A Dog Food Calculator for Adults Only
The Dog Food Calculator was designed to be used for adult dogs only not for puppies. And it should never be used for pregnant or lactating females.Small to medium breeds may be considered adults after about six months of age. But large and giant breeds shouldn’t be fed as adults until they reach somewhere around one to two years (depending upon the breed).
When Is a Dog a Senior?
Older dogs have significantly lower energy needs than younger ones. So, its easy for them to put on extra weight. In general, small to medium dogs are considered seniors at about seven years of age. But larger breeds reach senior status much sooner some as early as five.
Converting Calories to Serving Size
Once you’ve entered your dog’s ideal weight and activity level, you’ll know the number of calories per day. But to convert calories into something you can actually use, you’ll need to enter the number of calories in your dog’s food.
The number of calories in a given amount of dog food is known as its metabolizable energy (ME, for short). Its usually reported somewhere on a dog food package like this
Calories per cup (kcal/cup)
Calories per kilogram (kcal/kilogram)
By the way, the calculator assumes you’re feeding your dog just once a day. If you prefer to feed your dog twice a day, be sure to divide your result in half so that both meals add up to the full daily calories suggested.
The Bottom Line
Since each dog has its own unique energy requirements (just like people), its impossible to accurately predict the exact serving size that’s right for your pet. Start with the packages feeding instructions. Weigh your dog every few weeks. Then, adjust (or titrate) that suggested serving size up or down to reach and maintain your pets ideal weight.