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Dog Food Calculator: Daily Calories, Grams and Cups
Estimate resting and daily energy for an adult dog or puppy, then use the food's kcal/kg or kcal/cup to calculate portions. Edit the multiplier and reserve calories for treats.
Dog Food Calculator: Daily Calories, Grams and Cups: Calculates RER as 70 times kilograms to the power 0.75 and MER as RER times the selected multiplier. Activity chooses an adult multiplier rather than multiplying life-stage and activity factors together. After reserving treat calories, food calories divided by label energy gives grams or cups. Use the [dog age calculator](/dog-age-calculator) for an age comparison. Runs 100% locally in your browser with zero server file uploads.
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Ask your vet to confirm an appropriate weight, calorie target and complete diet, especially for kittens, puppies, illness or weight loss. For weight loss, enter the vet-agreed ideal weight. This is a starting estimate; monitor body condition and adjust with your vet. Do not restrict a growing pet's food for weight loss.
Formula: RER = 70 × weight in kg^0.75; MER = RER × multiplier; food kcal = MER × (1 − treat share/100); grams = food kcal × 1000 ÷ kcal/kg; cups = food kcal ÷ kcal/cup.
Weight: 16 kg / 35.27 lb. RER: 560 kcal/day. Multiplier: 1.6. Treat allowance: 0 kcal/day; main food: 896 kcal/day. Food calorie densities are editable label examples, not recommendations for a particular product.
Use the kcal/cup value for that exact food and the manufacturer's cup measure. Cups cannot be converted to grams without that food's density. Treats should generally be no more than 10% of total calories; choose a complete diet for the life stage. Pregnancy, lactation and medical diets need an individual veterinary plan.
Starting factors: neutered adult 1.6, intact 1.8, inactive 1.2; puppy under 4 months 3.0, older puppy 2.0; weight loss 1.0. Work examples use 2.0, 3.0 and 6.0 within AAHA's light (1.6–2), moderate (2–5) and heavy (5–11) ranges. Activity selects a factor; it is not multiplied by the life-stage factor.
AAHA 2021: RER and life-stage factors · WSAVA: nutritional assessment and monitoring
Energy and factors
AAHA 2021 nutrition guidance, Box 1, provides RER and life-stage factors. The tool's editable adult examples are neutered 1.6, intact 1.8 and inactive 1.2; growth under 4 months 3 and older puppies 2; weight loss 1. Work examples 2, 3 and 6 fall within the light, moderate and heavy ranges. Source: https://www.aaha.org/resources/2021-aaha-nutrition-and-weight-management-guidelines/weight-reduction-in-the-obese-pet/0/
Assessment and food portions
WSAVA nutrition guidance supports assessing diet, body weight and body condition, with monitoring rather than a universal feeding prescription. NRC, Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats (2006), supplies the underlying energy-requirement background. Sources: https://wsava.org/global-guidelines/global-nutrition-guidelines/ ; https://doi.org/10.17226/10668
Grams = available food kcal times 1000 divided by kcal/kg; cups = available food kcal divided by kcal/cup. Cup mass varies with the food. Ask your vet to confirm the calorie target and a complete diet for the life stage.
How to use it
- Enter body weight in kilograms or pounds; use vet-agreed ideal weight for weight loss.
- Choose life stage and adult activity, review the editable multiplier and treat share.
- Enter the food label's calorie density and read daily food portions.
Privacy & limitations
Your dog's weight and food label values stay in your browser.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I use this for weight loss?
Ask your vet first and enter the agreed ideal weight with the weight-loss plan. Monitor weight and body condition. Do not restrict puppies for weight loss, and seek individual advice for illness, pregnancy or lactation.
Why might the feeding guide differ?
MER factors are starting estimates. Dogs differ in activity, environment and body condition. Use the exact food's label density and adjust with veterinary advice. Treats should generally stay within 10% of total calories.
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