Puppy Food Calculator
Puppies are not small adults — a young puppy burns up to 3× RER and eats 3–4 meals a day. Set the age in months and current weight; portions and meal splits update instantly.
Enter your dog's details
Weigh your puppy weekly — portions should track a growing dog, not a fixed chart.
Puppy portions by weight (8–12 months, ×2.0)
| Dog weight | RER (resting) | Daily target | Food per day | Per meal (×2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 kg · 4 lb | 118 kcal | 235 kcal | 57 g | 29 g |
| 3 kg · 7 lb | 160 kcal | 319 kcal | 78 g | 39 g |
| 5 kg · 11 lb | 234 kcal | 468 kcal | 114 g | 57 g |
| 8 kg · 18 lb | 333 kcal | 666 kcal | 162 g | 81 g |
| 10 kg · 22 lb | 394 kcal | 787 kcal | 192 g | 96 g |
| 15 kg · 33 lb | 534 kcal | 1,067 kcal | 260 g | 130 g |
| 20 kg · 44 lb | 662 kcal | 1,324 kcal | 323 g | 161 g |
| 25 kg · 55 lb | 783 kcal | 1,565 kcal | 381 g | 191 g |
| 30 kg · 66 lb | 897 kcal | 1,795 kcal | 437 g | 219 g |
Puppy kibble at 390 kcal/100 g, 5% treat/training allowance removed. The calculator tapers the factor smoothly from 3.0 to 2.0 between 4 and 8 months; this table shows the settled 2.0 rate. Under 4 months, multiply food by 1.5 (factor 3.0).
Feed the growth curve, not the appetite
A puppy's appetite is a terrible portion guide — most puppies will cheerfully eat themselves fat, and fat puppies are not just a cosmetic issue: excess weight during growth is linked to developmental orthopaedic disease, especially in large breeds. The target condition is lean and growing: ribs easy to feel, a visible waist from above and the side.
Meals taper with age: 4 meals at 8–12 weeks, 3 meals to ~6 months, then 2 meals for life. Portions must be re-based as weight changes — a portion set at 3 kg is half what the same puppy needs at 6 kg, which is why the chart alone always lags. Recheck weekly.
Large-breed puppies (expected adult >25 kg) need controlled calcium and energy density — use a large-breed puppy food and keep growth steady, not fast.
How to use this calculator
Enter current weight
Enter the puppy's current weight — growth factors apply to current weight and are recalculated every 2 weeks.
Set the age
Slide to the puppy's age in months. The growth factor tapers smoothly from 3.0 × RER under 4 months to 2.0 × RER by 8 months.
Enter food energy density
Enter the food's energy density (kcal per 100 g) from its label — puppy foods usually run 350–420.
Read calories, grams and meals
Read the daily calories and grams, the per-meal amount across 3–4 meals, and the raw amount if you feed raw (about 8–10% of body weight when young).
Frequently asked
How much should an 8-week puppy eat?
By factor, 3.0 × RER of current weight over 4 meals. A typical 3 kg 8-week puppy needs ~480 kcal/day of puppy food — but weigh your own puppy; breed size at 8 weeks varies hugely.
When do puppies switch to adult portions?
Small breeds ~10–12 months, medium ~12–14, large and giant breeds 18–24 months. Switch the factor gradually as growth flattens, watching body condition.
Should puppies eat raw at the same percentage?
No — raw-fed puppies eat 8–10% of body weight when young, tapering to adult 2–3%. The calculator shows the raw amount for the selected age.
How much does a 5 kg puppy eat?
From 8–12 months the factor settles at ×2.0 — it tapers down from ×3.0 between 4 and 8 months: about 468 kcal/day, roughly 114 g of puppy kibble (390 kcal/100 g) over 3–4 meals. Recalculate every two weeks — the weight moves fast.
Should I add calcium for my puppy?
Not if they eat a complete growth food. Excess calcium in large breeds damages skeletal growth: more is not better.
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