Dog Calorie Calculator
A healthy dog's daily calories come from its resting energy (RER = 70 × body-weight-kg^0.75) multiplied by a life-stage factor (MER). A spayed/neutered adult dog of 60 lb needs about 1335 kcal/day to maintain weight, or about 667 kcal/day to lose weight safely. Enter your dog's weight below.
1335 kcal/day
Based on adult, spayed/neutered.
Resting energy (RER): 834 kcal/day.
An estimate for healthy pets, not a substitute for veterinary advice. For weight loss, confirm the target and plan with your vet.
Maintenance calories by weight (dog, spayed/neutered adult)
| Weight | Resting (RER) | Maintenance (MER) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 lb (4.5 kg) | 218 kcal | 348 kcal/day |
| 20 lb (9.1 kg) | 366 kcal | 585 kcal/day |
| 40 lb (18.1 kg) | 615 kcal | 985 kcal/day |
| 60 lb (27.2 kg) | 834 kcal | 1335 kcal/day |
| 80 lb (36.3 kg) | 1035 kcal | 1656 kcal/day |
Maintenance uses the neutered-adult factor (1.6 × RER). Intact, senior, growing, and weight-loss numbers differ — the calculator above adjusts for each.
How this is calculated
We use the resting energy formula RER = 70 × (kg)^0.75 and the AAHA/WSAVA maintenance factors, the same method veterinary teams use. Weight loss follows the AAHA rule: 0.80 × RER of the target weight. See the full methodology and sources.
Want to track this over time? PawAI turns the number into a daily plan and follows your dog's weight toward a healthy range. Try the food tools.