Dog feeding chart by weight

Why the same weight is not the same dog

A 20 kg Border Collie, a 20 kg Bulldog and a 20 kg Cocker Spaniel share a scale reading and almost nothing else — not their typical activity, not the age at which puppy factors stop applying, and not the raw-feeding rate their size class calls for. The chart gives the number; the size notes below give the context that keeps the number honest. Each breed page on this site applies the same formula to its own weight range, with these size notes as the starting point.

Two rules hold at every size. First, the portion is set by ideal weight, not current weight: a dog that needs to lose weight is fed for the weight it should be, at 1.0 × RER of that target. Second, the table is a starting portion, not a prescription — individual dogs vary by up to ±50% from any formula, so weigh every two weeks and adjust by 10% until weight and body condition are stable.

Toy breeds (Under 5 kg)

Typical activity

Toy breeds burn energy fast for their size and do best split into 2–3 small meals; their stomachs are tiny, so a few grams either way is a big percentage — weigh portions, don't eyeball them.

Active / working

A busy toy breed is still a toy: energy needs per kilo are high, but the absolute numbers are tiny — a 3 kg dog's whole day can be ~60 g. Small overshoots become obesity fast at this scale, so the scale matters more than the scoop.

Low activity

Toy breeds gain invisibly under long coats, and every extra 100 g on a 3 kg frame is proportionally like 2 kg on a person. The inactive factor and a strict treat budget matter more here than anywhere else.

Small breeds (5–10 kg)

Typical activity

Small breeds reach adult factors early (10–12 months) and hold weight easily; the 1.6× default with two measured meals a day is the reliable baseline for this size class.

Active / working

Small but athletic — terrier-type energy in a compact frame. Genuinely active small dogs often need the 2.0× factor; judge by ribs you can feel under a thin fat cover, not by appetite, which is bottomless in many small breeds.

Low activity

Small breeds are the most overfed class relative to size — a single chew can be 10% of the day. Keep the treat budget inside the number and use the inactive factor if walks are short.

Medium breeds (10–25 kg)

Typical activity

The medium class is where the standard model fits best: 1.6× for a neutered adult, two meals, ±10% adjustments by body condition. Most medium dogs hold condition on the default within one adjustment cycle.

Active / working

Athletic medium breeds (herders, pointers, retrievers in work) regularly need 2.0–2.5×. The pet default will underfeed a dog in daily training — select the active stage honestly and re-weigh every two weeks.

Low activity

Medium dogs in low-activity homes drift upward slowly — half a kilo a season. The 1.2–1.4× factor plus monthly weigh-ins catches the drift while it is still a portion tweak, not a diet.

Large breeds (25–45 kg)

Typical activity

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.

Active / working

A working large breed is an athlete with a big tank: 2.0–2.5× is normal in season. Split into two meals and avoid hard exercise on a full stomach — large, deep-chested dogs are the gastric-dilation risk group.

Low activity

Large, low-activity dogs gain on surprisingly little food — their per-kilo needs are low. The inactive factor, measured meals and no free-feeding keep joints loaded by muscle, not fat.

Giant breeds (Over 45 kg)

Typical activity

Giant breeds have the lowest per-kilo energy needs and the longest growth window (18–24 months). Feed the adult default once mature and keep them lean — every extra kilo is carried by joints built for a shorter life than most.

Active / working

Even active giants rarely need more than about 2.0×: metabolism per kilo falls as size rises. Increase in 10% steps with two-week weigh-ins rather than jumping factors.

Low activity

For a sedentary giant, the inactive factor is not a diet — it is maintenance. Giants hide fat under heavy coats and loose skin; judge condition by ribs and waist, never by appetite or the empty bowl.

Use the chart, then use the calculator

The chart answers 'about how much' in seconds. For your dog, run the calorie calculator with their real weight, life stage and food — or open their breed page for the same numbers with the breed's maturity, activity and raw rate built in. If the chart and the bag disagree, the chart is usually right: bag charts assume an intact, active dog and round up to whole cups.