How much should a Rough Collie eat?
Adult weight range 23–34 kg · adult feeding factors apply from 15–18 months of age · raw rate 2.5% of body weight. Portions below are computed with the same veterinary formula as the main calculator — not copied from a bag chart.
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Rough Collie portions by weight
| Adult weight | RER | Daily target | Kibble / day | Cups / day | Per meal (×2) | Raw / day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23.0 kg | 735 kcal | 1,176 kcal | 286 g | 2.9 | 143 g | 575 g |
| 28.5 kg | 863 kcal | 1,382 kcal | 336 g | 3.4 | 168 g | 712 g |
| 34.0 kg | 986 kcal | 1,577 kcal | 384 g | 3.8 | 192 g | 850 g |
Neutered adult (×1.6), kibble at 370 kcal/100 g, 10% treat allowance removed. Raw at 2.5% of body weight (size-correct rate). Cups ≈ grams ÷ 100 (typical kibble — weigh in grams for accuracy).
Worked example: a 28.5 kg Rough Collie
A 28.5 kg adult Rough Collie (neutered): RER 863 × 1.6 = 1,382 kcal − 138 kcal treats ÷ 3.7 kcal/g = 336 g — that is 168 g per meal, twice a day. The same arithmetic runs in the calculator above: change the weight or the life stage and every number follows.
Rough Collie puppy feeding by age
| Age | Factor | Meals / day | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 4 months | ×3.0 | 3–4 | On current weight — weigh every 2 weeks |
| 4–8 months | ×3.0 → ×2.0 (taper) | 3–4 | Factor falls smoothly — weigh every 2 weeks |
| 8–12 months | ×2.0 | 3 | 3 meals; 2–3 from 6 months |
| 12 months to adult | ×1.6–1.8 | 2 | Adult factor from 15–18 months |
Factors multiply RER on the puppy's current weight, not adult weight. Large and giant breeds keep the growth factors until 15–18 months.
Feeding notes for the Rough Collie
Large breeds eat absolute amounts where small percentage errors become hundreds of grams a month. The 1.6× default is the right start; weigh monthly and match the food to the scale, not the bag chart.
What makes feeding a Rough Collie different: Rough Collies are lean herders with a long coat that hides condition completely — feel the ribs weekly. They are often sensitive eaters: if a food disagrees with one, change it slowly over 10–14 days rather than overnight.
Health, treats and the senior years: Rough Collies are prone to an underactive thyroid, which shows up as weight gain on a measured diet — if the scale climbs while the portion stays right, that is a vet check, not a reason to cut food further. In the senior years, keep the diet steady: slow switches, measured meals, and hands on the ribs weekly.
Training, treats and everyday feeding: Rough Collies are often sensitive eaters, so keep the routine strict: the same food, the same times, and changes made slowly over ten to fourteen days. They are quick learners, so training treats are the leak — pay the dog from the meal ration itself, and re-weigh monthly under the long coat.
Weight & condition for the Rough Collie: Rough Collies are lean herders with a long coat that hides condition completely — feel the ribs weekly. They are often sensitive eaters: if a food disagrees with one, change it slowly over 10–14 days rather than overnight. Weigh monthly: a Collie that looks the same can be a kilo heavier under all that coat.
Body condition check: Weigh the dog, then look at the dog: the 9-point body condition scale wants a 4–5, with ribs felt rather than seen, a waist that narrows behind the ribs, and a belly that tucks up from the side. If the ribs have vanished under fat, cut the table portion by 10%; if they show clearly, add 10%.
Puppies of this size class reach adult factors at about 15–18 months; until then, growth portions follow the puppy factors (×3.0 under 4 months, tapering to ×2.0 by 8 months) on current weight, recalculated every two weeks. Individual dogs vary by up to ±50% from any formula — the scale and your hands on the ribs outrank this table.
Guides: feeding a senior dog · feeding schedules by age
Sources: method & factors · AAHA 2021 guidelines · Pet Nutrition Alliance RER/MER · AKC breed profile
Portions by brand — Rough Collie
What that is on 5 popular brands, for a 28.5 kg adult (neutered, treats removed):
How to use this calculator
Enter weight
Enter the dog's weight (use ideal weight for weight loss).
