Dog Food Calculator
Not sure how much to feed your dog? Enter a weight or breed plus life stage, and this calculator gives the daily kibble in grams, split into meals.
Feed roughly
244 g of kibble / day
That is about 122 g across 2 meals a day.
Neutered and lower-activity dogs burn less, so portions are smaller.
How we worked it out:
Based on a typical dry food at 3.5 kcal per gram. Check the back of your own bag, as energy density varies. Always adjust to keep your dog at a healthy body condition.
How the dog food calculation works
Feeding charts on the back of the bag treat every dog the same, yet a sprightly young Spaniel and a snoozy neutered Labrador of identical weight have very different needs. The fairer way is to work from calories. Vets use the resting energy requirement, written as 70 multiplied by body weight in kilograms raised to the power of 0.75. That gives the energy a dog burns simply existing, before any walks or play.
Real dogs do more than rest, so the resting figure is scaled by a factor that reflects life stage and activity. A growing puppy needs roughly two and a half times its resting energy to fuel that rapid development. A neutered adult living a calm life needs only about 1.6 times, because neutering lowers the metabolic rate. An active dog in regular hard exercise climbs toward 2.0, while an older, slower dog sits near 1.4. Once you have the daily calories, dividing by the food's energy density, around 3.5 kcal per gram for typical dry kibble, converts it into grams you can actually measure into a bowl.
Adjusting portions to your dog
Treat the result as a sensible starting point, not a fixed prescription. Two things change the answer in practice. First, food energy varies: a rich, high-meat kibble packs more calories per gram than a light formula, so always check your own bag. Second, dogs vary in metabolism just as people do. The reliable test is body condition. Run your hands over the ribs: you should feel them easily under a thin layer, with a visible waist from above.
- If the ribs are hard to feel, trim the daily amount by about 10 percent.
- If the ribs and spine stand out sharply, add a little more.
- Re-check every couple of weeks and adjust slowly rather than in big jumps.
- Count treats too: they should stay under a tenth of daily calories.
Puppies and pregnant or nursing dogs have special needs that shift week to week, so lean on your vet's guidance for those stages rather than a single figure.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I feed my dog?
Start from daily calories rather than guesswork. A dog needs its resting energy requirement, 70 times its weight in kg to the power of 0.75, multiplied by an activity factor: about 1.6 for a steady neutered adult, 2.0 for an active dog, 2.5 for a growing puppy and 1.4 for a less active senior. Divide the calories by your food energy, around 3.5 kcal per gram for dry kibble.
How many times a day should a dog eat?
Most adult dogs do well on two meals a day. Puppies need more frequent feeding, usually three to four small meals, because their stomachs are small and their energy needs are high.
Should I feed the amount on the bag?
Bag guidelines are a starting point but often run high, and they assume an average activity level. Use a calorie-based estimate, then adjust to keep your dog at a healthy body condition where you can feel the ribs without pressing hard.
How do I know if I am feeding too much?
Check body condition every couple of weeks. If the waist disappears and the ribs are hard to feel, reduce portions by about 10 percent and reassess. If ribs and spine are too prominent, increase slightly. Your vet can confirm a target weight.
Still growing? Check the puppy weight calculator for adult size, or see what a dog really costs to feed and keep with our cost of owning a dog tool.