Dog Food Calculator
Calculate how much to feed your dog daily based on weight, age, and activity level. Returns calories, cups of dry food, and grams.
Average dry food: 300–400 kcal/cup. Check the bag — it varies significantly.
Daily feeding recommendation
Calories
692
kcal/day
Dry food
2
cups/day
By weight
227
g/day
How dog food portions are calculated
The foundation is Resting Energy Requirement (RER): 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75. This represents the calories needed at complete rest. From there, a multiplier based on life stage and activity level gives the Maintenance Energy Requirement (MER) — the actual daily calorie target. A spayed/neutered adult multiplier of 1.6 is standard; active dogs use 2.0–2.4; working dogs can reach 3.0×. The kcal/cup figure on your food bag converts calories to a practical scoop amount.
Why the feeding chart on the bag is often wrong
Manufacturer feeding guides are typically based on intact, moderately active adult dogs and are often generous — meaning they tend to overfeed, which helps sell more food. A spayed or neutered dog needs 20–30% fewer calories than an intact dog of the same weight. If you're following the bag and your dog is gaining weight, drop by 10–15% and monitor body condition. The goal is being able to feel but not see the ribs.
Dry food vs. wet food vs. raw: calorie density differences
Dry kibble typically runs 300–400 kcal per cup (label varies significantly — always check yours). Wet food is around 150–200 kcal per 5.5 oz can. Raw food varies widely but averages 75–100 kcal per oz. Mixing food types requires adjusting portions proportionally — if you replace half the dry calories with wet food, you'll need significantly more wet food by volume to match the same calorie total, since wet food is mostly water.
Related calculators