How much should a puppy eat per day by weight? A puppy grows fast, and the amount it needs changes every few weeks as it grows — so the answer is not a single number, but a table: the daily calories for a puppy at every weight, from 1 kg to 40 kg, worked out from the resting energy requirement (RER) formula vets use. This guide is that table in words, plus how to use it, how to turn calories into cups and grams, and how to tell whether the amount is right for your individual puppy. Every figure is an estimate, and the amount must be re-checked every two weeks as the puppy grows.
The short version is: find your puppy's current weight in the left column, read the calories for its age, and feed that amount, split into three or four meals a day. Then weigh the puppy again in two weeks, find the new weight in the table, and adjust the amount. That is the whole method — and it is worth doing, because a puppy fed last month's amount is already being fed wrong, and a puppy that is overfed grows up overweight, while one that is underfed grows up stunted.
How much should a puppy eat per day by weight?
Use the row nearest your puppy's current weight, then pick the column that matches the puppy's age. The factors are the standard ones used in veterinary nutrition: about 3.0 for puppies under four months and about 2.0 from four months to adulthood.
| Body weight | Under 4 months (×3.0) | 4 months to adult (×2.0) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kg | 210 | 140 |
| 2 kg | 355 | 235 |
| 3 kg | 480 | 320 |
| 5 kg | 700 | 470 |
| 8 kg | 1000 | 665 |
| 10 kg | 1180 | 785 |
| 15 kg | 1600 | 1065 |
| 20 kg | 1985 | 1325 |
| 25 kg | 2350 | 1565 |
| 30 kg | 2690 | 1795 |
| 40 kg | 3340 | 2225 |
If your puppy is between two rows, take the lower figure first: it is easier to add food to a puppy that is losing weight than to take weight off a puppy that has gained it. Note that calories are the real target and cups or grams are only a translation. Different foods have very different calorie densities, so always check the kcal per cup or per 100 g on your own bag or tin and work from that. The cups and grams figures below assume a typical dry food at around 350 kcal per cup or per 100 g — a common figure, but your food may differ, and the bag's number always wins over this guide's.
How much puppy food in cups and grams per day
| Puppy weight | Calories per day | Cups / grams of dry food per day |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kg | 210 kcal | 0.6 cups / 60 g |
| 2 kg | 355 kcal | 1.0 cups / 101 g |
| 3 kg | 480 kcal | 1.4 cups / 137 g |
| 5 kg | 700 kcal | 2.0 cups / 200 g |
| 8 kg | 1000 kcal | 2.9 cups / 286 g |
| 10 kg | 1180 kcal | 3.4 cups / 337 g |
| 15 kg | 1600 kcal | 4.6 cups / 457 g |
| 20 kg | 1985 kcal | 5.7 cups / 567 g |
| 25 kg | 2350 kcal | 6.7 cups / 671 g |
| 30 kg | 2690 kcal | 7.7 cups / 769 g |
| 40 kg | 3340 kcal | 9.5 cups / 954 g |
Split the daily amount into three to four meals a day until about six months, then two meals a day — a young animal's stomach is small, so it cannot eat enough in one or two meals to meet its needs. If you feed wet food, use the tin's kcal figure to convert: a typical wet food is around 70 to 100 kcal per 100 g. Mixed feeding is fine as long as the total calories add up. Measure food with scales, not a scoop, and weigh the puppy every two weeks — the amount changes quickly as the puppy grows. The the puppy feeding schedule guide gives the schedule from weaning to adulthood, and the the how much food should a puppy eat guide gives the calorie tables for puppys by weight.
How a puppy's weight changes as it grows
A puppy does not grow evenly: it grows fastest in the first few months, then slows down towards the end of its first year, and large and giant breeds keep growing long after small breeds have finished. As a very rough guide — and it is a rough guide, because individual animals vary widely — a puppy's weight as a share of its expected adult weight is about a fifth to a quarter at 8 weeks, about a quarter to a third at 3 months, about a third to two-fifths at 4 months, about half to two-thirds at 6 months, about three-quarters to four-fifths at 9 months, and about four-fifths or more at 12 months, when small breeds are near-adult and large breeds are still growing.