Select life stage and goal
Select the life stage and goal so the correct MER factor applies.
Enter food energy density
Enter the food's energy density (kcal per 100 g) from its label.
Read the daily portion
Read the daily portion in grams, split it across meals, and adjust by 10% every 2 weeks based on body condition.
Rough Collie feeding questions
How much food should a Rough Collie eat per day?
Across the full adult weight range (23–34 kg), a Rough Collie needs about 1,176–1,577 kcal/day — 286–384 g of typical kibble (370 kcal/100 g) after the 10% treat allowance is removed — depending on weight, sex and activity. A typical adult at the middle of the range (28.5 kg) needs about 1,382 kcal/day, roughly 336 g, split over 2 meals.
How many meals a day should a Rough Collie eat?
Two meals a day is right for a Rough Collie: about 168 g per meal from a daily total of 336 g (1,382 kcal) for a 28.5 kg adult. A sensitive collie does best on the same food at the same times, with changes made slowly over ten to fourteen days — and a skipped meal in a healthy, lean collie is usually not a crisis. Training treats should come from the ration, and re-weigh monthly under the long coat.
How many cups of food does a Rough Collie need per day?
About 336 g/day is roughly 3.4 cups at the typical density of 100 g per cup — but cups vary by up to 40% between kibbles, so weigh the grams once and the question disappears. A cup is a volume; grams are the portion. At 336 g a day, a 10% scooping error is about 34 g — a small dog's entire meal — so weighing matters more, not less, as portions grow.
How do I switch a Rough Collie to a new food?
Over 7 days: 25% new food for 2 days, 50% for 2 days, 75% for 2 days, then 100% — keeping the total daily grams at the number on this page throughout. If stools loosen, hold at the current mix for an extra day or two before moving on. If your dog has a sensitive stomach, allow 10–14 days instead of 7.
How much should a Rough Collie puppy eat?
Large-breed puppies grow for 15–18 months — and lean growth is the goal: excess calories accelerate the frame faster than joints can follow. Use ×3.0 under 4 months, tapering smoothly to ×2.0 by 8 months, on current weight, and keep the puppy visibly slim.
How much raw food does a Rough Collie need?
At the size-correct BARF rate of 2.5% of ideal body weight, a 28.5 kg Rough Collie eats about 712 g of raw food per day — split 70% muscle meat, 10% raw edible bone, 5% liver, 5% other organ, 10% vegetables and fruit on the BARF model.
How does feeding a Rough Collie change as they age?
From about 15–18 months a Rough Collie counts as fully adult; the senior shift usually arrives years later, when activity and muscle mass fall. The calculator's senior factor (×1.4 instead of ×1.6) trims a 28.5 kg Rough Collie from 1,382 to about 1,209 kcal/day — roughly 294 g of typical kibble. Make the change gradually and judge by body condition, not birthdays alone: a still-active older Rough Collie may hold condition on the adult number.
My Rough Collie has a sensitive stomach — how should I switch foods?
Slowly, over 10–14 days: 25% new food for 3–4 days, 50% for 3–4 days, 75% for 3–4 days, then 100% — keeping the total daily grams at the number on this page (336 g for a 28.5 kg adult) throughout. If stools loosen, hold at the current mix for an extra two days before moving on. If the sensitivity is new or comes with weight loss, that is a vet visit, not a food change.
How do I tell if my Rough Collie is overweight under all that coat?
By hands, not eyes: feel the ribs through the coat — they should be easy to feel under a thin fat cover — and check the waist from above and the tuck from the side. The silhouette tells you nothing on this breed. Weigh monthly on the same scale: a 28.5 kg adult should hold steady near 1,382 kcal/day, and a kilo gained under the coat is still a kilo gained.
Related calculators
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Daily raw grams split into meat, bone, liver, organ and veg. BARF and PMR models.
Puppy Food Calculator
Growth portions by age in weeks and months, kibble or raw.
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Safe deficit portions at target-weight RER, with a realistic timeline.