These figures are starting-point estimates, not veterinary advice — individual dogs vary, and actual needs may be 20–30% higher or lower. If your dog is significantly underweight, overweight, or has any health condition, please speak to your vet before changing their diet.
This is your dog's current weight, not their ideal weight.
Daily walks, around 30–60 minutes
Typical range: 280–480 kcal/100g. Check the feeding guide on your food packaging for an accurate figure.
If your vet or food packaging suggests a different gram amount, adjust the calorie density slider above to match the figure on your food's label.
The daily calorie figure is calculated from your dog's Resting Energy Requirement — the minimum energy needed to sustain essential body functions at rest — then adjusted for life stage, activity, and body condition. The gram figure converts that calorie target using the energy density of your chosen food.
Resting Energy Requirement is calculated as RER = 70 × weight_kg0.75. That baseline is then multiplied up for how your dog actually lives: a neutered adult dog at moderate activity needs roughly 1.6× their RER; a very active intact dog might need 2.5× or more; growing puppies need considerably more again (up to 3× under 4 months old), and senior dogs typically need somewhat less.
The gram figure converts the daily calorie target using the energy density of your chosen food type, which varies considerably between dry kibble, wet food, and raw diets — typically 280–480 kcal per 100g. Always check the feeding guide on your own food's packaging and adjust the calorie density slider to match, since density varies by brand and recipe even within the same food type.
Body condition (from very underweight to very overweight) nudges the target up or down by up to 20%, since a dog that's already carrying extra weight needs fewer calories to maintain it, not more. Activity level makes a similar adjustment for adult dogs, since a couch companion and a working or very active dog can have genuinely different needs at the same weight.
These figures are estimates: individual dogs vary, and actual needs may be 20–30% higher or lower than the calculation suggests. Monitor your dog's weight and body condition every few weeks and adjust portions if needed. This tool does not constitute veterinary advice — if your dog is significantly underweight, overweight, or has any health condition, speak to your vet before changing their diet.
Life stage, activity, and body condition multipliers are sourced from the Merck Veterinary Manual's nutritional requirements reference and the FEDIAF 2025 Nutritional Guidelines for Complete and Complementary Pet Food for Cats and Dogs.