Use that rough guide with the breed's expected adult weight, not instead of it: 25 to 36 kg for a Labrador Retriever, 1 to 5 kg for a toy breed, and 40 to 90 kg for a giant breed. If your puppy is well outside the rough share for its age — much heavier or much lighter than the table suggests — ask your vet to check its growth, rather than changing food on your own. The puppy weight predictor estimates adult weight from the puppy's current weight and age, and the puppy weight calculator by breed size guide explains how to track growth.
How to weigh a puppy and track its growth
Weigh the puppy every two weeks, at the same time of day, on the same scales, and write the number down — the line over weeks is what matters, not any single reading. For a small puppy, step on the bathroom scales holding it, then step on without it, and take the difference. For a larger puppy, use the vet's scales at a routine visit. Plot the weights on a simple chart, or just keep a list with dates: what you are looking for is a smooth, steady rise, not a flat line and not a sudden jump. A puppy that is not gaining weight at all over two weeks, or that is losing weight, needs a vet check — a puppy that is not growing needs a vet, not just more food.
Feel the ribs at every weigh-in: you should feel them easily under a thin layer of fat, and see a waist from above and from the side, even in a puppy. A puppy that is too fat is not a healthy puppy: excess weight in youth sets up weight problems for life, and in a large-breed puppy it strains developing joints. A puppy that is too thin is not a healthy puppy either: it may not be getting enough food, or it may be unwell. The table above gives the amount; the scales and your hands tell you whether it is right. The the how often should you feed a puppy guide covers how often to feed, and the dog food calculator works out the figure for any weight.
Common mistakes with puppy feeding by weight
The most common mistake is feeding last month's amount: a puppy grows fast, and the amount that was right a month ago is already wrong. Re-check the table every two weeks, with the puppy's current weight. The second is feeding by the bag's chart alone: bag charts are generous, because they are written for active animals and rounded up, so treat them as a maximum, not a target. The third is overfeeding to make the puppy grow faster: rapid growth and excess weight strain developing joints, and in a large-breed puppy that matters more than in a small one. The fourth is underfeeding a puppy that is growing fast, because the owner is afraid of overfeeding: a puppy that is not gaining weight needs a vet check, not a smaller portion. The fifth is switching foods suddenly, which upsets digestion — change foods gradually over a week, mixing the old and new in increasing proportions.
For related reading, see the the puppy feeding schedule guide, the the how much food should a puppy eat guide, the the how often should you feed a puppy guide, the puppy weight predictor, the dog food calculator, the dog feeding chart by weight guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a puppy eat per day?
Find your puppy's current weight in the table above and read the calories for its age: a puppy of 10 kg needs about 1180 calories a day. Re-check every two weeks as the puppy grows, and weigh it at the same time.
How often should I feed a puppy?
Three to four meals a day until about six months, then two meals a day. A young animal's stomach is small, so it cannot eat enough in one or two meals to meet its needs, and it needs food little and often.
How do I know if my puppy is growing well?
Weigh the puppy every two weeks and compare with the breed's expected adult weight: it should gain weight steadily, not in jumps and not at all. A puppy that is not gaining weight over two weeks, or that is losing weight, needs a vet check. Feel the ribs too — you should feel them easily under a thin layer of fat.
How much food in grams should a puppy eat?
Divide the daily calories from the table above by the kcal per 100 g on your own bag or tin. A puppy of 10 kg needing about 1180 calories needs roughly 337 g of a typical dry food at 350 kcal per 100 g. Always check your own bag's number — it wins over this guide's.
When should a puppy switch to adult food?
At about 12 months for most puppies, but large breeds can take longer to finish growing — a large-breed puppy may still be growing at 18 months to 2 years, and a large-breed kitten such as a Maine Coon can take 2 to 4 years. Ask your vet when to switch, and switch gradually over a week.
Can I feed my puppy adult food?
No — adult food does not have enough calories or nutrients for growth, and a puppy fed adult food will grow more slowly than it should. Feed a food labelled complete and balanced for puppies, in the amount from the table above, until your vet says the puppy is ready for adult food.
Results on this page are estimates for general information only and are not veterinary advice. If your pet is ill, underweight, overweight, pregnant, or has a health condition, consult your veterinarian before changing diet or care.