The short answer: daily cups depend on both your dog's calorie needs and the food's calories per cup. A weight chart is only a starting example—not a feeding prescription. If your dog is doing well on a veterinarian-approved plan, do not change it just to match this chart.
Get a starting portion for your food
Have your dog's weight and the food label ready. Enter the actual kcal per cup in the calculator.
Open the free Dog Feeding Calculator →Dog feeding chart by weight
This illustration uses 70 × body weight in kilograms0.75 × 1.6, one starting factor for a healthy neutered adult at an appropriate weight. Calorie values are rounded to whole numbers; cups are rounded to two decimals. These numbers show how changing food changes portion size.
| Dog weight | kcal/day | Cups/day at 350 kcal/cup | Cups/day at 450 kcal/cup |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 lb | 207 | 0.59 | 0.46 |
| 10 lb | 348 | 0.99 | 0.77 |
| 15 lb | 472 | 1.35 | 1.05 |
| 20 lb | 585 | 1.67 | 1.30 |
| 30 lb | 794 | 2.27 | 1.76 |
| 40 lb | 985 | 2.81 | 2.19 |
| 50 lb | 1,164 | 3.33 | 2.59 |
| 60 lb | 1,335 | 3.81 | 2.97 |
| 70 lb | 1,498 | 4.28 | 3.33 |
| 80 lb | 1,656 | 4.73 | 3.68 |
| 100 lb | 1,958 | 5.59 | 4.35 |
Convert your dog's calories into cups
- Find “Calorie Content” on the label. Use kcal per cup for dry food, or kcal per can or pouch for wet food.
- Subtract calories from treats, toppers and other food from the daily target.
- Divide the remaining calories by calories per cup or container.
- Divide that daily amount among your planned meals.
Worked example: suppose your dog's plan is 800 kcal a day, including 50 kcal of treats. That leaves 750 kcal for meals. With food at 375 kcal per cup, 750 ÷ 375 = 2 cups for the entire day. If you serve two equal meals, each meal is 1 cup.
A mug or scoop is not necessarily a measuring cup. Use a consistent measure; if the manufacturer provides kcal per gram or kcal per kilogram, a food scale lets you weigh portions. For kcal per kilogram, divide by 1,000 to get kcal per gram.
Wet food and mixed feeding
Use the calorie statement for the exact container size you buy. If the meal allowance is 750 kcal and one can supplies 300 kcal, the wet-food-only example is 2.5 cans daily. In a mixed plan, one 300-kcal can leaves 450 kcal for dry food: at 375 kcal per cup, that is 1.2 cups daily. Do not add a full wet-food allowance on top of a full dry-food allowance.
Count treats without losing track
WSAVA advises that treats provide no more than 10% of daily calories. For an 800-kcal plan, that is at most 80 kcal—not an extra 80 on top. Include training rewards and edible chews. Ask your vet about restrictions if your dog has a prescribed diet.
Make the feeding plan easy to follow
Write the food name, amount per meal, meal times and treat allowance on a printable feeding schedule. Include the measuring method: “1 level measuring cup” is clearer than “1 scoop.” Keep the schedule by the food so a sitter or family member can follow the same instructions.
For multiple caregivers, mark each meal after it is served to avoid accidental double feeding. Store the current food label or a clear photo with the instructions, especially when changing formulas.
Choosing food and planning the budget
Check the nutritional adequacy statement for the appropriate life stage and compare the calorie information before switching. A different bag can mean a different portion even if the scoop stays the same. Use the Dog Cost Calculator to organize costs and the dry dog food guide to review selection considerations.
Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission from purchases through Chewy links at no extra cost to you. These are shopping categories, not individualized diet recommendations.
When the chart is not enough
Review portions with your veterinary team if weight or body condition changes unexpectedly. Poor appetite, ongoing digestive trouble or other new symptoms need veterinary attention, not just a different calculator setting. This article is educational and has not been presented as a veterinary examination or diagnosis.
Leaving your dog with someone else? Use the sitter instructions guide to hand over the feeding plan.
Quick questions
Are the chart amounts per meal?
No. They are whole-day illustrations before accounting for treats and other food. Divide the resulting meal allowance across your schedule.
Why does my food bag recommend another amount?
It may use different energy assumptions. Compare its calorie density and the assumptions behind each estimate with your dog's actual feeding plan; do not average conflicting numbers blindly.
Can I use this chart for my cat?
No. Use the separate cat feeding chart and guide.
Keep care instructions in one place
Start with the free feeding schedule. If you want a broader set of organized pet-care records, explore the optional $9 Ultimate Pet Parent Bundle.
See what is included →Sources and calculation notes
- AAHA energy requirement calculations — source of the formula and adult factor range; the table above is independently calculated with the stated 1.6 factor.
- AAHA feeding plans — individualized plans, appropriate-weight maintenance and nutritional adequacy.
- WSAVA guide to dog treats — daily treat limit.
Sources checked September 22, 2026. Meal examples are illustrative arithmetic, not prescriptions.