A puppy food label has a “feeding guide” that can be used as a beginning point for establishing how much to feed your puppy; however, most feeding guides have large amounts listed for each weight category. This calculator will take the total calories required per day using the same equation vets use to calculate daily caloric requirements for dogs, then convert those calories into cups or grams (based on your specific food), and give you an example feeding schedule for your puppy at different ages.
You will require information regarding the caloric content of your puppy food. Each pet food product has this information labeled as kcal per cup or kcal per kg on the back of the bag, under or adjacent to the ingredient listing.
Puppy Feeding Calculator
Enter your puppy’s details and your food’s calorie content.
How the Puppy Feeding Calculator Works
Vets calculate a dog’s energy needs in two steps. First, the vet calculates the resting energy requirement (RER), or the amount of calories burned while sitting idle:
RER = 70 x (body weight in kg) to the power of 0.75
Then, that number is multiplied by a life stage multiplier. Puppies grow rapidly so they burn many more calories than adult dogs:
| Stage | Multiplier |
| Puppy under 4 months | 3 x RER |
| Puppy 4 months to about 80% of adult size | 2 x RER |
| Nearly grown / young adult | 1.6 x RER (neutered adults are often 1.4-1.6) |
A 12-pound (5.4 kilograms) twelve-week-old puppy would have an RER of approximately 248 kcal. Multiply that by 3 and you get about 743 calories per day. If you are feeding your puppy a dog food that is 400 kcals/cup; you will need to provide your puppy with almost 2 cups of this type of food per day. You should divide this into four portions per day.
The calculator does this for you, then builds a timetable from your wake-up time.
How Many Times a Day Should a Puppy Eat?
| Age | Meals per day | Why |
| 6-12 weeks | 4 | Tiny stomach, high energy needs, risk of low blood sugar in toy breeds |
| 3-6 months | 3 | Growth is still fast but stomach capacity has increased |
| 6-12 months | 2 | Most puppies can switch to two meals around 6 months |
| Adult | 2 | Two meals is better for most dogs than one, especially deep-chested breeds |
Toy breeds such as Maltipoos, and Chihuahua, can become hypoglycemic if they do not receive adequate amounts of food during their day. Thus, I recommend providing your toy breed puppies with at least three to four meals throughout each day. Additionally, I suggest never skipping breakfast when feeding your puppy.
Puppy Feeding Chart by Weight
This table assumes that you are using a standard puppy kibble that contains 400 kcals/cup. However, some foods may contain fewer or more kcals/cup than others. In order to determine the correct amount of food to feed your puppy based on the specific brand and type of food that you are using, I recommend utilizing the provided puppy food calorie calculator.
| Current weight | Under 4 months | 4-12 months |
| 3 lb | 0.7 cups | 0.4 cups |
| 5 lb | 1.0 cups | 0.7 cups |
| 10 lb | 1.6 cups | 1.1 cups |
| 15 lb | 2.2 cups | 1.5 cups |
| 20 lb | 2.7 cups | 1.8 cups |
| 30 lb | 3.7 cups | 2.5 cups |
| 40 lb | 4.6 cups | 3.1 cups |
| 60 lb | 6.3 cups | 4.2 cups |
Large Breed Puppies Need Different Feeding
One significant gap in most puppy feeding tables exists regarding large and giant breed puppies, which include Standard Doodle puppies. Most experts agree that large and giant breed puppies should not be encouraged to grow rapidly. Research indicates that excessive caloric intake in addition to excessive dietary calcium during the first year of life contributes significantly to developmentally related bone disorders (hip dysplasia, etc.), and elbow problems.
- Feed a food labelled for large-breed puppies (it has controlled calcium and calories)
- Don’t add calcium supplements
- Keep them lean. A slightly slim puppy grows into a healthier adult than a chubby one
- Stay on puppy food until about 12-18 months, depending on size
Is My Puppy Eating Too Much or Too Little?
The puppy food calorie calculator provides you with a good starting point. However, your puppy’s body will let you know if the provided number is appropriate. Every two weeks or so, check:
- Ribs: you should feel them easily with light pressure, like the back of your hand
- Waist: looking down from above, there should be a visible waist behind the ribs
- Belly: from the side, the belly should tuck up a little behind the chest
If your puppy is getting round, cut back about 10%. If ribs and hips are showing, add about 10% and check with your vet. Track their weight alongside our puppy weight calculator to make sure growth looks steady.
Tips for a Smooth Feeding Routine
- Feed at the same times every day. It helps with house training too, since puppies usually need to go out 5-30 minutes after eating.
- Pick up the bowl after 15-20 minutes. Free-feeding makes it hard to know how much they’ve eaten.
- Weigh food on a kitchen scale if you can. A “cup” scooped by hand can be off by 20% or more.
- Count treats and chews. They add up fast.
- Change foods slowly over 7-10 days to avoid an upset stomach.
Our puppy schedule shows how meals fit around potty breaks, naps and training.
Frequently Asked Questions
Multiply your puppy’s resting energy requirement (70 x weight in kg to the power 0.75) by 3 if under 4 months or 2 if older, then divide by your food’s calories per cup. Our calculator does the math.
Four meals from 6 to 12 weeks, three meals from 3 to 6 months, and two meals from about 6 months onwards.
It depends on weight and food. A 10 lb puppy on a 400 kcal per cup food needs about 1.6 cups a day, split into four meals.
Small breeds at about 9-12 months, medium breeds at about 12 months, and large or giant breeds at 12-18 months.
Use current weight with a growth factor, as this calculator does. Some food labels use expected adult weight, which can lead to overfeeding.
It’s usually better not to. Set meals make it easier to spot appetite changes, control weight and predict toilet breaks.
Around 3 hours before bedtime, so they can toilet before sleeping.
Puppies often act hungry. Go by body condition, not begging. If ribs are easy to feel and there’s a visible waist, the amount is probably right.
Yes. Large-breed puppy foods control calcium and calories to help the bones and joints develop at a safe pace.
Vet note: Written and reviewed by Dr. Muhammad Usman, DVM. Puppies with health problems or special diets need a feeding plan from their own vet.
More tools: Puppy Schedule · Puppy Weight Calculator · Potty Training Chart
