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Dog calorie calculator by weight
How many calories should your dog eat? Enter their weight in kg or lb, pick a life stage from puppy to senior, set activity and a maintain or weight-loss goal, and get a daily calorie estimate. Add your food's calories, wet or dry, to turn it into cups or grams.
Estimated daily energy
Enter your dog's weight to see an estimate of calories per day.
A starting estimate for a healthy pet, not a prescription. Adjust with your veterinarian based on body condition.
Not veterinary advice. These figures are general estimates for healthy dogs and cats. They do not diagnose, treat or replace the advice of a licensed veterinarian. Pets with medical conditions, pregnant or nursing pets, and pets that are underweight or overweight should have their calorie targets set by a vet. If your pet's weight or appetite changes, talk to your veterinarian. See also our AI disclaimer.
By weight
Dog calorie calculator by weight: common sizes
Weight is the biggest driver of a dog's calorie needs. These are the daily figures at five common weights, each with its own page that shows every life stage and activity level. For example, a 10 kg neutered or spayed adult dog at moderate activity needs about 630 kcal a day. Starting point, not veterinary advice.
| Weight | Neutered adult | Intact adult | Weight loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 kg (11.02 lb) | 374 kcal | 421 kcal | 234 kcal |
| 10 kg (22.05 lb) | 630 kcal | 709 kcal | 394 kcal |
| 15 kg (33.07 lb) | 854 kcal | 960 kcal | 534 kcal |
| 20 kg (44.09 lb) | 1,059 kcal | 1,192 kcal | 662 kcal |
| 30 kg (66.14 lb) | 1,436 kcal | 1,615 kcal | 897 kcal |
The formula
The dog calorie formula and its factors
Daily kcal = 70 x weight in kg0.75 x factor
The first part is the resting energy requirement. The factor depends on life stage, neuter status and activity. These are guideline values for healthy dogs, so treat the result as a starting point and adjust by body condition. Neutered adults use 1.6 at moderate and high activity and 1.4 at low activity; the lower end of the published range is the lower-calorie choice.
Dog factors
| Life stage or goal | Low | Moderate | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puppy under 4 months | 3.0 | ||
| Puppy 4 to 12 months | 2.0 | ||
| Adult, neutered or spayed | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.6 |
| Adult, not neutered | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.8 |
| Senior (7 years and over) | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
| Weight loss goal (adults only)Resting energy of the current weight. Puppies and kittens use their growth factor. | 1.0 | ||
Working dogs and very active pets vary a lot; ask your vet to set a target.
Dog calorie calculator for weight loss
Pick the weight-loss goal for an adult dog and the calculator uses the resting energy of your dog's current weight, the lowest figure it will give. For a 10 kg dog that is 394 kcal a day, compared with 630 kcal for a neutered or spayed adult at moderate activity. Starting point, not veterinary advice.
The calculator has no ideal-weight box, so it cannot tell you how much your dog should lose or how fast. Ask your vet for a target weight and a pace, weigh your dog every couple of weeks, and keep treats inside the daily total. Puppies are not put on a weight-loss goal.
Dog calorie calculator for puppies
Growing puppies use a growth factor: 3.0 times resting energy under 4 months and 2.0 times from 4 to 12 months. At 5 kg that is about 702 kcal a day for the younger group and 468 kcal for the older one. Starting point, not veterinary advice.
Puppies gain weight quickly, so the number needs rechecking often. See the puppy feeding chart for calories and meals by weight, and ask your vet about growth, especially for large breeds.
Calories for a senior dog
Dogs from 7 years use the senior stage: 1.4 times resting energy at moderate and high activity, and 1.2 at low activity. For a 10 kg senior dog that is 551 kcal a day, or 472 kcal at low activity. Older dogs slow down at different rates, so choose the activity level that matches your dog and let body condition lead. A change in appetite or weight is worth a vet visit. Starting point, not veterinary advice.
