By Zencalcy Editorial TeamLast reviewed About us
Vet-approved dog feeding calculator for 2026. Enter your dog's weight, age, spayed/neutered status and activity to get daily calories, cups per meal, and weekly/monthly totals for dry kibble, wet canned or raw. Uses ideal weight for overweight dogs (WSAVA) and shows every step in “How we calculated.”
Vet-approved RER × DER — daily calories & cups by weight
Runs instantly in your browser. No signup. Uses ideal weight for overweight dogs (WSAVA).
Use current scale weight. For overweight, add ideal weight below.
Primary driver after weight. Be honest — most pets are Low/Moderate.
Adjusts ±15% and controls RER weight. When in doubt choose Ideal.
Check label: dry 300–450/cup, wet 250–450/can, raw 250–400/8oz.
~100g dry per cup; cup sizes vary — weigh for best accuracy.
Formula: RER = 70 × (ideal kg)^0.75. MER = RER × multiplier (NRC). Cups = MER ÷ kcal per cup. See “How we calculated” after result.
Enter your dog's details to see results
Example: 30 lb neutered adult, moderate → ~794 kcal/day → ~2.3 cups dry (350 kcal/cup)
Tip: use a kitchen scale for ±1 g accuracy. One “cup” varies 80 to 120 g by kibble shape and how you scoop, weighing beats scooping.
A dog food calculator converts your dog's weight into a daily portion. A flat rule like 1 cup per 20 lb misses age, neuter status and activity, so this tool uses the veterinary Resting Energy Requirement (RER) and Daily Energy Requirement (DER/MER) method from the NRC Nutrient Requirements of Dogs (2006) and WSAVA Nutrition Guidelines. It accounts for life stage (puppy, adult, senior), spayed or neutered status, activity, body condition and food calories so daily portions stay steady.
Use it as a puppy feeding calculator, senior dog calculator, or wet vs dry converter, enter kcal per cup or per can from the label and get daily kcal, cups (or cans/servings) per day and per meal, grams per day, and weekly/monthly totals. See PetMD’s calorie guide for background on RER.
Same entries always give the same result. Your own numbers appear live under How we calculated.
RER = 70 × (weight_kg)^0.75 e.g. 30 lb =13.6 kg → 70×13.6^0.75 = 496 kcal MER = RER × multiplier Puppy 0 to 4 mo 3.0× | 4 mo to adult 2.0× Adult neutered 1.6× | intact 1.8× Active 2.0× | very active 3.0× | senior 1.2 to 1.6× Body condition: overweight ×0.85, underweight ×1.15 Cups/day = MER ÷ kcal_per_cup e.g. 794 ÷ 350 = 2.3 cups → 1.1 cups ×2 meals
For overweight dogs RER uses ideal weight, not current, e.g., 70 lb current / 60 lb ideal → RER from 27.2 kg, not 31.8 kg (saves ~15%). Sources: NRC (2006), WSAVA 2011.
Enter current weight. If Body condition = Overweight, add Ideal weight, we switch RER to ideal. Not sure of ideal? Ask your vet for target BCS 4 to 5/9. For weight loss, vets target 1.0× RER of ideal initially.
Puppies need far more per kg than adults (growth). Neutered adults need less than intact (hormone/metabolism). Activity is the next biggest lever after weight, “High/Very High” can double needs vs “Low.”
Kcal per cup varies 300 to 550 even within one brand. For wet, enter kcal per can (not per kg). For raw, per 8-oz serving. Then cans/servings = MER ÷ kcal per can/serving. Weight in grams shown for scale users.
Puppy <5 kg = 4/day, other puppies 3/day, adults/seniors 2/day. Weekly = ×7, Monthly = ×30. Treats and toppers count, keep to ≤10% of daily kcal.
