Dog Food Calculator
Work out how much to feed your dog each day. Enter her weight, life stage, and her food's calories for cups per day and per meal.
DogChart Calculator
Dog Food Calculator
Find how many cups to feed your dog each day, based on her weight, life stage, and the calories in her food.
Enter a weight and life stage to see daily cups.
This is a starting point. Watch her body condition and adjust. Wet food and treats add calories, so lower the dry portion if you mix. Puppies, pregnant or nursing dogs, and dogs with health issues need a vet's plan.
How to use this calculator
Enter your dog's weight and choose her life stage. Then add the calories per cup from her food bag, since that number changes the result more than anything else. Pick how many meals she eats a day and press calculate. You get cups per day, cups per meal, and her daily calorie target.
Why the food's calories matter
Two bags of kibble can differ by a third in calories per cup. A rich, high-fat food packs more energy into the same scoop than a light formula. Guess the number and you can overfeed by a cup a day without knowing. The figure is printed on the bag, usually as kcal per cup, and it runs from about 325 to 400 for most dry foods. Enter the real number for a result you can trust.
What you need
- Her weight. The dog weight chart helps if you are not sure what is healthy for her breed.
- Her life stage. Puppies, seniors, and intact dogs burn energy at different rates.
- Her food's calories per cup, from the bag.
How to read your result
The big number is cups per day. The tool splits it across the meals you chose, so you know how much goes in each bowl. The calorie line is her daily target, and treats count toward it, so keep treats under about a tenth of her calories. If she is gaining weight, trim the portion. If you cannot feel her ribs under a light press, she is over her ideal weight. Want amounts laid out by weight without the math? See our dog food chart.
What the calculator leaves out
Wet food, toppers, and dental chews all add calories. If you mix wet and dry, lower the dry portion to match. Hard-working dogs, pregnant or nursing mothers, and dogs with health conditions need a vet's input, since their needs swing well past the standard numbers.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I feed my dog?
It depends on her weight, life stage, and food. Enter those above for cups per day. As a rough guide, a 50-pound adult eats around 2.5 to 3 cups of average kibble a day.
Where do I find my food's calories?
On the bag, listed as kcal per cup or calories per cup, usually near the feeding guide. If only a per-kilogram figure is shown, ask the brand for the per-cup number or use 350 as a stand-in.
Should I feed once or twice a day?
Most adult dogs do well on two meals. Puppies need three or four smaller meals. Set the meal count in the tool and it splits the daily amount for you.
How do I know if I am feeding too much?
Use the rib test. Press lightly along her side. You should feel ribs without pressing hard. No ribs means cut back, while sharp ribs mean add a little.
Does the amount change for puppies and seniors?
Yes. Puppies eat far more for their size while they grow, and many seniors need less as they slow down. Pick the right life stage so the tool adjusts.
This tool gives estimates based on standard resting-energy formulas and general veterinary guidance. Adjust to your dog's body condition, and ask your vet about puppies, pregnancy, weight loss plans, or any health condition.