Skip to content
VetExpenses

Read this page in your language (Google Translate). English is the reviewed original.

Free tool

Dog Food Calculator: How Much Should My Dog Eat?

Your dog's daily calorie need starts with the resting energy requirement, 70 × (weight in kg)^0.75, multiplied by a life-stage factor — 1.6 for a neutered adult, 1.8 for an intact adult, 3 for puppies under 4 months. Add the kcal per cup from your food label to get cups per day.

Printed on the bag as kcal/cup.

Educational information, not veterinary advice. If your pet is unwell or ate something worrying, call your veterinarian or a pet poison line now. Emergency steps.

The formula

The Merck Veterinary Manual gives the resting energy requirement as RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)0.75 and lists maintenance multipliers for healthy dogs [1]:

  • Neutered adult: 1.6 × RER
  • Intact adult: 1.8 × RER
  • Obesity-prone adult: 1.4 × RER
  • Puppy under 4 months: 3 × RER
  • Puppy 4 months to adult: 2 × RER

Merck adds that any individual may need as much as 30% more or fewer calories than calculated [1], so use the result as a starting point and adjust with your vet based on body condition.

Frequently asked questions

How many cups should my dog eat?

Divide the daily calories by the kcal per cup printed on your food bag. Foods differ a lot, which is why the label matters.

Do treats count?

Yes. Treats add calories, so they should be included in the daily total.

Sources

  1. Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals. Merck Veterinary Manual. Accessed November 7, 2026.

Report an error on this page

Related

Was this helpful?

More free tools

See all pet health tools.