Dog Food Calculator

Start with calories, not cups. Vets estimate a dog's daily needs from their weight, then adjust for age, activity, and whether they are spayed or neutered. Once you know the calories, the label on your dog's food tells you how many cups, grams, or cans that is.

Feeding guides on bags are a reasonable starting point, but they are often generous, and the same number of cups can mean very different amounts of calories between brands.

First we work out your dog's resting energy requirement, the calories needed just to keep the body running: 70 times body weight in kilograms raised to the power of 0.75. Then we multiply by a factor for life stage and activity from the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) guidelines: about 1.6 for a typical neutered adult, 1.8 for an intact adult, 3 for puppies under 4 months, and 2 for older puppies.

For weight loss, we use the resting energy requirement at the target weight, which is the starting point AAHA recommends. Every dog is different, so think of the result as a first guess to fine-tune by weighing your dog.

• Puppies need far more calories per pound than adults while they grow.
• Feed 3 to 4 small meals a day until about 4 months, then 2 to 3 meals.
• Large and giant breeds do best on a large-breed puppy food that supports steady, not rapid, growth.
• Recalculate every couple of weeks, since weight changes quickly.

Wondering how big your puppy will get? Try our puppy growth predictor.

Run your hands along your dog's sides and look from above and from the side:

• Ideal: ribs easy to feel with light pressure, a visible waist from above, and a belly that tucks up.
• Overweight: ribs hard to feel, no waist, or a rounded belly.
• Underweight: ribs, spine, or hip bones easy to see.

More than half of pet dogs are thought to be overweight, and extra weight is linked to joint problems and a shorter life. Even a few pounds matters, especially for small dogs.