Dog calories by weight
How many calories should a 5 kg dog eat?
A 5 kg dog (11.02 lb) is a small dog, and small dogs are where careful measuring matters most: one heaped scoop or a few extra treats is a big share of a day's food. This page gives the daily calories for a 5 kg dog at every life stage and activity level, worked out with the same engine as the PetKira feeding calculator.
The short answer
A 5 kg neutered adult dog needs about 374 kcal a day (421 if intact). Starting point, not veterinary advice.
In pounds, 5 kg (11.02 lb). Fed as 2 meals, that is about 187 kcal per meal for a neutered or spayed adult (about 211 kcal if intact). Starting point, not veterinary advice.
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.
Daily calories for a 5 kg dog by life stage and activity
| Life stage or goal | Low | Moderate | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puppy under 4 months | 702 kcal | ||
| Puppy 4 to 12 months | 468 kcal | ||
| Adult, neutered or spayed | 328 kcal | 374 kcal | 374 kcal |
| Adult, not neutered | 374 kcal | 421 kcal | 421 kcal |
| Senior (7 years and over) | 281 kcal | 328 kcal | 328 kcal |
| Weight-loss goal (adults only)Resting energy of the current weight. Puppies and kittens keep their growth number. | 234 kcal | ||
A 5 kg dog split into 2 meals
| Life stage or goal | Per day | Meal 1 + meal 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Puppy under 4 months | 702 kcal | 351 + 351 kcal |
| Puppy 4 to 12 months | 468 kcal | 234 + 234 kcal |
| Adult, neutered or spayed, moderate activity | 374 kcal | 187 + 187 kcal |
| Adult, not neutered, moderate activity | 421 kcal | 211 + 210 kcal |
| Senior (7 years and over), moderate activity | 328 kcal | 164 + 164 kcal |
| Weight-loss goal (adults only) | 234 kcal | 117 + 117 kcal |
Two meals is common feeding practice for adults, not a published calorie standard. Ask your vet how often to feed your pet.
What a 5 kg dog looks like
Five kilograms is about the weight of five 1-litre bottles of water. Fully grown dogs at this weight are usually toy or very small companion dogs. A young puppy of a larger breed can also pass through 5 kg while it grows quickly, which is why this page shows the puppy rows as well as the adult ones.
Weight alone does not tell you a dog's breed, frame or healthy weight. Two adult dogs at 5 kg can look quite different, one lean and one carrying extra. Judge your dog by body condition (you should feel the ribs under a thin layer of fat and see a waist from above) and let your vet confirm the weight that suits them.
How much food is that? A worked example
As an example only, with a dry dog food with 330 kcal per cup, 374 kcal a day for a neutered or spayed adult is 1.13 cups (about 1 1/4) a day, or 0.57 cups (about 1/2) in each of 2 meals. Your food will have a different energy value, so read your own label. Starting point, not veterinary advice.
At this size the daily total is small, so small errors add up. A heaped scoop instead of a level one can be a noticeable fraction of a meal. A kitchen scale that reads to 1 g is the easiest fix, and the grams option in the calculator is built for exactly that.
Treats go a long way on a small dog. They count toward the daily total, and the common guidance of keeping treats to about 10% of the day (ask your vet) works out to about 37 kcal a day here, which is not much food. Starting point, not veterinary advice.
Day-to-day feeding at 5 kg
A typical day at 5 kg is simple: a morning meal and an evening meal of about 187 kcal each for a neutered or spayed adult, with the treat allowance of about 37 kcal spent on training rewards or a chew instead of added on top. The portions are so small that many owners of small dogs measure the whole day's food into a lidded container each morning, so nothing is forgotten and nothing is doubled by a second person. If your dog is still a puppy, the same 5 kg means a growth day instead: about 176 kcal per meal over four meals under 4 months, or about 156 kcal over three from 4 to 12 months (common practice, ask your vet). Starting point, not veterinary advice.
5 kg in pounds
5 kg (11.02 lb). The calculator takes pounds as well and converts them exactly (1 lb is 0.45359237 kg) before it calculates. For example, 11 lb is 4.99 kg, which gives 374 kcal a day for a neutered or spayed adult dog at moderate activity. Starting point, not veterinary advice.
How 5 kg compares with nearby weights
- Heavier: a 10 kg dog needs 256 kcal more a day than a 5 kg dog (630 versus 374 for a neutered or spayed adult at moderate activity), which is 68% more energy for 100% more body weight. Starting point, not veterinary advice. See the 10 kg dog page.
Not exactly 5 kg? The dog calorie calculator works out any weight from 0.2 to 120 kg.
Got questions?
5 kg dog calories: questions
How many calories should a 5 kg dog eat per day?
A 5 kg neutered or spayed adult dog at moderate activity needs about 374 kcal a day, and an intact adult about 421 kcal. At low activity the neutered figure is 328 kcal. A weight-loss goal for an adult uses the resting energy of the current weight, 234 kcal. Starting point, not veterinary advice.
How much food does a 5 kg dog need each day?
It depends on how many calories the food has, so use the label on your own food. For comparison, a dry dog food with 330 kcal per cup would mean 1.13 cups (about 1 1/4) a day (0.57 cups (about 1/2) per meal over 2 meals) to supply the 374 kcal that a neutered or spayed adult dog of 5 kg needs at moderate activity. Measure by weight if you can. Starting point, not veterinary advice.
Is a 5 kg dog a puppy or an adult?
It can be either. A toy or very small adult dog can weigh 5 kg, and growing puppies of many sizes pass through it. If your dog is under 12 months, use the puppy rows: a 5 kg puppy under 4 months needs about 702 kcal a day and a puppy of 4 to 12 months about 468 kcal. Growing puppies should be weighed often and checked with your vet. Starting point, not veterinary advice.
Why does a 5 kg dog need so much less than a 10 kg dog?
Energy needs rise with body weight, but not in step with it. The resting energy formula (70 x weight in kg to the power of 0.75) gives about 234 kcal for 5 kg and about 394 kcal for 10 kg, so doubling the weight raises resting energy by well under double. Starting point, not veterinary advice.
Related pages
- 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 calorie calculator any weight, kg or lb
- 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
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