Puppies have different requirements than adult dogs and estimating how much food and how many calories are needed daily is the first step to formulating a raw diet for a growing puppy.
Puppies require more calories for energy and development. The amount of calories a puppy needs depends on age, activity, and breed. An estimate on how much food a puppy should eat in a day and how many calories are needed to sustain optimal growth can be calculated with a few simple math formulas.
Calculate Daily Intake Estimates
An estimate on how much raw food a puppy requires can be calculated by current weight multiplied by the recommended maintenance percentage to maintain ideal body condition.
Maintenance Percentages for Puppies
Maintenance percentages, based off of a puppy’s age, are average starting guidelines. Maintenance percentage calculations provide an estimate on how much food a puppy should consume in a day. These calculations are to be taken as guidelines and not “rules.”
Always adjust to the puppy’s individual requirements. Low-energy breeds may require a lower maintenance percentage whereas high-energy breeds may require a higher maintenance percentage.
| Puppy’s Age | Maintenance Percentage |
|---|---|
| 2-4 Months | 10%-8% |
| 4-6 Months | 8%-6% |
| 6-8 Months | 6%-4% |
| 8-12 Months | 4%-2% |
*Maintenance percentages are for weaned puppies.
Once the appropriate maintenance percentage is selected, the puppy’s daily intake estimate can be calculated. Multiply the puppy’s current weight by the appropriate maintenance percentage for its age and activity level.
Example 1
Puppy profile in english units:
6 Months Old
Large Breed
23 Pounds
Current Weight
55 Pounds
Estimated Adult Weight
Calculate Estimated Daily Intake in english units:
23 x 0.06 = 1.38lbs
Estimated daily intake in pounds.
1.38 x 16 = 22oz
Estimated daily intake converted to ounces.
Example 2
Puppy profile in metric units:
6 Months Old
Large Breed
10.5 Kilograms
Current Weight
25 Kilograms
Estimated Adult Weight
Calculate Estimated Daily Intake in metric units:
10.5 x 0.06 = 0.63kg
Estimated daily intake in kilograms.
0.63 x 1000 = 630g
Estimated daily intake converted to grams.
Maintenance percentages are starting guidelines to calculate estimates on how much food a puppy will consume in a day. However, it is important to note that these are starting guidelines, these are not “rules,” and adjustments should be made for every individual puppy.
Calculate Daily Energy Requirements
A “calorie” is a unit to measure the energy in food, and is the starting point when formulating a balanced diet. Once the amount of daily calories is calculated, completing the diet with essential nutrients is the next step.
The first step to determine calorie requirements is to calculate the puppy’s resting energy requirements (RER). The RER of a puppy is the amount of calories needed for biological functions such as digestion, heart rate, and more. This caloric amount does not factor in activity or age.
The RER can be calculated by multiplying the puppy’s body weight in kilograms by 30 and then adding 70.
Example 1, Continued
Puppy profile in english units:
6 Months Old
Large Breed
23 Pounds
Current Weight
55 Pounds
Estimated Adult Weight
22oz Intake
Estimated Daily Intake
Calculate Resting Energy Requirements (RER) in english units:
23 / 2.2 = 10.5kg body weight
Convert body weight to kilograms.
(30*10.5)+70 = 385 RER
Resting Energy Requirements
Example 2, Continued
Puppy profile in metric units:
6 Months Old
Large Breed
10.5 Kilograms
Current Weight
25 Kilograms
Estimated Adult Weight
630g Intake
Estimated Daily Intake
Calculate Resting Energy Requirements (RER) in metric units:
(30*10.5)+70 = 385 RER
Resting Energy Requirements
Once the RER is identified, daily energy requirements (DER) can be calculated when multiplying RER. The DER is the total calories needed to sustain biological functions and daily activity. Calculation amounts vary in relation to the puppy’s breed, size, and age.
The weight class of a growing puppy is important when calculating DER. Extra small to medium size breeds have a significantly shorter growth period in comparison to large and giant breeds.
Breed Size Chart
Identify the breed size of the puppy to calculate accurate DER.
Extra Small Breeds
1-10lbs & 1-4.5kg
Breed Examples:
- Chihuahua
- Maltese
- Pomeranian
- Yorkie
Small Breeds
11-25lbs & 5-11.5kg
Breed Examples:
- Corgi
- French Bulldog
- Jack Russel Terrier
- Pug
Medium Breeds
26-40lbs & 12-18kg
Breed Examples:
- Border Collie
- Cocker Spaniel
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Standard Schnauzer
Medium-Large Breeds
41-70lbs & 19-32kg
Breed Examples:
- Belgian Malinois
- Boxer
- Dalmatian
- German Shorthaired Pointer
Large Breeds
71-90lbs & 32-40kg
Breed Examples:
- American Staffordshire Terrier
- Doberman Pinscher
- German Shepherd
- Labrador
Giant Breeds
Over 90lbs & 41kg
Breed Examples:
- Bullmastiff
- Great Dane
- Rottweiler
- Newfoundland
Small and medium breed size dogs complete growth around 12 months of age. Large breed puppies are still developing at 12 months old, and giant breeds are still growing past 18 months of age! Therefore, DER calculations vary slightly between small-medium breeds and large-giant breeds.
