This Dog Food Calculator can help you estimate the proper serving size for your pet. It’s based upon a scientific study1 published by a respected veterinary research institute.
The dog food calculator’s formula2 uses a dog’s metabolic weight and suggests an appropriate serving size.
To use the dog food calculator here’s what you’ll need to know…
- Your dog’s ideal weight (what she should weigh)
- Your dog’s activity level
- Your dog food’s calorie content
A Dog Food Calculator… for Adults Only
The Dog Food Calculator was designed to be used for adult dogs only… not for puppies. And it shouldn’t be used for pregnant or lactating females.
So, when is a dog considered an adult?
Small to medium breeds may be considered adults after about six months of age.
But large and giant breeds shouldn’t be fed as adults until they reach somewhere around one to two years (depending upon the breed).3
When Is a Dog a Senior?
Older dogs have significantly lower energy needs than younger ones. So, it’s easy for them to put on extra weight.
In general, small to medium dogs are considered seniors at about seven years of age. But larger breeds reach senior status much sooner… some as early as five.4
Converting Calories to Serving Size
After you’ve entered your dog’s ideal weight… and her approximate activity level, you’ll know the number of calories per day.
But to convert calories into something you can actually use, you’ll need to enter just one more piece of information… the number of calories in your dog’s food.
The number of calories in a given amount of dog food is known as its “metabolizable energy”… or ME, for short.
You’ll find ME reported as calories per cup (or per kilogram). Look for it near the “Guaranteed Analysis” section of the dog food label. It’s usually stated as kcal/cup… or kcal/kilogram.
By the way… “kilocalories” and “calories” mean the same thing.
One more thing… the dog food calculator assumes you’re feeding your dog just once a day.
If you prefer to feed your dog twice a day, be sure to divide your daily serving amount so that both meals add up to the full daily calories suggested.
- Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition (1999), Canine Life Stages and Lifestyles, The Waltham Course on Dog and Cat Nutrition, p. 14 ↩
- ME (kcal/day) = 110 (body weight in kilograms)0.75 to maintain a typical adult dog ↩
- Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition (1999), Canine Life Stages and Lifestyles, The Waltham Course on Dog and Cat Nutrition, p. 4 ↩
- Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition (1999), Canine Life Stages and Lifestyles, The Waltham Course on Dog and Cat Nutrition, p. 16 ↩
{ 44 comments… read them below or add one }
we have a rough collie age 10 who weighs 70-75 lbs and has trouble with her back trying to get up but we have her on arthrithus meds
Is the calculator compatible with Mozilla? I’m not seeing it on this page anywhere.
Kat… thanks for calling this problem to my attention. It should be working OK now.
We are dog sitting a miniature schnauzer and she looks a bit pudgy. Only have a container of food with no label so we don’t know the calories per serving size. The dog food appears to be a semi moist brand. She should be 19 lbs, but now weighs 22 lbs. Can you give me daily portion size in measurements of cups to maintain her weight? Is it true to feed them only once a day? We’ve increased her activity level so pounds should eventually come off. Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hi Caryn… unfortunately, without knowing the actual calories per serving of that particular dog food it would be impossible to make a fair suggestion for proper serving size. Semi-moist dog foods are fairly uncommon and have a moisture content of 2-3 times a normal dry food (about 30%). So, if you can’t find the exact dog food you are using, look for an online retailer to get the calorie content of a similar semi-moist product. By the way, I feed Bailey twice a day. Just divide your final “daily” figure by two. Hope this helps.
What are the guidelines for ; Typical, Active, Working etc. in the calculations??
Hi Steve… our Dog Food Calculator is based upon the recommendations of the Waltham Center for Pet Nutrition in Leicestershire, UK. It estimates the maintenance energy requirement (MER) for dogs of various activity levels.
Typical MER = 110 x (weight)0.75
Active MER = 125 x (weight)0.75
Highly Active MER = 175 x (weight)0.75
Senior MER = 90 x (weight)0.75
Inactive MER = 90 x (weight)0.75
Neutered MER = 90 x (weight)0.75
Working Light Duty MER = (130-150) x (weight)0.75
Working Moderate Duty MER = (150-175) x (weight)0.75
Working Heavy Duty MER = (175-250) x (weight)0.75
For an explanation of the different activity levels themselves you’ll probably need to use your own judgment
Pomeranian dog 14lb needs to loss 4lb. normal activity.