Reference for a typical neutered adult, moderate activity, ideal condition. Your dog’s number will differ by age/activity/brand, use the calculator for your exact. MER = RER ×1.6; cups = MER ÷350. For intact add ~12% (+0.2×), for active 2.0× add ~25%.
| Weight | kg | RER (kcal) | MER 1.6× (kcal/day) | Cups/day (350 kcal/cup) | Per meal (×2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 lb | 2.3 | 129 | 207 | 0.6 | 0.3 |
| 10 lb | 4.5 | 218 | 348 | 1 | 0.5 |
| 15 lb | 6.8 | 295 | 472 | 1.3 | 0.7 |
| 20 lb | 9.1 | 366 | 585 | 1.7 | 0.9 |
| 30 lb | 13.6 | 496 | 794 | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| 40 lb | 18.1 | 615 | 985 | 2.8 | 1.4 |
| 50 lb | 22.7 | 727 | 1164 | 3.3 | 1.7 |
| 60 lb | 27.2 | 834 | 1335 | 3.8 | 1.9 |
| 70 lb | 31.8 | 936 | 1498 | 4.3 | 2.2 |
| 80 lb | 36.3 | 1035 | 1656 | 4.7 | 2.4 |
| 100 lb | 45.4 | 1223 | 1958 | 5.6 | 2.8 |
| 120 lb | 54.4 | 1403 | 2244 | 6.4 | 3.2 |
Math check: 30 lb =13.6 kg → RER 70×13.6^0.75=496 → MER 496×1.6=794 kcal → 794÷350=2.3 cups. Copy the row into the calculator to verify interactive result matches.
~300 to 450 kcal/cup, ~100 g/cup, ~10% moisture. Easiest to measure; weigh for accuracy.
~250 to 450 kcal/can, ~75 to 78% moisture. Lower kcal per volume, needs more weight (g), fewer kcal per can.
~250 to 400 kcal/8 oz (35 to 55 kcal/oz), higher moisture, variable fat. Must be balanced to AAFCO/NRC.
| Food Type | Typical kcal | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dry kibble (per cup) | 300 to 450 kcal | ~8 oz by volume, ~95 to 120 g. Check kcal/cup, not kcal/kg alone. |
| Wet canned (per 13 oz can) | 250 to 450 kcal | High moisture dilutes kcal. “Gravy” vs “pâté” differs 15 to 25%. |
| Raw / fresh (per 8 oz) | 250 to 400 kcal | Fat % drives kcal. Must supplement to be complete & balanced. |
Always use the specific product’s label, “350 kcal/cup” on one formula vs “420/cup” on another changes daily cups by 20%. For wet, if label lists kcal/kg, convert: kcal/can = kcal/kg × kg per can (13 oz =0.37 kg).
Three real scenarios you can copy into the calculator. Uses 350 kcal/cup dry where noted.
13.6 kg · RER 496 · 1.6× =794 kcal · dry 350/cup
4.5 kg · RER 218 · 2.0× =435 kcal · dry 350/cup
Uses ideal 27.2 kg, not 31.8 kg · overweight −15%
This calculator provides general feeding estimates from published veterinary formulas (NRC 2006, WSAVA). It does not replace professional diagnosis, breed-specific guidance, or advice for dogs with medical conditions, food allergies, or on prescription diets.
Always consult your veterinarian for personalized feeding, especially for puppies, large-breed growth, pregnancy/lactation, senior dogs, or weight-loss plans. Monitor weight every 2 to 4 weeks and report sudden loss/gain, vomiting, diarrhea, or lethargy promptly.
No external APIs are used; all math runs client-side. Cup/gram conversions are approximate by food shape and density, weighing is most accurate.
Sources for methodology
It depends on weight, neutered status, age, activity and the food's kcal per cup. This calculator uses RER = 70 × (kg)^0.75 and a vet multiplier (e.g., 1.6 neutered adult, 1.8 intact, 2.0 active, 3.0 puppy <4 mo). Divide daily kcal by your food's kcal per cup or can to get cups per day. For overweight dogs, enter ideal weight so RER runs on that number.
Content Updated At : 29/08/2026 · Engine: lib/dogFoodEngine.ts · RER 70·kg^0.75 (NRC/WSAVA)