Free answer · Life-stage factors · AAHA-sourced
How much should I feed my dog?
Published guidance answers this with a method, not a guess: start from resting needs — RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75 kcal per day — then multiply by a life-stage factor, and for a spayed or neutered adult dog that factor is 1.6 (2021 AAHA nutrition guidelines; Merck Veterinary Manual). A 30 lb (13.6 kg) neutered adult dog lands near 794 kcal a day. Age, growth, body condition, and health all move that number, so treat it as a starting point to confirm with your vet — never a prescription.
Informational, not veterinary advice. What to actually put in the bowl — which food, how it splits across meals, treats — is a different question this page does not answer; your vet should guide that.
Daily target reference · the AAHA-published RER/MER method
The method, and what it gives
70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75 kcal per day (RER), × 1.6 for a spayed/neutered adult dog
| Life stage | Dog factor | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Adult, spayed/neutered | 1.6 × RER | Merck |
| Adult, intact | 1.8 × RER | Merck |
| Senior | 1.4 × RER | SACN5 |
| Weight loss (applied to ideal-weight RER) | 1 × RER | AAHA |
| Puppy, under 4 months | 3 × RER | AAHA |
| Juvenile, 4–12 months | 2 × RER | AAHA |
Weight-loss targets always use the resting needs of the ideal weight — never the current one — and growth factors are for dogs still reaching adult size. Pregnant, nursing, and recovering dogs are outside this table entirely: feeding them is a question for your vet, not a factor row.
Source: 2021 AAHA Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats (Box 1, “Energy Requirement Calculations”) · Merck Veterinary Manual, “Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals” · Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center, “Basic Calorie Calculator” · Pet Nutrition Alliance, “Calculating Calories Based on Pet Needs” · Hand et al., Small Animal Clinical Nutrition, 5th ed. (mature-dog, mature-cat, and growing-kitten chapters).
Checked against the sources on 2026-08-29. Every factor above is read from the same cited engine constants the Feeding Calculator and the PetLife app use — with the citation pinned in code next to each number — so this page, the tool, and the app cannot disagree.
Typical daily calories by dog weight
Starting points for spayed/neutered adult dogs at maintenance — computed by the same engine as the calculator, from the factors cited above.
| Adult weight | kcal/day (neutered adult) |
|---|---|
| 5 lb (2.3 kg) | ≈ 207 kcal |
| 10 lb (4.5 kg) | ≈ 348 kcal |
| 20 lb (9.1 kg) | ≈ 585 kcal |
| 30 lb (13.6 kg) | ≈ 794 kcal |
| 40 lb (18.1 kg) | ≈ 985 kcal |
| 50 lb (22.7 kg) | ≈ 1164 kcal |
| 60 lb (27.2 kg) | ≈ 1335 kcal |
| 70 lb (31.8 kg) | ≈ 1498 kcal |
| 80 lb (36.3 kg) | ≈ 1656 kcal |
| 90 lb (40.8 kg) | ≈ 1809 kcal |
| 100 lb (45.4 kg) | ≈ 1958 kcal |
| 120 lb (54.4 kg) | ≈ 2244 kcal |
Every dog is different — age, spay/neuter status, body condition, and goals all move the number, so personalize it with the free Feeding Calculator — the interactive version of this exact method.
Informational, not veterinary advice. Always confirm feeding changes with your veterinarian.
Keep the number where you feed
Track meals and weigh-ins against this target, free, in the PetLife app
The PetLife app runs this exact calorie engine every day — log meals, watch the weight chart, and get safety nudges when something drifts. One pet with core care logging stays free.
Dog feeding questions, answered
How do I know if my dog is overweight?
Use the rib-and-waist check: at a healthy weight you can feel your dog's ribs easily under a thin fat layer, and see a waist tuck behind the ribs from above. If ribs are hard to find or the waist has disappeared, your dog may be carrying extra weight; if ribs, spine, or hips are clearly visible, your dog may be underweight. A veterinarian confirms this with a hands-on body condition score (BCS), which is more reliable than weight alone.
How much should I feed my puppy?
Growing dogs need far more energy per pound than adults, and the growth factors are published: puppies eat about 3 × RER until 4 months, then about 2 × RER until they reach adult size (2021 AAHA nutrition guidelines; Merck Veterinary Manual). Worked example: a 3-month-old, 10 lb (4.5 kg) puppy lands near 653 kcal per day. Growth feeding is vet territory: re-check every few weeks as weight climbs, feed a diet formulated for growth, and confirm the plan with your veterinarian.
How many calories should my dog eat to lose weight?
The standard veterinary approach feeds for the ideal weight, not the current one: about 1 × RER of the ideal weight (2021 AAHA nutrition guidelines; Ohio State University VMC). When no vet-set goal exists yet, the Feeding Calculator uses a provisional ideal about 10% below the current weight. Always confirm a weight-loss plan with your vet before cutting your dog's food.
Why does spaying or neutering change my dog's calorie needs?
Spayed and neutered dogs typically burn fewer calories, so the standard factor drops from about 1.8 × RER (intact) to 1.6 × RER (Merck Veterinary Manual; Ohio State University VMC). Feeding an altered dog like an intact one is a common, quiet cause of weight creep — which is why the table on this page states the spay/neuter status it assumes.
Feeding a different pet?
Every feeding answer PetLife publishes is cited to a named source — and where the published literature will not support one honest number, the page says so plainly instead of guessing.
Informational, not veterinary advice.
This page is an educational reference built from the published guidelines named above. Nothing here is veterinary or medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. Always consult a licensed veterinarian about your dog’s weight, diet, or health — and never delay or disregard professional veterinary advice because of something you read here. A pet that stops eating or loses weight quickly is a same-day vet call, not a reference-page question.