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.
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.
- 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.