{
  "id": "dog-food",
  "version": "70a13f9e383f",
  "status": "published",
  "name": "Dog Food Calculator",
  "question": "How much dog food should I feed?",
  "summary": "Estimates how many calories a dog needs a day (RER = 70 × kg^0.75 times a life-stage factor) and how many cups or grams of its food that is, per day and per meal.",
  "category": "biology",
  "subcategory": "animals",
  "url": "https://www.acalculator.org/biology/dog-food-calculator",
  "markdown": "https://www.acalculator.org/biology/dog-food-calculator.md",
  "kind": "function",
  "method": "RER = 70 × (weight in kg)^0.75 kcal a day; calories a day = factor × RER; cups = calories ÷ kcal per cup; grams = calories ÷ kcal per kg × 1,000.",
  "assumptions": [
    "The factors are starting points for healthy dogs; a vet adjusts them to the dog’s body condition.",
    "Treats and table food are not counted: take their calories off the daily total.",
    "A cup is a standard 8 oz measuring cup, the one the label’s kcal per cup refers to."
  ],
  "inputs": {
    "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
    "type": "object",
    "properties": {
      "w": {
        "title": "Dog’s weight",
        "description": "The dog’s body weight now (for weight loss, its target weight).",
        "type": [
          "number",
          "string"
        ],
        "x-quantity": "mass",
        "minimum": 0.5,
        "maximum": 120
      },
      "stage": {
        "title": "Life stage",
        "description": "The dog’s life stage, which sets the factor × RER.",
        "type": "string",
        "enum": [
          "neutered",
          "intact",
          "prone",
          "loss",
          "puppy",
          "junior",
          "custom"
        ]
      },
      "k": {
        "title": "Factor × RER",
        "description": "The factor your vet gives, for example 2 to 5 for working dogs.",
        "type": "number",
        "minimum": 0.5,
        "maximum": 8
      },
      "cup": {
        "title": "Calories per cup",
        "description": "The food’s kcal per 8 oz measuring cup, from the bag or can.",
        "type": "number",
        "minimum": 50,
        "maximum": 1500
      },
      "kg": {
        "title": "Calories per kg (optional)",
        "description": "The food’s kcal per kilogram, from the label, to get grams; leave empty to skip.",
        "type": "number",
        "minimum": 300,
        "maximum": 9000
      },
      "meals": {
        "title": "Meals a day",
        "description": "How many meals the daily amount is split into.",
        "type": "integer",
        "minimum": 1,
        "maximum": 6
      }
    }
  },
  "outputs": {
    "mer": {
      "label": "Calories a day",
      "description": "The daily energy requirement: the factor × RER.",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "cups": {
      "label": "Cups a day",
      "description": "Calories a day ÷ calories per cup.",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "perMeal": {
      "label": "Cups per meal",
      "description": "Cups a day ÷ meals a day.",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "grams": {
      "label": "Grams a day",
      "description": "Calories a day ÷ calories per kilogram × 1,000, when calories per kg are typed.",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "rer": {
      "label": "Resting energy (RER)",
      "description": "70 × (weight in kg)^0.75: the calories a day at rest.",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "factorUsed": {
      "label": "Factor used",
      "description": "The life-stage factor × RER.",
      "format": "number"
    }
  },
  "defaultAnswer": {
    "inputs": {
      "w": 9.979032140000001,
      "stage": "neutered",
      "k": 2,
      "cup": 350,
      "meals": 2
    },
    "outputs": {
      "mer": 628.8315724793923,
      "cups": 1.7966616356554066,
      "perMeal": 0.8983308178277033,
      "rer": 393.01973279962016,
      "factorUsed": 1.6
    },
    "text": "A 22 lb dog needs about 629 kcal a day: 1.8 cups of this food, 0.9 cups per meal."
