How to use this tool
- Enter your dog’s weight and unit. Choose the labelled healthy-adult estimate or enter a daily calorie target agreed with your vet.
- Choose the food type and enter the calorie value and unit from that exact product’s label. Set the number of meals and the treat allowance.
- Update the result, review the portions and chart, then download the complete seven-day CSV or copy the plan.
A feeding plan, made from your food label
Start with your dog’s weight, choose how to set the daily calorie target, and enter the energy value printed on the food you use. The planner turns that target into a daily portion, a portion per meal and a seven-day shopping amount. Treat calories are kept separate, so a training reward does not quietly become an extra meal.
How the calorie estimate works
The healthy-adult estimate uses resting energy requirement (RER), then applies the selected adult factor. These starting factors come from Ohio State’s nutrition guidance. A low-activity estimate uses the lower end of its 1.2–1.4 range; your dog’s actual needs may be different.
For example, a 16 kg neutered adult has an estimated daily target of 896 kcal using the 1.6 factor. Reserving 10% for treats leaves 806.4 kcal for the main food. At 360 kcal per 100 g, that is 224 g daily, or 112 g at each of two meals. This is an arithmetic example, not a feeding recommendation for every 16 kg dog.
Dry, wet or fresh: why the label matters
The pictures change the input units and guidance. They do not stand in for a calorie label. Two foods in the same category can have different energy densities. When you switch food type, the old energy value clears so that the new plan uses the new product’s information.
For a mixture of foods, use the bowl calorie calculator to add the components. For a home-prepared diet, a portion calculation alone cannot establish nutritional completeness. Check the food’s nutritional adequacy statement and discuss a suitable diet with your veterinary team.
Questions worth asking
How many calories should my dog eat?
Use the estimate as a starting point for a healthy adult. If your vet has already set a target, enter that number instead. Puppies, pregnancy, illness and intentional weight change need an individual feeding plan.
Does the plan include treats?
Yes. Your chosen allowance is subtracted from the total before the main food portion is calculated. The allowance is an upper budget, not a requirement to feed that many treats.
Can I enter calories per cup?
Yes. The result will be in cups. A cup-to-gram conversion needs the weight of a cup of that exact food; there is no universal conversion.
How do I save the week’s plan?
Download the CSV for a seven-day table with the inputs and calculation details. “Copy plan” puts the same information into text you can paste into a note or a new ChatGPT conversation. The planner does not send it automatically.