Puppy feeding chart
Calories a day by your puppy's current weight and age. Divide by the kcal on your food bag for grams.
| Current weight | Resting (RER) | Under 4 months | 4 months to adult | Neutered adult |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 kg (2 lb) | 70 kcal | 210 kcal | 140 kcal | 110 kcal |
| 2 kg (4 lb) | 120 kcal | 350 kcal | 240 kcal | 190 kcal |
| 3 kg (7 lb) | 160 kcal | 480 kcal | 320 kcal | 260 kcal |
| 4 kg (9 lb) | 200 kcal | 590 kcal | 400 kcal | 320 kcal |
| 5 kg (11 lb) | 230 kcal | 700 kcal | 470 kcal | 370 kcal |
| 7.5 kg (17 lb) | 320 kcal | 950 kcal | 630 kcal | 510 kcal |
| 10 kg (22 lb) | 390 kcal | 1180 kcal | 790 kcal | 630 kcal |
| 12.5 kg (28 lb) | 470 kcal | 1400 kcal | 930 kcal | 740 kcal |
| 15 kg (33 lb) | 530 kcal | 1600 kcal | 1070 kcal | 850 kcal |
| 20 kg (44 lb) | 660 kcal | 1990 kcal | 1320 kcal | 1060 kcal |
| 25 kg (55 lb) | 780 kcal | 2350 kcal | 1570 kcal | 1250 kcal |
| 30 kg (66 lb) | 900 kcal | 2690 kcal | 1790 kcal | 1440 kcal |
| 35 kg (77 lb) | 1010 kcal | 3020 kcal | 2010 kcal | 1610 kcal |
| 40 kg (88 lb) | 1110 kcal | 3340 kcal | 2230 kcal | 1780 kcal |
| 50 kg (110 lb) | 1320 kcal | 3950 kcal | 2630 kcal | 2110 kcal |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 1510 kcal | 4530 kcal | 3020 kcal | 2410 kcal |
Rounded to the nearest 10 kcal. Under 4 months is 3 x RER, 4 months to adult is 2 x RER, and a neutered adult 1.6 x RER, from the MSD Veterinary Manual. Adults are shown so you can see where the numbers are heading.
Turning calories into grams
Look for the energy figure on your food: kcal per 100 g, or kcal per kg (divide that by ten). Then divide the daily calories by it and multiply by 100. A 5 kg puppy under four months needs about 700 kcal. On a food with 380 kcal per 100 g that is about 184 g a day, split across the day's meals.
Treats count. Keep them small and take them out of the day's total.
Meals a day by age
| Age | Meals a day | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 to 12 weeks | 4 | Merck and the AKC both give four. Merck notes small breed puppies may need more than three feedings a day. |
| 3 to 6 months | 3 | Drop from four to three. |
| 6 to 12 months | 2 | Twice daily, morning and evening. |
| Over 12 months | 1 or 2 | On an adult diet. Most adult dogs do better on measured portions than free feeding. |
Large and giant breed puppies
Overfeeding a large or giant breed puppy speeds growth up, and Merck is blunt that a faster growth rate "is not desirable, because it is incompatible with proper skeletal development". Feed a complete and balanced growth diet that carries an AAFCO statement saying it is formulated for large breed puppies, and do not add calcium, phosphorus or vitamin D on top of it. AAFCO caps calcium at 1.8 percent on a dry matter basis for growth and all life stages foods. Weigh weekly and aim for a small, steady gain rather than a fast one.
This is general guidance, your vet sets the actual schedule. The chart is a starting point. Body condition decides: you should feel the ribs under a thin layer of fat and see a waist from above. Your vet can score it for you.
Common questions
How much should I feed my puppy a day?
Find your puppy's current weight in the chart and read across to their age. A 5 kg puppy under four months needs about 700 kcal a day. Divide that by the kcal per 100 g on your food and multiply by 100 for grams. The chart is a starting point: adjust by about ten percent at a time to keep a visible waist.
Why does the chart use calories rather than cups?
Foods differ a lot in energy density, so the same cup can hold very different calories. Every complete food prints its kcal per 100 g or per kg, which turns the chart into grams of your own food.
Should I use my puppy’s current weight or their adult weight?
Current weight. The MSD Veterinary Manual multipliers are applied to the resting energy requirement worked out from the puppy’s weight today, so reweigh every week or two and move down the chart as they grow.
How many meals a day should a puppy have?
Four a day from 6 to 12 weeks, three from 3 to 6 months and two from 6 to 12 months, according to the MSD Veterinary Manual feeding schedule.
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How we worked this out
The resting energy requirement is RER = 70 x (body weight in kg) ^ 0.75, from the MSD Veterinary Manual, and each column multiplies it by the MSD life stage factor. Individual dogs vary a lot around these figures, which is why the chart gives a starting point and body condition gives the answer.
Sources
- MSD Veterinary Manual, Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals: https://www.msdvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/nutrition-small-animals/nutritional-requirements-of-small-animals
- MSD Veterinary Manual, Daily Maintenance Energy Requirements for Dogs and Cats: https://www.msdvetmanual.com/multimedia/table/daily-maintenance-energy-requirements-for-dogs-and-cats
- MSD Veterinary Manual, Feeding Schedule for Puppies: https://www.msdvetmanual.com/multimedia/table/feeding-schedule-for-puppies
- MSD Veterinary Manual, Feeding Practices in Small Animals: https://www.msdvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/nutrition-small-animals/feeding-practices-in-small-animals
- Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center, basic calorie calculator: https://vmc.vet.osu.edu/companion/our-services/nutrition-support-service/basic-calorie-calculator
- WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee, calorie needs for healthy adult dogs: https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Calorie-Needs-for-Healthy-Adult-Dogs-updated-July-2020.pdf
- WSAVA body condition score chart for dogs: https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/WSAVA_BCSCat_BCSDog_Nutrition_250612.pdf
- American Kennel Club, puppy feeding fundamentals: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/puppy-feeding-fundamentals/
- VCA Animal Hospitals, feeding growing puppies: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/feeding-growing-puppies
- AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles, calcium maximums: https://www.aafco.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Pet_Food_Report_2013_Annual-Appendix_A.pdf
Last reviewed 2026-09-05.