How Much Should My Dog Be Eating Per Day? Calculate Their Calorie Intake Per Day!

Worried that you’re feeding your dog too little or too much? Here’s how to tell how many calories a dog needs in a day!

Step 1: Determine Resting Energy Requirement

Resting Energy Requirement, or RER, is similar to a basal metabolic rate in humans. It refers to the bare minimum amount of energy that your dog needs to perform basic living tasks, like digestion, cardiovascular, and respiratory functions.

To calculate RER, take your dog’s weight in kilograms, raise it to the ¾ power, and multiply it by 70. This will give you the total amount of calories necessary to meet RER requirements.

Step 2: Determine Energy Requirements

Now, working from the RER, you must figure out how much energy your dog burns on average on a daily basis. This will give you a good idea of their caloric needs.

Here’ a good idea of how to calculate that:

• Neutered adult dog: RER x 1.6
• Non-neutered adult dog: RER x 1.8
• Inactive dog: RER x 1.2 – 1.4
• Active working dog: RER x 2 – 5
• Obesity-prone dog: RER x 1.2 – 1.4
• Weight loss goal: RER x 1
• Weight gain goal: RER x 1.2 – 1.8
• Puppy aged up to 4 months: RER x 3
• Puppy aged above 4 months: RER x 2

Step 3: Make The Necessary Adjustments

Talk to your vet about your dog’s specific caloric needs. No diet plan is one size fits all. A special nutritionist for dogs can also further help you determine your dog’s needs.

Feature Image Source: Pixabay