Hi Dorine… You’ll need to have one more piece of information. You’ll need to “tell” the calculator how many calories are in each serving of your dog’s food. Look on the side of the package.
I think food calculator should not be the sole guide. Because each dog is different, I personally prefer my eye ball test to determine how much to feed my lab. My lab, tall and lean version, is 80lbs. My lab gets no more than 2 cups of dry food a day. This is because I add toppers to his food (like canned sardines, salmon, and etc.). For my lab, the more protein he eats (and less grain), the leaner and toned he becomes.
I hope you don’t mind me putting a link here… This is reference for my eye ball test. I keep my lab at ideal weight.
After adjusting up and down for awhile, I have determined that my lab (80lb) will stay at ideal weight at 2 cups of dry food (plus extra lean protein added). On days he exercises a lot, I will add a little more food for him.
http://www.purina.com/dogs/health/BodyCondition.aspx
P.S. — I am not promoting purina. I have never fed purina. I just find their chart to be excellent. I am a big fan of Natura Pet Company (maker of innova evo, california natural, healthwise).
Hi Pauline… Thanks for sharing your handy technique and this useful link with our readers. We agree with your advice and also recommend Purina’s “ideal weight” system in my article… A Proven Way to Add Nearly Two Extra Years to Your Dog’s Life. Thanks again for the useful advice.
hi just found the dog food calculator and have a question, my dog is 90 lbs needs to be 65-70 lbs, is 7-8 yrs old and is a border collie-shepard mix we are using a senior lg breed food,296 per c, should we change to the reg. senior food of our brand which is 268 a cup and how much should we give,right now he gets 2 cups a.m.& p.m., thanks for any help and insight the not sure on the age is because he was a shelter rescue 3 years ago and they put around 4-5 yrs at that time, again thanks for any info!!! also he’s not a very active dog
Hi Paula… I used a 70 pound “ideal” weight for your “typical” dog and the calculator suggested you feed your dog 1,474 kcal per day. I then entered your 296 kcal per cup figure (by the way, that seems rather low to me). The calculator estimates you’d need to feed your dog about 5 cups/day… or 2.5 cups in the morning and 2.5 cups at night.
Please be sure you’re using the correct “calories per cup” figure. As I mentioned, your reported number seems sort of low to me… Wrong numbers can make a huge difference in the results. Hope this helps.
I have an overweight 3 year old dachsund. Where can I find how many calories are in her food? Is there a dog food company that lists calories?
Hi Patrick… Most dog food brands print the calorie info right on the package… usually in calories per cup or per kilogram (metric). And many (but not all) of them publish the calorie info on their websites. Just Google the company name and visit their websites.
Unfortunately, because my reviews only cover a single “example” dog food for a given brand, it would not be practical for me to supply caloric information for each available product. Hope this helps.
Hi Mike, thanks for such a nice site!
Currently trimming a rescue breed who appears best we can guess as a beagle bull mastiff mix (yeah, gotta imagine that one!). Many sites keep low rating the low calorie foods. My 57 lb pooch needs to lose about 5 more lbs (was 62.5 lbs). I added in 300cal/cup and got back a reasonable volume per day. He actually gets less dry but he gets some wet and some treats so adjusting for that, pretty much right on track!
I feel like this calculator is way off, I have a 67 lb weimaraner, right now hes on Horizon Legacy, he eats about 1 3/4 cups a day total. The calculator reccomends 3.5 cups for his activity level, he would be morbidly obese eating that much.
I’ve asked few other people who’s dogs are within 65-70 lb range and they all feed around 2 cups a day of the higher protein foods.
Hi Victoria… the calculator isn’t perfect. But the formulas used to create it are based upon a 1999 scientific study and report by the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition. You may want to check our calculator’s recommended daily calories with ones on another website. If you find any major disagreement, please be sure to let me know.
used to feed these dogs the cheepest food we could find Pedigree complete adult nutrition.we have fed them this for over 1year.well katie has very dry skin & jimmy it doesn’t matter what you feed him he looks great.we just switched to 4Health chicken &rice formula 2weeks ago.How long before katies skin will look better.Any ideas Katie is a lab/shepard mix and jimmy is lab/boarder collie jimmy is 4.5 katie is3.5 years old.Is there any suppliments I should add to the 4health food?any advice would be helpful.thanks
Hi Katie and Jimmy… the 4Health Dog Food you have chosen is an excellent choice. But it may not solve Katie’s skin issues. Sometimes it’s just your dog’s genetics.
