 × (e^(−0.87 × p) − 0.1)

where p = weight now ÷ expected adult weight. As the puppy grows, p rises and the growth part shrinks, so the amount per pound falls as it nears adult size.

  • Cups = kcal ÷ kcal per cup; grams = kcal ÷ kcal per kg × 1,000
  • Meals: 4 a day under 3 months, 3 from 3 to 6 months, 2 from 6 months (in line with the AKC’s four-to-two guidance)

Tips

  • Recalculate often. Puppies change fast, so update the weight every 2 weeks.
  • Keep large breeds lean. Large and giant breed puppies should grow steadily, not fast. Feed a large-breed puppy food and do not overfeed.
  • Watch the body, not just the bowl. You should be able to feel the ribs easily under a thin layer of fat.
  • Vaccines and vet visits line up with these early months. See the puppy vaccination schedule.

Sources

  • National Research Council (2006). Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats: energy requirement for growth in puppies.
  • American Kennel Club: Puppy Feeding Fundamentals.
  • WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute: puppy growth charts.

Frequently asked questions

How much should I feed my puppy a day?

Growing puppies need much more per pound than adults. Use the NRC growth formula with your puppy’s weight now and its expected adult weight, then divide the calories by the kcal per cup on your puppy food. The amount changes as your puppy grows, so recalculate every couple of weeks.

How much should a puppy eat at 8 weeks?

It depends on its weight now, its expected adult size and the calories in its food. Enter those in the calculator (NRC growth formula), divide by the kcal per cup on your bag, and split the day’s amount into 4 meals, as the AKC suggests for puppies under 12 weeks.

How many times a day should I feed my puppy?

The AKC says four feedings a day is a common guideline for young puppies, dropping to two meals during the first year. This calculator uses 4 meals under 3 months, 3 meals from 3 to 6 months and 2 meals from 6 months.

How much should a puppy eat at 3 months?

Use the same steps with its weight today and its expected adult weight, and split the daily amount into 3 meals (AKC: three meals a day from 3 to 6 months). A small-breed puppy needs far less than a large-breed puppy of the same age.

When should I switch from puppy food to adult food?

When your puppy is close to its adult size. Small dogs are full grown at about 12 months, while large and giant breeds can take 18 months to two years (WALTHAM growth charts). Switch gradually over about a week, and ask your vet for large and giant breeds.

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