How much should I feed my dog?

Enter your dog's weight, life stage and the calories on your food's label. You'll get daily calories and cups per day, using the same two-step formula vets use.

Look for "Calorie Content" on the bag. It's listed as kcal/cup. Most dry dog food is 300-500.
Calories from the label as of October 2026. See how these foods grade.
Vets suggest 10% or less.
?cups a day

Feeding analysis

Daily calories
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Per meal
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From food
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From treats
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Resting energy (RER)
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Life stage factor
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Weigh your dog every 2-4 weeks and adjust by about 10% if weight drifts.

How the calculator works

Vets estimate calories in two steps. First comes the resting energy requirement (RER): RER = 70 × (weight in kg)0.75. That's the energy your dog burns lying still in a comfortable room.

Then RER is multiplied by a factor for life stage and activity to get daily needs. A spayed or neutered adult is 1.6 × RER, an intact adult 1.8, and a puppy under 4 months 3.0. The calculator divides those calories by the kcal per cup on your label, after setting aside your treat calories.

Daily calories by weight

Calories per day for adult dogs at a healthy weight, before treats:

WeightRERNeutered adult (1.6)Less active (1.4)Weight loss (1.0)
5 lb (2.3 kg)129207181129
10 lb (4.5 kg)218348305218
15 lb (6.8 kg)295472413295
20 lb (9.1 kg)366585512366
30 lb (13.6 kg)496794694496
40 lb (18.1 kg)615985862615
50 lb (22.7 kg)7271,1641,018727
60 lb (27.2 kg)8341,3351,168834
70 lb (31.8 kg)9361,4981,311936
80 lb (36.3 kg)1,0351,6561,4491,035
100 lb (45.4 kg)1,2231,9581,7131,223

Why the label matters more than the bag chart

Dry foods range from about 300 to over 500 kcal per cup, so the same dog can need 50% more volume of one food than another. The feeding chart on a bag covers a wide range of dogs and usually runs high. Your dog's daily calories divided by your food's kcal per cup is a better starting point.

Measure with a real measuring cup or, better, a kitchen scale. A "cup" scooped with a random container can be off by 20% or more.

Check the result against your dog

Every number here is a starting point. Metabolism varies by about 20% between dogs of the same size. Run your hands along your dog's ribs: you should feel them easily under a thin layer, and see a waist from above. If your dog gains, cut portions by about 10%. If they lose weight or seem hungry and thin, add 10%. Re-weigh every 2-4 weeks.

Questions

How many cups should a 40 lb dog eat?

A spayed or neutered 40 lb adult needs about 985 kcal a day. With a 380 kcal/cup food and 10% from treats, that's about 2⅜ cups a day, or about 1⅛ cups per meal twice a day.

Should I feed my dog based on current weight or ideal weight?

Use current weight if your dog is at a healthy weight. For weight loss, use the goal weight with the 1.0 factor, and plan the loss with your vet.

How much should I feed a puppy?

Puppies under 4 months need about 3 × RER and older puppies about 2 × RER, split over 3-4 meals. Recalculate every couple of weeks as they grow, and use a food labeled for growth.

Do treats count?

Yes. Keep treats to about 10% of daily calories and subtract them from meals. The calculator does that for you.

Sources
  1. Hill's Pet Nutrition, Estimated Energy Requirements (canine and feline)
  2. Pet Nutrition Alliance, Calculating Calories Based on Pet Needs

Last reviewed October 20, 2026. Estimates for healthy pets only, not veterinary advice.