Estimate your dog or cat's daily calorie needs and how many cups of food to feed based on weight and activity level.
Veterinary nutritionists estimate a pet's daily calorie needs starting from Resting Energy Requirement (RER), then multiply by an activity factor to get Daily Energy Requirement (DER).
RER (kcal/day) = 70 × (Weight in kg)^0.75
DER = RER × Activity Factor
A moderately active 40 lb dog needs roughly 970 kcal/day, which is about 2.8 cups/day of a 350 kcal/cup food.
This is a general estimate - always confirm feeding amounts with your veterinarian.
Based on the pet's weight, life stage, and activity level, referencing the food's calorie density and feeding guidelines.
Generic bag guidelines don't always account for an individual pet's activity level or metabolism, so adjustments based on body condition are often needed.
Regularly — as pets age, change activity levels, or gain/lose weight, their optimal portion size needs adjustment.