But many times dry itchy skin (along with infected ears) can actually be a result of atopic dermatitis. This condition can be associated with cheaper feed-type grains in the food. These ingredients are commonly contaminated with grain mites and their droppings.
If Katie’s condition continues, check with your vet about switching to a grain-free dog food. And be sure to check out my article… “Dangerous Canine Diseases Linked to Grains in Dog Food“. Hope this helps.
3 bully boys: Boxer 9; English Bulldog 7; and American Bulldog 12 weeks. Boxer has sensitive stomach and EB is a bit overweight at 73 lbs. Older boys eating Wellness for Seniors and puppy is eating large breed puppy. Breeder has all dogs, all ages, on Dog Lovers Gold. It is less expensive, but is it good and can it be fed to all 3 boys? EB has itchy feet and waxy ears so I think he needs to be on grain free diet. Thoughts?
Thanks!
Hi Deidre… Dog Lovers Gold has been reviewed and rates 4-stars. You have three different life stages living under your roof… a senior, an adult and a puppy. So, in order to feed the same food to all three, Dog Lovers Gold must meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for “all life stages”.
Good news. It does.
Obviously, you need to measure the serving size and feed an appropriate amount to each dog based upon his/her own needs.
And yes, grain-free may help EB.
According to your calculator I should feed my dog 1.35 cups per day… I feed him exactly 1 cup per day (1/2 cup twice a day) his weight still hasn’t budged… then again he’s a pug that sleeps 14 hours a day and gets most his excercise from marking the bushes around the neighborhood!
I have a 14 lb. Pom., 7 years, feeding iams mini chunks 1 1/4 c./day (can’t find cal./cup anywhere), gets typical amt. exercise. I look down at him and see no waist (who could under all that hair), feeling I feel no ribs, I think he could loss a good 4 to 5 lb. He walks the treadmill for 10 min/day now. Should I put him on a weight control food?
Hi Mary… If your dog is overweight, then he’d probably benefit from a little weight loss. You don’t need to use a weight control food. Those products frequently dilute the calories by using high fiber fillers. You can usually achieve the same weight loss by simply decreasing serving size.
I have a 25lb beagle,. I will be feeding her wellness core, but want to mix wet and dry. I am having trouble calculating how much of each to mix.
Hi Barb… Mixing the two is always a great idea. Just figure out how much of each one (wet or dry) you would serve as if it was the only one you plan to feed. Then cut each serving in half. Hope this helps.
Currently trimming a rescue breed who appears best we can guess as a beagle bull mastiff mix (yeah, gotta imagine that one!). Many sites keep low rating the low calorie foods. My 57 lb pooch needs to lose about 5 more lbs (was 62.5 lbs).
I have a 3 yr old Australian Shepherd who we just acquired 4 months ago. He currently gets 1 1/2 cups of Amer. Natl. Premium Dry food. He has gained 3 lbs since we got him.
He only gets fed 1x/day, no scraps, just an occasional bone for treats for training purposes. What are we doing wrong if he’s gained this weight?
Hi Cathy… Since I’m not a veterinarian, it would be inappropriate for me to speculate on the cause of the weight gain. However, as with us humans, weight gain is almost always related to too many calories fed or too little calories expended (lack of exercise). Why not consider decreasing the number of calories (serving size) and then dividing that amount between two separate meals a day. Hope this helps.
I have a picky 10 month JRT. I’m looking for a high calorie, 5 star, small kibble food. We’ve tried frozen raw, Evo, Wellness. I put the food down for 10 minutes, then I pick it up until next meal. I’ve owned 3 Dobes, 3 JRT’s & never had such a pick!! She only weighs 9.2 lbs. Would appreciate any ideas. I would do the BARF diet but not sure if that would be enough calories to help her gain a pound or two. Thanks very much.
