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Breed guide

How much to feed your dog by breed

How much a dog should eat depends mainly on its weight; the breed shifts the figure through exercise, build and typical health issues. A neutered, normally active dog weighing 10 kg needs about 630 kcal a day – roughly 175 g of dry food or 630 g of wet food. A 2.5 kg Chihuahua gets by on 225 kcal, while a 32 kg German Shepherd needs about 1,505 kcal. The table shows the starting values for 18 popular breeds.

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Feeding chart by breed

Adult, neutered dog with normal exercise (factor 1.6) at the example weight shown, from lightest to heaviest. Dry food with 360 kcal per 100 g.

Weight range, daily requirement in kcal and grams of dry food for 18 dog breeds, sorted by example weight
BreedAdult weight · examplekcalper dayDryg per day
Chihuahua1–3 kg · example 2.5 kg22565
Yorkshire Terrierup to 3.2 kg · example 3 kg25570
Maltese3–4 kg · example 3.5 kg28580
Havaneseapprox. 3–6 kg · example 4.5 kg34595
Jack Russell Terrier5–6 kg · example 6 kg430120
Poodleapprox. 2–32 kg · example 6 kg430120
Pug6.3–8.1 kg · example 7.5 kg510140
Dachshundup to 14.5 kg · example 8 kg535150
Shiba Inuapprox. 7–11 kg · example 9 kg580160
French Bulldog8–14 kg · example 11 kg675190
Beagleup to 14 kg · example 12 kg720200
Cocker Spanielapprox. 13–14.5 kg · example 14 kg810225
Border Collie14–25 kg · example 19 kg1,020285
Australian Shepherd18–29 kg · example 25 kg1,250345
Golden Retriever25–34 kg · example 29 kg1,400390
Labrador25–36 kg · example 30 kg1,435400
German Shepherd22–40 kg · example 32 kg1,505420
Bernese Mountain Dog32–52 kg · example 42 kg1,850515
18 breeds

What each breed adds

Calories follow weight. What differs between breeds are the issues around the bowl: appetite and weight gain in the Labrador, Beagle and Cocker Spaniel, breathing and digestion in the Pug and French Bulldog, the back in the Dachshund, teeth and low blood sugar in small dogs such as the Chihuahua, Yorkshire Terrier and Maltese, growth and joints in the Bernese Mountain Dog, bloat in the German Shepherd and Standard Poodle, the MDR1 mutation in the Australian Shepherd or itching in the Shiba Inu. Each breed page sums up these points with sources.

Australian Shepherd feeding guide18–29 kgMDR1 mutation, work vs. family lifeBeagle feeding guideup to 14 kgOverweight, keeping food out of reachBernese Mountain Dog feeding guide32–52 kgGrowth, elbows, bloatBorder Collie feeding guide14–25 kgWork vs. family life, vitamin B12Chihuahua feeding guide1–3 kgLow blood sugar in puppies, teethCocker Spaniel feeding guideapprox. 13–14.5 kgOverweight, pancreatitis, earsDachshund feeding guideup to 14.5 kgWeight and backFrench Bulldog feeding guide8–14 kgBreathing, gagging after eatingGerman Shepherd feeding guide22–40 kgBloat, digestion and EPIGolden Retriever feeding guide25–34 kgWeight gain after neutering, grain-free foodHavanese feeding guideapprox. 3–6 kgLiver shunt, teeth, weightJack Russell Terrier feeding guide5–6 kgWeight by height, teethLabrador feeding guide25–36 kgPOMC appetite gene, excess weightMaltese feeding guide3–4 kgTeeth, liver, tear stainsPoodle feeding guideapprox. 2–32 kgSize, teeth, bloatPug feeding guide6.3–8.1 kgExcess weight and breathingShiba Inu feeding guideapprox. 7–11 kgSkin, itching, elimination dietYorkshire Terrier feeding guideup to 3.2 kgTeeth, liver shunt, low blood sugar

Your breed isn’t listed?

For mixed breeds and every other breed, you use the same method: weight at a good body shape, activity, neutering status and the kcal per 100 g from your food pack. The feeding calculator does this in a few seconds; the calorie calculator shows the energy requirement on its own.

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FAQ

Common questions about feeding by breed

How do I work out how much to feed my dog?

Resting energy requirement = 70 × body weight to the power of 0.75. Multiply this by a factor for life stage and activity – 1.6 for a neutered, normally active dog. Divide the result in kcal by the kcal per 100 g of your food and multiply by 100. Example for 10 kg: about 630 kcal, so roughly 175 g of dry food.

Why does a small dog need more food per kilo?

Energy requirements do not rise in proportion to weight. A 2.5 kg Chihuahua needs about 90 kcal per kilo, a 30 kg Labrador just under 48. Rules of thumb based on a percentage of body weight therefore work poorly for very small and very large dogs.

Does the table also apply to puppies?

No. Puppies need considerably more energy per kilo: up to about four months roughly three times their resting requirement, after that twice as much. Use the puppy feeding calculator for them.

How accurate are the figures?

They are starting values. Individual dogs vary by about 10 per cent or more. Weigh your dog every one to two weeks and adjust the amount in small steps until the weight stays stable at a good body shape.

Sources

Calculation method