How many calories does a dog need per day?
An adult dog needs roughly 95 to 130 kcal per kilogram of body weight raised to the power 0.75 (NRC 2006): 534-731 kcal a day for a 10 kg dog, 898-1,229 for 20 kg, 1,511-2,068 for 40 kg. Small dogs need more per kilogram than big ones, puppies need more than adults, and a dog on a diet gets its resting requirement for the target weight. The tables below cover 2 to 60 kg, puppies by expected adult size, and the WSAVA chart range.
Adult dogs: calories a day by weight
RER is the resting energy requirement, 70 x kg^0.75 (Merck Veterinary Manual). Inactive and active are the NRC 2006 maintenance equations used by the WSAVA feeding charts; the last column is the range on the WSAVA chart itself.
| Weight | RER | Inactive / neutered | Active | WSAVA chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 kg (4 lb) | 118 | 160 | 219 | 141-177 |
| 4 kg (9 lb) | 198 | 269 | 368 | 238-297 |
| 6 kg (13 lb) | 268 | 364 | 498 | 322-403 |
| 8 kg (18 lb) | 333 | 452 | 618 | 400-499 |
| 10 kg (22 lb) | 394 | 534 | 731 | 472-590 |
| 15 kg (33 lb) | 534 | 724 | 991 | 640-800 |
| 20 kg (44 lb) | 662 | 898 | 1,229 | 794-993 |
| 25 kg (55 lb) | 783 | 1,062 | 1,453 | 939-1,174 |
| 30 kg (66 lb) | 897 | 1,218 | 1,666 | 1,077-1,346 |
| 35 kg (77 lb) | 1,007 | 1,367 | 1,871 | 1,209-1,511 |
| 40 kg (88 lb) | 1,113 | 1,511 | 2,068 | 1,336-1,670 |
| 50 kg (110 lb) | 1,316 | 1,786 | 2,444 | 1,579-1,974 |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 1,509 | 2,048 | 2,803 | 1,811-2,264 |
Puppies: calories a day by expected adult weight
NRC 2006 growth equation, 130 x W^0.75 x 3.2 x (e^(-0.87 p) - 0.1), where p is the current weight divided by the expected adult weight. Each cell shows the calories and the puppy weight it applies to.
| Adult weight | At 25% of adult weight | At 50% | At 75% | Active adult, for comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 kg (11 lb) | 346 (at 1.3 kg) | 453 (at 2.5 kg) | 472 (at 3.8 kg) | 435 |
| 10 kg (22 lb) | 583 (at 2.5 kg) | 761 (at 5 kg) | 793 (at 7.5 kg) | 731 |
| 20 kg (44 lb) | 980 (at 5 kg) | 1,280 (at 10 kg) | 1,334 (at 15 kg) | 1,229 |
| 30 kg (66 lb) | 1,328 (at 7.5 kg) | 1,735 (at 15 kg) | 1,808 (at 22.5 kg) | 1,666 |
| 40 kg (88 lb) | 1,648 (at 10 kg) | 2,153 (at 20 kg) | 2,244 (at 30 kg) | 2,068 |
From calories to food
Divide the calories by the kcal per kg on your bag (x 1,000 for grams) or by the kcal per cup: the dog food calculator does this for any food and splits wet and dry. Individual dogs vary by up to 30% (Merck); weigh monthly and adjust.
Frequently asked questions
- How many calories does a 10 kg dog need?
- Resting requirement 394 kcal (70 x 10^0.75); a neutered or not very active adult 534 kcal; an active adult 731 kcal. The WSAVA chart lists 472-590 kcal for 10 kg.
- Why do small dogs need more calories per kilogram?
- Energy needs scale with body weight to the power 0.75, not with weight itself: a 5 kg dog needs 64 kcal per kg while a 40 kg dog needs 38 kcal per kg, on the same inactive equation. Small breeds have more surface area per kilogram and lose more heat.
- How many calories does a puppy need?
- The NRC growth equation scales with how much of the adult weight the puppy has reached: a 10 kg puppy that will weigh 20 kg needs about 1,280 kcal a day, against 731 for an active 10 kg adult. The table gives puppies at a quarter, half and three quarters of their adult weight.
- How many calories for a dog to lose weight?
- The 2021 AAHA guidelines feed at or below the resting energy requirement of the ideal weight: a 25 kg dog that should weigh 20 kg gets 662 kcal a day (70 x 20^0.75), about 38% less than an inactive 25 kg adult, on a weight-loss diet so nutrients are not cut with the calories. Target 1-2% of body weight a week.
- Do working or sporting dogs need more?
- Yes, well beyond the active equation: sled, herding and hunting dogs in season can need several times their resting requirement. Those diets are set with a vet or a canine nutritionist by measured body condition, not from a table.
More guides
- How many cups of dog food per day?
Cups of kibble a day by dog weight from the calories on your bag: tables for 300 to 450 kcal per cup, inactive and active adults, and meals.
- How much should I feed my dog? Grams and cups by weight
Daily calories and grams of dry food for dogs from 2 to 50 kg, inactive and active, on foods from 3,400 to 4,000 kcal/kg, with the WSAVA chart range.
- How much wet food to feed a cat per day?
Pouches and cans a day for cats from 3 to 6 kg, wet only or half wet, half dry, for pouches labelled 70 to 110 kcal, plus the grams of kibble to add.
- How old is my dog in human years? Table from 1 to 16
Year-by-year table of dog age in human years by the AKC rule and the epigenetic clock, when a dog is senior by size, and the International Cat Care cat table.
Last updated 2026-09-15. Figures are planning estimates from typical product data: check the yield, size or coverage printed on what you buy and round up.