Find out roughly how many calories your dog needs a day, and how many cups of food that is. The calculator uses the formula vets use, adjusted for age, neutering and activity.
Dog Calorie Calculator
Daily calories and cups of food for your dog.
How the calculation works
Vets start with the resting energy requirement (RER): 70 × body weight in kg raised to the power 0.75. That is multiplied by a factor for the dog’s situation — for example 1.6 for a typical neutered adult, 1.8 for an intact adult, 2–3 for growing puppies and about 1.0 for weight loss.
The result is only a starting point: two dogs of the same weight can need quite different amounts. Weigh your dog every few weeks, check that you can feel (but not see) the ribs, and adjust the food by about 10% at a time.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories does a 20 kg (44 lb) dog need?
A typical neutered adult dog of 20 kg needs roughly 1,060 kcal a day (RER of about 660 kcal × 1.6).
How many treats can my dog have?
Keep treats under 10% of daily calories, and reduce meals slightly on days with extra treats.
Should I use my dog’s current weight or ideal weight?
Use the current weight for a healthy dog. For weight loss, vets work from the target weight — ask your vet to set it.