Dog Feeding Calculator

Feeding by energy, not by the scoop, is what keeps a dog at a healthy weight. The calculator uses the method in the MSD Veterinary Manual (reviewed by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist in 2023):

• Resting energy requirement (RER) = 70 × body weight in kg^0.75, in kcal a day.
• Daily energy = RER × a life-stage factor: 3 for a puppy under 4 months, 2 for a puppy over 4 months, 1.6 for a desexed adult, 1.8 for an adult that is not desexed and 1.4 for an adult prone to weight gain.

It then converts that energy to grams using the figure on your food's label (if your label gives kilojoules, 1 kcal is 4.184 kJ). Foods vary widely, so always use your own food's figure. The manual itself calls any such formula a starting point and notes that animals of the same weight can vary in the energy they need, so ask your vet, especially for a very active, older or unwell dog.

As a cross-check, the WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee's calorie chart for an average healthy adult dog in ideal body condition (updated July 2020) gives 790 to 993 kcal a day for a 20 kg dog, based on 95 to 130 kcal × body weight in kg^0.75 for inactive to active adults. That is lower than the MSD figure for a desexed adult of the same weight (about 1,060 kcal). WSAVA does not publish the life-stage factors above, so they come from the MSD Veterinary Manual alone. Either way, watch body condition and adjust with your vet.

• Puppies: RSPCA Australia advises offering food at least 4 times a day to begin with, then reducing the number of meals as the puppy grows.
• Adult dogs: at least twice a day, to help avoid bloat, and no exercise right before or after a meal.

RSPCA Australia notes bloat can be fatal and that this advice applies particularly to deep-chested dogs such as Boxers and German Shepherds. Read the signs in our guide to dog bloat (GDV).

Puppies need more energy for their size because they are growing, which is why the calculator uses higher factors for them. RSPCA Australia warns that overfeeding, particularly in large and giant breeds, can predispose puppies to muscle and bone problems, so feed a complete puppy food and let your vet check growth at each visit. To see how big your puppy is likely to get, use the puppy weight calculator.

The WSAVA body condition chart for dogs describes a dog at ideal weight like this:

• Ribs: you can feel them without excess fat covering.
• Waist: looking down from above, you can see a waist behind the ribs.
• Profile: from the side, the belly tucks up.

Re-check every few weeks and adjust the amount up or down. The chart cites a lifetime study of 48 Labrador Retrievers (Kealy and colleagues, JAVMA, 2002) in which the dogs fed 25% less than their pair-mates had a significantly longer median life span. This tool is general information, not a substitute for your vet's advice.

• What your dog eats and chews matters for its teeth too: see dog dental care.
• Food is one of the biggest running costs. Add it up with the dog cost calculator, or compare the cheapest dog breeds to own in Australia.
• Desexing lowers the energy factor in the formula above. For prices, see dog desexing cost in Australia.