About & methodology

Dog Food Calculator is a free tool that estimates how much to feed a dog — daily calories, cups, grams, and per-meal portions — from its weight and life stage. No sign-up, no email wall; the numbers are computed in your browser.

How calories are estimated

We start from the dog’s resting energy requirement: RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75. Daily calories (the maintenance energy requirement, MER) are RER multiplied by a documented life-stage factor:

• Neutered adult 1.6×, intact adult 1.8×.
• Weight loss 1.0×, weight gain 1.4×.
• Light work 2.0×, moderate–heavy work 3.0×.
• Puppy 3.0× under 4 months, 2.0× from 4 months to adult.
• Senior 1.4×.

Cups per day = daily calories ÷ your food’s calories per cup (from the bag). Raw-feeding amounts use the standard 2–3% of body weight per day for adults, higher for puppies.

Important

These are planning estimates from a widely used formula, not veterinary advice. Every dog is different — body condition, breed, health, and the specific food all matter. Confirm the right amount with your veterinarian and adjust to your dog’s body condition over time.