Calculate the estimated daily feeding amount for your dog based on their weight and activity level.
Sedentary (Little to no exercise, sleeps most of the day)
Moderately Active (Daily walks, playtime)
Very Active (Long runs, strenuous play, working dog)
Your estimated daily feeding amount will appear here.
Understanding Your Dog's Nutritional Needs
Determining the right amount of food for your dog is crucial for their health and well-being. Overfeeding can lead to obesity and related health issues, while underfeeding can result in malnutrition and energy deficiencies. This calculator provides an estimate based on scientifically recognized principles of canine nutrition.
The Science Behind the Calculation
The calculation is based on determining your dog's Resting Energy Requirement (RER) and then multiplying it by a factor corresponding to their life stage and activity level to get their Daily Energy Requirement (DER). Finally, we convert this energy requirement into a volume of food based on the calorie density of the food you provide.
1. Resting Energy Requirement (RER)
RER is the energy your dog needs at rest. It's typically calculated using the following formula:
RER (kcal/day) = 70 * (Weight in kg)^0.75
This formula accounts for metabolic rate and is a standard in veterinary nutrition.
2. Daily Energy Requirement (DER)
DER is the total energy your dog needs per day. It's RER multiplied by a life stage/activity factor:
Neutered Adult: 1.6 * RER
Intact Adult: 1.8 * RER
Active/Working Dog: 2.0 – 5.0 * RER (This calculator uses 2.0 as a baseline for 'Very Active')
Weight Loss: 1.0 * RER (or as directed by a vet)
Weight Gain: 1.2 – 1.8 * RER (or as directed by a vet)
Puppies (up to 4 months): 3.0 * RER
Puppies (4 months to adult): 2.0 * RER
Senior Dogs: 1.4 * RER
For this calculator, we simplify by using activity levels that correlate to these factors:
Sedentary: Approximately 1.2 * RER (for less active adults or seniors)
Moderately Active: Approximately 1.6 * RER (standard for most adult dogs)
Very Active: Approximately 2.0 * RER (for highly active or working dogs)
3. Food Volume Calculation
Once the DER is known, we can calculate how many cups of food are needed:
Cups per Day = DER (kcal/day) / Food Calorie Density (kcal/cup)
Factors Not Included in this Calculator
While this calculator is a great starting point, always consult your veterinarian. Factors like age, breed, metabolism, health conditions (e.g., diabetes, kidney disease), pregnancy, lactation, and specific dietary needs can significantly influence a dog's nutritional requirements. Individual dogs may also vary in their metabolic rates.
Example Usage:
Let's say you have a 25 kg dog that is moderately active, and their food contains 350 kcal per cup.
RER: 70 * (25)^0.75 ≈ 70 * 11.89 ≈ 832 kcal/day
DER (Moderately Active): 1.6 * 832 kcal/day ≈ 1331 kcal/day
Therefore, you would feed your 25 kg moderately active dog approximately 3.8 cups of food per day.
function calculateDogFood() {
var dogWeightKg = parseFloat(document.getElementById("dogWeightKg").value);
var activityLevel = document.getElementById("activityLevel").value;
var foodCalorieDensity = parseFloat(document.getElementById("foodCalorieDensity").value);
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("result");
resultDiv.innerHTML = 'Your estimated daily feeding amount will appear here.'; // Clear previous result
if (isNaN(dogWeightKg) || dogWeightKg <= 0) {
resultDiv.innerHTML = 'Please enter a valid weight for your dog (in kg).';
return;
}
if (isNaN(foodCalorieDensity) || foodCalorieDensity <= 0) {
resultDiv.innerHTML = 'Please enter a valid calorie density for your dog's food (kcal per cup).';
return;
}
// Calculate RER (Resting Energy Requirement)
var rer = 70 * Math.pow(dogWeightKg, 0.75);
// Determine DER (Daily Energy Requirement) based on activity level
var der;
if (activityLevel === "sedentary") {
der = rer * 1.2; // For sedentary dogs
} else if (activityLevel === "moderately_active") {
der = rer * 1.6; // For moderately active dogs
} else if (activityLevel === "very_active") {
der = rer * 2.0; // For very active/working dogs
} else {
// Default to moderately active if somehow an invalid option is selected
der = rer * 1.6;
}
// Calculate daily food amount in cups
var dailyCups = der / foodCalorieDensity;
// Display the result
resultDiv.innerHTML = 'Estimated daily feeding: ' + dailyCups.toFixed(1) + ' cups';
resultDiv.innerHTML += '(Based on ' + dogWeightKg + ' kg weight, ' + activityLevel.replace('_', ' ') + ' activity, and ' + foodCalorieDensity + ' kcal/cup food)';
}