Dog Food Portion Calculator
Estimate your dog's daily calories and the cups of food that meets them. Enter weight, an activity factor and your food's calories per cup. This is a general guide, so adjust to keep a healthy body condition and ask your vet about diet plans.
How to use the dog food portion calculator
- Enter your dog's weight in pounds or kilograms.
- Pick an activity factor (1.6 suits a typical neutered adult dog).
- Enter the calories per cup printed on the food bag.
- Read the daily calories and the suggested cups per day.
Examples
20 kg neutered adult dog
Weight 20 kg, activity factor 1.6, food 350 kcal per cup
Resting energy about 662 kcal, daily energy about 1059 kcal, roughly 3.03 cups per day
Small 10 lb dog
Weight 10 lb (about 4.54 kg), food 350 kcal per cup
Resting energy about 218 kcal before the activity factor is applied
Frequently asked questions
How is the daily calorie need calculated?
It starts from the resting energy requirement, RER = 70 times body weight in kg to the power 0.75, then multiplies by an activity factor. The default factor of 1.6 reflects a neutered adult dog at maintenance.
What activity factor should I use?
Common maintenance factors are about 1.6 for a neutered adult, 1.8 for an intact adult, 1.0 for weight loss, and 2.0 or more for very active or working dogs. Puppies use higher factors. Pick the one that best fits your dog.
Where do I find the calories per cup?
Look for the calorie content, often shown as kcal per cup or per kilogram, on the food bag or the maker's website. Enter the kcal per cup so the tool can convert daily calories into cups.
How accurate is this estimate?
Treat it as a general starting point. Real needs vary with breed, age, metabolism, neuter status and health. Weigh your dog and watch body condition over a few weeks, then adjust the amount up or down as needed.
Should I split the food into more than one meal?
Most adult dogs do well on two meals a day, and puppies often need three or more. Divide the daily cups across meals. For diet, weight or medical questions, consult your veterinarian.
Related tools
Dog Water Intake Calculator
Estimate how much water your dog should drink each day from its weight. Get a target in ounces, milliliters and cups using the 1 oz per pound rule.
Puppy Weight Calculator
Estimate your puppy adult weight from its current weight and age in weeks. A quick linear projection that gives a rough ballpark by breed size.
Dog Age Calculator
Convert your dog's age to human years. Compare the science-based epigenetic formula with the classic size-based rule and see the result instantly.
Aquarium Heater Wattage Calculator
Estimate the heater wattage your fish tank needs from its size and how far above room temperature you heat. Uses the watts per gallon guideline.
Aquarium Salt Mix Calculator
Estimate how much marine salt to mix for a target salinity. Enter gallons and a specific gravity to get grams, kilograms and pounds of salt.
Aquarium Stocking Calculator
Estimate how many inches of fish your tank holds or what tank size your fish need. Uses the inch per gallon guideline for fresh or saltwater.