Feeding the right amount is just as important as feeding the right food. Studies have shown that keeping dogs at their ideal weight can dramatically improve their wellbeing and add years to their life.
While every dog is different and finding the right feeding amount for your dog is likely to need at least a little fine tuning, this tool is here to give you a good place to start.
Guidelines
Please note:
As mentioned above, these figures are only intended to provide a starting point and since every dog is different, finding the correct amount of food for yours will likely require at least a little trial and error. Dogs' nutritional needs also change over time so be sure to recheck how your dog is doing regularly. Take a look at our guide to fine tuning your dog's feeding amounts here and if you are ever in any doubt, be sure to consult your vet.
Where do the figures come from?
The figures provided here are based on studies carried out by the Hummel & Trueman Hospital for Companion Animals in the US. You can find more information here.
What about the manufacturer's own feeding guidelines?
Of course, every pet food comes with their own feeding recommendations and in most cases they are perfectly valid. The trouble is, some manufacturers calculate their figures differently and in some instances they may even intentionally provide lower figures than they should in order to make their cost per day more appealing.
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Your vet will be abe to give you an accurate weight measurement for your dog or, failing that, you can get an estimate by holding your dog in your arms while standing on the bathroom scales and subtracting your own weight.
Ideal weight can be difficult to gauge since breed, gender, age and environmental factors can all play a role. If in doubt, ask your vet or leave blank to have us make an estimate.
Start typing the brand of dog food you're looking for in the box and select the appropriate variety from the ones listed. The calorific value will then be automatically updated below.
Unfortunately, we don't have calorific data for all foods so if the one you're looking for doesn't appear you will have to enter it manually. Click on the info button next to 'calories' below for more details.
If your dog's food is not listed above, you might be able to find the calorific value on the packaging or on the manufacturer's website. If not, you will have to contact them directly.
Please ensure that only the kcal/100g figure is used. Kcal/kg figures can be converted to kcal/100g by dividing by 10. e.g. 3000 kcal/kg = 300 kcal/100g.