  },
  "examples": [
    {
      "given": {
        "w": 30.45,
        "stage": "loss",
        "cup": 350,
        "meals": 2
      },
      "expect": {
        "rer": 907.3785587873363,
        "mer": 907.3785587873363,
        "cups": 2.592510167963818,
        "perMeal": 1.296255083981909
      },
      "source": "Today’s Veterinary Nurse, Nutrition Math 101 (Carlson, 2023): a 30.45 kg dog has RER = 70 × 30.45^0.75 = 907 kcal a day; weight loss uses 1.0 × RER, https://todaysveterinarynurse.com/nutrition/veterinary-nutrition-math/; hand calculation in content.mdx"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "w": 10,
        "stage": "neutered",
        "cup": 350,
        "kg": 3600,
        "meals": 2
      },
      "expect": {
        "rer": 393.6389276332444,
        "mer": 629.8222842131911,
        "cups": 1.7994922406091174,
        "grams": 174.9506345036642
      },
      "source": "Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center, Companion Animal Nutrition Support Service: RER = 70 × kg^(3/4), about 400 Calories a day for a 10 kg dog, https://vmc.vet.osu.edu/services/companion-animal-nutrition-support-service; Merck Veterinary Manual, Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals: RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75; dogs: intact 1.8, neutered 1.6, obesity prone 1.4, puppies under 4 months 3, over 4 months 2 × RER, https://www.merckvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/nutrition-small-animals/nutritional-requirements-of-small-animals; hand calculation in content.mdx"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "w": 22.6796185,
        "stage": "intact",
        "cup": 400,
        "meals": 2
      },
      "expect": {
        "rer": 727.4863495374289,
        "mer": 1309.4754291673719,
        "cups": 3.2736885729184295
      },
      "source": "Merck Veterinary Manual, Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals: RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75; dogs: intact 1.8, neutered 1.6, obesity prone 1.4, puppies under 4 months 3, over 4 months 2 × RER, https://www.merckvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/nutrition-small-animals/nutritional-requirements-of-small-animals; hand calculation in content.mdx: 50 lb = 22.68 kg"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "w": 5,
        "stage": "puppy",
        "cup": 420,
        "meals": 4
      },
      "expect": {
        "mer": 702.1773202252432,
        "perMeal": 0.4179626906102638,
        "factorUsed": 3
      },
      "source": "Merck Veterinary Manual, Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals: RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75; dogs: intact 1.8, neutered 1.6, obesity prone 1.4, puppies under 4 months 3, over 4 months 2 × RER, https://www.merckvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/nutrition-small-animals/nutritional-requirements-of-small-animals; hand calculation in content.mdx"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "w": 20,
        "stage": "custom",
        "k": 4,
        "cup": 500,
        "meals": 2
      },
      "expect": {
        "mer": 2648.0765052088923,
        "factorUsed": 4
      },
      "source": "Merck Veterinary Manual, Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals: RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75; dogs: intact 1.8, neutered 1.6, obesity prone 1.4, puppies under 4 months 3, over 4 months 2 × RER, https://www.merckvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/nutrition-small-animals/nutritional-requirements-of-small-animals (factor set by the vet); hand calculation in content.mdx"
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    "Merck Veterinary Manual, Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals: RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75; daily energy for dogs: intact adult 1.8, neutered adult 1.6, obesity prone 1.4, puppies under 4 months 3, puppies over 4 months 2 × RER. Retrieved 2026-10-02. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/nutrition-small-animals/nutritional-requirements-of-small-animals",
    "Today’s Veterinary Nurse, Nutrition Math 101: Important Calculations for Dogs and Cats (E. Carlson, 2023): RER = 70 × BW^0.75; weight loss 1.0 × RER; a 30.45 kg dog has RER = 907 kcal a day. Retrieved 2026-10-02. https://todaysveterinarynurse.com/nutrition/veterinary-nutrition-math/",
    "The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center, Companion Animal Nutrition Support Service: RER = 70 × kg^(3/4); a 10 kg dog needs about 400 Calories a day. Retrieved 2026-10-02. https://vmc.vet.osu.edu/services/companion-animal-nutrition-support-service"
  ],
  "related": [
    "dog-weight",
    "puppy-weight",
    "dog-age"
  ],
  "changelog": []
}