How Much Food Should You Feed Your Dog?

One of the most frequently asked questions we get here on The Dog Food Advisor website is…

“How much food should I feed my dog?”

And it’s an important question.

That’s because research confirms that overweight dogs don’t live as long as dogs that weigh within their healthy range.

According to research, overweight dogs suffer from a higher incidence of life-shortening illnesses. These diseases include:

• Hypothyroidism
• Oral disease
• Diabetes
• Pancreatitis
• Cancer
• Arthritis
• Heart disease

A study on 12 different breeds of dog ¹ found being just moderately overweight can reduce a dog’s lifespan by two and a half years. 

So ensuring you provide a healthy, balanced diet for your dog is key for many reasons, but it’s equally important to provide the correct amount of food for your dog. And it’s something that’s not always easy to get right.

How Much Food Should My Dog Eat?

The best advice is not to blindly follow the directions on dog-food packaging. That’s because manufacturers often “hedge” by suggesting an overly broad range of serving sizes.

For example, a bag of kibble might read, “For dogs from 5 to 15 pounds, feed 1/2 to 1-1/2 cups a day”.

That’s an extremely vague suggestion across a wide range — a 200% variation, and is simply not precise enough.

If you follow that advice you’ll be guessing, and as a result you could be significantly overfeeding or underfeeding your dog.

Misjudging a serving size by even a small amount and then feeding that same amount day-in and day-out multiplies the error. And it could have a devastating effect on your dog’s health.

How Many Cups of Food Should I Feed My Dog?

As mentioned above, the portion suggestions on dog food can be used as an extremely rough guide, but each individual dog will vary as to how much they require each day, and it takes some working out as to what your own dog will require.

A cup is 250g in weight, so the number of cups you feed your dog will depend on their weight.

How Much to Feed a Dog by Weight (Kg)?

When deciding how much to feed your dog, never guess. Be scientific —always calculate and measure.

Use our Dog Food Calculator and follow these three simple steps:

Step 1 – Enter your dog’s ideal weight

Step 2 – Select your dog’s life stage and activity level

Step 3 – Insert your dog food’s “calories per serving”

Then, use a measuring cup or a scale and feed the calculated amount.

Of course, keep in mind results are approximate. Certain breeds and conditions may require some adjustment. And please remember, the calculator assumes your dog is at or near their ideal weight.

So, be flexible. If your dog appears to be overweight or underweight, substitute something closer to “ideal” for your weight entry.

Also note that the calculator is for adult dogs only — puppies require their own special feeding program.

How Much Dog Food Per Day?

So in summary, working out how much dog food to give your dog per day is part science, part common sense. 

Experiment with different weights of food based on the recommended serving size for weight, tweaking the amount up or down depending on your dog’s weight and whether they’re under/over what they should be for their breed and age. If you’re unsure about portion size, your vet can help you determine where your dog is on the weight scale.

Other factors to consider include: how much exercise does your dog get? If they’re outside all day, a working dog, go for runs with you or do activites like agility training, they may require more food. 

Always measure each serving by weight/cup, and ensure you check your dog’s weight once a month or so. Over time, you’ll be glad you did.

Read our article on dog feeding tips for more advice on feeding your dog.

Learn how to determine your dog’s ideal weight.

Here’s an easy way to weigh your dog.