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Pet calculator

Dog Food Calculator

Estimate daily calories and food amount for a dog from weight and a life-stage/activity factor.

Feeding needs vary by breed, age, neuter status, body condition, disease and food formulation. Adjust with veterinary guidance and body-condition tracking.

Method

Resting energy requirement is estimated as 70 x body weight in kg to the 0.75 power. Daily energy is RER multiplied by the selected factor.

Example

A 20 kg neutered adult dog has an estimated RER of about 662 kcal/day. Using a 1.6 factor gives about 1,059 kcal/day. If the food has 380 kcal per cup, that is about 2.8 cups per day before veterinary or body-condition adjustments.

Common mistakes

Use the calorie value from the food label, not the package weight. Treat snacks, chews and table food as part of the daily calorie budget.

Limitations

Dogs with weight problems, pregnancy, growth, illness or special diets need veterinary guidance. Adjust the estimate over time using body condition, weight trend and the animal's actual response.

References

Last reviewed: 2026-05-17

Before relying on this result

Use this calculator together with the formula, assumptions, limitations and examples on the page. If the topic involves health, tax, lending, investment, legal, safety or current-rate decisions, treat the number as an estimate and check the relevant primary source or professional guidance.

Calculator metadata last reviewed: 2026-05-14.