Hi Peg… We, too, have a very picky eater. We now top a good kibble with a 4 or 5-star canned food. We mix the two together… and Bailey gobbles it up. Hope this helps.
How do I calculate a puppy since that is not an option? Mine pup is just 7-8 weeks & 15 pounds. I just selected “typical” since he is basically a sleepholic with spuratic bouts of high output and energy.
Hi Quirt… Probably the best thing to do for now is to simply use the recommended feeding instructions on the dog food package. Sorry for such a boring and unimaginative answer, but this should at least help you get you close.
My golden retriever is a year old and weighs 57 lbs. She is fairly active and I am feeding her 2 cups of 4health lamb and rice per day, one in the morning and one in the evening. She loves the stuff and acts like she wants more. Am I feeding her enough?
Hi Esther… Wish I could tell you, but that’s a question you’ll probably be better able to answer for yourself. First, always try referencing the dog food package for the manufacturer’s recommended serving size. In addition, you may also want to visit our Dog Food Calculator. Hope this helps.
The calculator recommends my dog get about 1500 calories a day. If I fed this much, he would become overweight. He’s a 72lb lab and I feed maybe 2 cups of Evangers dry a day and he gets a few healthy snacks in between (totaling no more than 1000 cals.) If I feed more than that, he’d gain weight really fast. He is now a senior and hypo-thyroid, but takes medication for that.
Hi Sue… I entered the values you mentioned (72 pounds, senior, inactive) and our calculator recommends you feed your dog 1231 calories per day. Assuming you’re feeding the Evanger’s Chicken and Brown Rice dry dog food at 437 calories/cup, our software suggests you feed 2.82 cups per day.
I checked the Feeding Directions on the Evanger’s bag (via their website) and it recommends dogs between 51 and 75 pounds be feed 3.25 to 5.5 cups per day.
Our dog food calculator actually suggests an amount BELOW what’s recommended by the manufacturer.
In any case, both figures are considerably above the two cups per day amount you’re currently feeding.
What does all this mean? Simple. It means what’s right for your dog is right for your dog. If two cups a day successfully maintains your dog’s ideal body weight, then that’s evidently what your dog needs.
I noticed the comment about “pick eaters” (Bailey and the JRT) and was wondering if you could share what good kibble you have found that Bailey likes?
Kim
Hi Kim… It would be unfair to so many good dog food companies if I were to endorse a “favorite”. So, unfortunately, I never share Bailey’s choice.
In reality, when it comes to the palatability (taste) of any dog food, your pet is the only one that “knows” what does it for him. With Bailey, it was a (costly) trial and error process. I can tell you it turned out to be (not just one but) a number of 4 and 5-star foods. Though it doesn’t seem to work for your pug, the kicker for Bailey has always been the canned topper. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.
Dear Mike,
Great website…could you also do a review section on senior dog food? Wondering about Chicken Soup Senior (dry) in particular.
Thanks for all the great info
Di
(Thailand)
Hi Di… Most senior dog foods are terrible. They are designed to reduce calories by reducing meat content. More modern opinions support higher meat protein content for seniors (but lower fat and carbs). We’re planning to post a list of recommended senior dog foods later this Fall. So, be sure to check back then.
We have a 5 year old large (24′ tall) golden retriever that weighs 115 lbs. The vet said he should lose at least 25 lbs, and to feed him 4 cups of dog food a day. We feed him Beneful Healthy Radiance which is 375 kcals per cup, but I had to reduce it to 2 cups a day since hubby feeds him a little bit of egg and other protein and veggies at breakfast and dinner. Still, that only seems to amount to less than 1,000 calories, and per the calculator, he should be getting 1600-1700 calories. I don’t understand why he doesn’t seem to lose any weight. I guess you can’t really answer that but it’s perplexing. Is it possible to be feeding him too little? He gets a good walk every day.
Hi Betsy… Dogs are like people. They all have different genetics and rates of metabolism. The only predictable way for a dog to lose weight is the same as it is for humans. Decrease caloric intake below the caloric burn rate (the daily amount of energy used by your dog). So, to do that (and as simplistic as it may sound), increase your dog’s daily amount of exercise and/or reduce the number of calories consumed. That’s the only scientific way I know that should work.