How Much Should I Feed My Dog?

The vet formula, in plain English

Vets start with Resting Energy Requirement (RER): RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75. Then multiply by a factor for life stage and activity to get daily calories.

Situation	Multiply RER by
Weight loss	1.0×
Senior / low activity	1.4×
Neutered adult	1.6×
Intact / active adult	1.8–2.0×
Puppy (4–12 mo)	2.0×
Puppy (under 4 mo)	3.0×

Skip the arithmetic — our Dog Planner does it and converts to cups per day.

Cups vs. calories

“2 cups a day” means nothing without the food's energy density. Divide daily calories by the kcal-per-cup on your bag.

Switching foods: the 7-day transition

Days 1–2: 25% new, 75% old.
Days 3–4: 50/50.
Days 5–6: 75% new, 25% old.
Day 7+: 100% new.

Adding a probiotic like Gastro Pro Plus during the switch makes the transition smoother for sensitive dogs.

Body-condition check beats any chart

Feel your dog's ribs — you should feel them under a thin layer, like the back of your hand. Can't feel ribs? Trim ~10%. Too visible? Add ~10%. Recheck every two weeks.

The honest bottom line: Use RER × the right factor for daily calories, convert to cups using your bag, transition over 7 days, and let body condition be the judge.

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How much should I feed my dog?

The vet formula, in plain English

Cups vs. calories

Switching foods: the 7-day transition

Body-condition check beats any chart

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