How much should I feed my dog? Grams and cups by weight
A 10 kg (22 lb) neutered adult dog needs about 534 kcal a day, 731 if it is genuinely active, which on a 3,600 kcal/kg kibble is 148 g a day. The right amount depends on weight, activity and the calories of the food, so the tables give calories by weight and then grams for four common calorie densities. Read the kcal per kg on your bag and pick that column.
Calories a day by weight
NRC 2006 adult equations as used by the WSAVA feeding charts: inactive or neutered 95 kcal x kg^0.75, active 130 kcal x kg^0.75. The last column is the range printed on the WSAVA chart itself.
| Dog weight | Inactive / neutered | Active | WSAVA chart range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 kg (4 lb) | 160 | 219 | 141-177 |
| 5 kg (11 lb) | 318 | 435 | 281-351 |
| 10 kg (22 lb) | 534 | 731 | 472-590 |
| 15 kg (33 lb) | 724 | 991 | 640-800 |
| 20 kg (44 lb) | 898 | 1,229 | 794-993 |
| 25 kg (55 lb) | 1,062 | 1,453 | 939-1,174 |
| 30 kg (66 lb) | 1,218 | 1,666 | 1,077-1,346 |
| 40 kg (88 lb) | 1,511 | 2,068 | 1,336-1,670 |
| 50 kg (110 lb) | 1,786 | 2,444 | 1,579-1,974 |
Grams of dry food a day, inactive or neutered adult
| Dog weight | 3,400 kcal/kg | 3,600 kcal/kg | 3,800 kcal/kg | 4,000 kcal/kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 kg (4 lb) | 47 | 44 | 42 | 40 |
| 5 kg (11 lb) | 93 | 88 | 84 | 79 |
| 10 kg (22 lb) | 157 | 148 | 141 | 134 |
| 15 kg (33 lb) | 213 | 201 | 191 | 181 |
| 20 kg (44 lb) | 264 | 250 | 236 | 225 |
| 25 kg (55 lb) | 312 | 295 | 280 | 266 |
| 30 kg (66 lb) | 358 | 338 | 320 | 304 |
| 40 kg (88 lb) | 444 | 420 | 398 | 378 |
| 50 kg (110 lb) | 525 | 496 | 470 | 447 |
Grams of dry food a day, active adult
| Dog weight | 3,400 kcal/kg | 3,600 kcal/kg | 3,800 kcal/kg | 4,000 kcal/kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 kg (4 lb) | 64 | 61 | 58 | 55 |
| 5 kg (11 lb) | 128 | 121 | 114 | 109 |
| 10 kg (22 lb) | 215 | 203 | 192 | 183 |
| 15 kg (33 lb) | 291 | 275 | 261 | 248 |
| 20 kg (44 lb) | 362 | 342 | 324 | 307 |
| 25 kg (55 lb) | 427 | 404 | 382 | 363 |
| 30 kg (66 lb) | 490 | 463 | 439 | 417 |
| 40 kg (88 lb) | 608 | 574 | 544 | 517 |
| 50 kg (110 lb) | 719 | 679 | 643 | 611 |
Cups, cans and mixed feeding
Cups depend on the kcal per cup printed on the bag, not on grams alone; see how many cups of dog food per day. If part of the diet is wet food, the dog food calculator splits the same calories between cans and kibble by the share you choose. In pounds and cups, the same equations make the dog feeding chart by weight in lbs.
Frequently asked questions
- How much should a 30 kg (66 lb) dog eat a day?
- About 1,218 kcal for a neutered or not very active adult, 1,666 kcal if active. On a 3,600 kcal/kg food that is 338 g or 463 g a day; the WSAVA chart range for 30 kg is 1,077-1,346 kcal.
- How much should a small 5 kg (11 lb) dog eat?
- About 318 kcal a day, or 84 g of a 3,800 kcal/kg small-breed kibble. Small dogs need more calories per kilogram than large ones, which the kg^0.75 in the equation accounts for.
- Does neutering change how much to feed?
- Yes: energy needs drop after neutering, which is why the tables start from the NRC inactive equation for neutered pets. If your dog is neutered and gaining weight, cut portions by about 10% and recheck in a month.
- How much should a puppy eat?
- More than an adult of the same weight: a 10 kg puppy growing to 20 kg needs about 1,280 kcal a day (NRC growth equation) against 731 for an active 10 kg adult. Use the calculator with the expected adult weight and refeed every two to three weeks as the puppy grows.
- How do I know if the amount is right?
- Body condition, not the table: ribs easy to feel under a thin layer of fat, a waist seen from above, a tucked belly from the side. Weigh monthly; individual dogs need up to 30% more or less than any equation (Merck Veterinary Manual).
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 many calories does a dog need per day?
Calories a day by weight and life stage from the NRC 2006 equations behind the WSAVA charts: adults 2 to 60 kg, puppies by adult size, weight loss.
- Puppy feeding chart: calories and cups by adult weight
Calories and cups a day for puppies at a quarter, half and three quarters of adult weight, for adult sizes 5 to 40 kg, with meals per day by age.
- How much wet food to feed a dog per day? Cans by weight
Pouches and cans a day for dogs from 5 to 40 kg, wet only or mixed with kibble, for 100 kcal pouches, 250 and 400 kcal cans.
Sources
- NRC 2006, Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats — adult, puppy and kitten energy equations
- WSAVA, Calorie Needs for Healthy Adult Dogs (July 2020) — chart range for dogs
- WSAVA, Calorie Needs for Healthy Adult Cats (July 2020) — chart range for cats
- AAHA 2021 Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines — weight loss at the resting requirement of the target weight
Published 2026-09-15, last updated 2026-10-13. Figures are starting points from the published equations: individual animals vary by up to 30%, so adjust by body condition and ask your vet for puppies under 8 weeks, pregnancy, lactation or any illness.