The following amounts can be used as a starting guideline to calculate calorie needs based on life stage and breed size.
Small & Medium Breeds
Energy needs to calculate Daily Energy Requirements (DER)
|
Puppy’s Age |
Energy Needs |
|---|---|
|
2-4 Months |
3-2.8 |
|
4-6 Months |
2.8-2.6 |
|
6-8 Months |
2.6-2.4 |
|
8-10 Months |
2.4-2.2 |
|
10-12 Months |
2.2-2 |
Large & Giant Breeds
Energy needs to calculate Daily Energy Requirements (DER)
|
Puppy’s Age |
Energy Needs |
|---|---|
|
2-4 Months |
3-2.8 |
|
4-6 Months |
2.8-2.6 |
|
6-8 Months |
2.6-2.4 |
|
8-10 Months |
2.4-2.2 |
|
10-12 Months |
2.2-2 |
|
12-14 Months |
2-1.8 |
|
16-20 Months |
1.8-1.6 |
Once the appropriate multiplier is identified, DER can be calculated by multiplying the puppy’s RER by energy needs by age.
Example 1, Continued
Puppy profile in english units:
6 Months Old
Large Breed
23 Pounds
Current Weight
55 Pounds
Estimated Adult Weight
22oz Intake
Estimated Daily Intake
385 RER
Calculate Daily Energy Requirements (DER) in english units:
385 x 2.6 = 1001kcal
Daily Energy Requirements (DER) – round to 1000kcal for math ease.
Example 2, Continued
Puppy profile in metric units:
6 Months Old
Large Breed
10.5 Kilograms
Current Weight
25 Kilograms
Estimated Adult Weight
630g Intake
Estimated Daily Intake
385 RER
Calculate Daily Energy Requirements (DER) in metric units:
385 x 2.6 = 1001kcal
Daily Energy Requirements (DER) – round to 1000kcal for math ease.
Since metabolism varies among dog breeds, the RER needs to be multiplied higher to provide enough calories for high-energy breeds. In contrast, low-energy breeds have a lower calorie need and the RER needs to be multiplied by a lower amount.
Determine Feeding Frequency
Multiple meals should be fed throughout the day to young and growing puppies. As puppies grow and mature, the number of meals fed should decrease. Puppies require frequent meals throughout the day versus one large meal. The amount of meals a puppy needs is dependent on the age of the puppy.
Number of Meals to Feed Puppies
Divide Estimated Daily Intake into the number of feedings required for the puppy’s age.
| Puppy’s Age | Number of Meals |
|---|---|
| 2-6 Months | 3 |
| 6-12 Months | 2 |
On average, puppies have a higher growth rate in the first six months of age and frequent meals are ideal for early development. Once the puppy has reached adult maturity, meals can be decreased to once a day, if suitable for the individual dog.
Example 1, Continued
Puppy profile in english units:
6 Months Old
Large Breed
23 Pounds
Current Weight
55 Pounds
Estimated Adult Weight
1000 kcal
Daily Calories
22oz Estimated Intake
Calculate individual meal amounts:
22 ÷ 2 = 11oz
Feed 11oz at each meal, twice a day.
Example 2, Continued
Puppy profile in metric units:
6 Months Old
Large Breed
10.5 Kilograms
Current Weight
25 Kilograms
Estimated Adult Weight
1000 kcal
Daily Calories
630g Estimated Intake
Calculate individual meal amounts:
630 ÷ 2 = 315g
Feed 315g at each meal, twice a day.
“ALWAYS CALCULATE FOOD AMOUNTS FOR IDEAL WEIGHT.”
Ronny LeJeune, CertCN, CPDT-KA, CCC
Closing Comments
Both calculation methods prove useful when beginning to formulate a raw diet for a puppy. The first step to creating a raw diet for a growing puppy is to calculate how much food the puppy will need to consume in a day.
Maintenance Percentage
Calculate daily intake amount with maintenance percentages to estimate how much food a puppy needs to consume in a day.
Calculate Calories
To get an accurate figure of how many calories a growing puppy needs to consume per day is to calculate daily energy requirements (DER). The DER is an accurate way to determine how many calories a puppy needs to consume in a day to maintain energy and growth.
Determine Feeding Frequency
Puppies should be fed multiple meals throughout the day. Younger puppies should have three meals a day while puppies over 6 months old can be fed twice a day.
Once an estimated daily intake is calculated, the amount of muscle meat, raw meaty bones, organs, and plant ingredients can be estimated using raw diet ratio guidelines to complete recommended allowances for essential nutrients.
The recommended allowances for amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals can be determined once daily calories are calculated.