Wet and dry dog food calories
Enter one food in the calculator to see cups or grams. If you mix wet and dry, work out each food's calories from its label and make them add up to the daily number, as in the example in the questions below. Calories vary a lot between foods, so a cup of one kibble is not a cup of another. Treats count too.
What this calculator does not do
There is no breed field and no weight-gain mode, and it does not replace advice from a vet. Dogs that are unwell, pregnant, nursing, underweight, overweight or very active need a vet-set target. Meal plans, reminders and tracking are what the meal plan generator and the PetKira app are for.
Got questions?
Dog calorie calculator FAQ
How many calories does a dog need by weight?
It starts from the resting energy requirement, 70 x weight in kg to the power of 0.75, multiplied by a factor for life stage and activity. A 10 kg dog has a resting requirement of about 394 kcal; a neutered or spayed adult at moderate activity needs about 630 kcal a day and an intact adult about 709. A 20 kg neutered adult needs about 1059. Starting point, not veterinary advice.
What is the dog calorie calculator formula?
Daily energy = resting energy x factor, where resting energy is 70 x weight in kg^0.75. The factors in this calculator are 3.0 for a puppy under 4 months, 2.0 for a puppy of 4 to 12 months, 1.6 for a neutered or spayed adult (1.4 at low activity), 1.8 for an intact adult (1.6 at low activity) and 1.4 for a senior dog (1.2 at low activity). They are guideline values for healthy dogs, not a prescription.
How many calories should a dog eat to lose weight?
Choose the weight-loss goal, available for adult dogs. It uses the resting energy of the current weight, which is 394 kcal a day for a 10 kg dog and 662 kcal for a 20 kg dog. It never goes below that, and it has no ideal-weight input, so ask your vet for a target and a pace. Starting point, not veterinary advice.
Is there a dog calorie calculator for puppies?
Yes. Puppies under 4 months use 3.0 x resting energy and puppies of 4 to 12 months use 2.0 x. A 5 kg puppy is estimated at about 702 kcal a day under 4 months and about 468 kcal from 4 to 12 months. Activity and weight goals are switched off for puppies. Weigh often, re-check the number as your puppy grows, and ask your vet about large-breed growth. Starting point, not veterinary advice.
Does the dog calorie calculator work by breed?
There is no breed field. Weight, life stage, neuter status and activity drive the estimate, because they are what the published energy factors are based on. Dogs of the same weight can still differ by breed and build, so adjust by body condition and ask your vet, especially for large-breed puppies.
Can I use it to help a dog gain weight?
No. This calculator has a maintain and a weight-loss goal, but no weight-gain mode. A dog that is underweight or losing weight should be checked by a vet first, since low weight can have a medical cause, and the vet can set a target.
How do I count wet and dry food together?
Work out the calories each provides from its label, then make the two add up to the daily number. For example, if wet food supplies a quarter of the day for a 10 kg neutered adult, that is about 158 kcal of wet food and the other 472 kcal from dry. At 90 kcal per 100 g wet that is 176 g (example figures only; use your own labels). Starting point, not veterinary advice.
Does it work in pounds, and for UK and Canadian owners?
Yes. Enter the weight in kg or lb. Pounds are converted to kilograms exactly (1 lb is 0.45359237 kg) before the calculation. The weight must be between 0.2 and 120 kg (about 0.5 to 264 lb); outside that range the calculator asks you to check the number and unit instead of giving a calorie figure.
Related pages and guides
- How many calories should a 5 kg dog eat?
- How many calories should a 10 kg dog eat?
- How many calories should a 15 kg dog eat?
- How many calories should a 20 kg dog eat?
- How many calories should a 30 kg dog eat?
- Dog and cat feeding calculator
- Meal plan generator with a sample 7-day schedule
- Puppy feeding chart
- How much to feed a dog by weight
- How to switch dog food safely
- A meal plan for a picky dog
Want a plan built around your pet?
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