Dog Food Recipe Calculator
Enter your dog's weight, age, and activity level — get exact daily calories, portion size in grams and cups, and a complete homemade recipe ingredient breakdown.
Your Dog's Details
Daily Feeding Plan
Why Your Dog's Portion Size Is Probably Wrong
If you're using the portion guide on the back of a kibble bag, there's a good chance you're overfeeding your dog. Commercial feeding guidelines are printed with generous ranges — they're estimates designed for the average dog across a wide weight band, and they don't account for your dog's specific activity level, whether they're neutered, or how fast their individual metabolism runs.
Homemade food makes this even trickier. Many owners switching from commercial kibble assume the portion size stays the same. It doesn't. Fresh homemade food is significantly more calorie-dense per cup than dry kibble, which contains 10–12% moisture. Fresh food is 60–80% moisture — meaning the same cup that held 350 kcal of kibble might hold only 180–250 kcal of fresh food. Feed the same cup and your dog loses weight. Feed double to compensate and they gain it.
The scientifically validated way to get this right is to calculate from your dog's Resting Energy Requirement (RER) and then adjust for life stage and activity. That's what every veterinary nutritionist and the AAFCO feeding framework uses — and it's exactly what this calculator does.
Thinking about your own nutrition alongside your dog's? Our Calorie Calculator uses a similar energy formula for humans, and our Recipe Nutrition Calculator can analyze the exact nutritional content of any food you're preparing.
The RER and DER Formulas Explained
The calculation chain is straightforward once you understand what each step means.
The baseline calories a dog needs just to exist — breathing, heart function, cell repair, digestion at rest. A 15 kg dog has an RER of roughly 70 × 15^0.75 = 70 × 7.62 = ~533 kcal/day.
Multiply RER by a factor that accounts for life stage, reproductive status, and activity. A neutered adult at moderate activity multiplies by ~1.6. A young puppy uses a factor of 3.0. Our calculator selects the right factor automatically.
| Life Stage | DER Factor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Puppy < 4 months | 3.0 × RER | Rapid growth, very high energy density needed |
| Puppy 4 mo – 1 year | 2.0 × RER | Still growing, higher than adult needs |
| Adult — intact | 1.8 × RER | Intact males and females, baseline activity |
| Adult — neutered | 1.6 × RER | Most common adult pet category |
| Senior (7+ years) | 1.4 × RER | Lower metabolism, watch for weight gain |
| Pregnant (late) | 3.0 × RER | Peak third trimester needs |
| Lactating | 4.0–5.0 × RER | Highest energy demand in a dog's life |
Activity adjustment sits on top of life stage. A highly active working dog can need 1.5–2× the calories of a sedentary dog of the same weight. Our calculator layers both factors to arrive at a realistic daily calorie target.
The Right Ratio: Protein, Carbs, Fat, and Vegetables
Once you know daily calories, the next question is what those calories should be made of. Dog nutritional science has a solid consensus here, built on AAFCO standards and decades of veterinary research.
Chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, fish, or eggs. The protein source forms the bulk of every meal. Muscle maintenance, immune function, and tissue repair all depend on adequate protein. Use lean cuts — excess fat increases calorie density unpredictably.
Carrots, green beans, pumpkin, sweet potato (also a carb source), spinach, peas. Provides fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Chop or lightly steam hard vegetables. Always avoid onion, garlic, grapes, and avocado.
Brown rice, white rice, sweet potato, oats, quinoa. Provides sustained energy and helps bind the meal. White rice is easiest to digest — good for dogs with sensitive stomachs. Grain-free doesn't mean carb-free; sweet potato and squash fill this role.
Fish oil (omega-3), olive oil, or the fat naturally present in the protein source. Plus: calcium (critical — 1g per pound of boneless meat), canine multivitamin, and Vitamin E. Do not skip the supplement step.
Puppies shift this ratio toward higher protein (50–55%) to support rapid skeletal and muscle development. Senior dogs with kidney issues sometimes need reduced protein — but only on veterinary advice, since protein restriction without clinical indication can be harmful.
Choosing the Right Protein Base
The protein you choose affects more than just taste preference. Each protein source has a different caloric density, fat content, and amino acid profile that changes how much you need to feed and what supplements are most important.
| Protein | kcal / 100g (cooked) | Fat Level | Best For | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🍗 Chicken breast | ~165 kcal | Low | Weight loss, sensitive stomachs | Add fat if sole protein — very lean |
| 🍗 Chicken thigh | ~209 kcal | Medium | Active dogs, puppies | Higher calorie — adjust portions |
| 🥩 Beef (85% lean) | ~215 kcal | Medium-High | Energy, palatability | Higher fat — monitor weight |
| 🐟 Salmon | ~208 kcal | Medium | Skin/coat health, seniors | Always cook — raw salmon parasite risk |
| 🦃 Turkey breast | ~189 kcal | Low | Allergies, weight management | Novel protein — good for food trials |
| 🐑 Lamb | ~294 kcal | High | Dogs with chicken/beef allergies | High calorie — reduce portion by ~15% |
| 🥚 Eggs | ~155 kcal | Medium | Budget-friendly, digestible | Limit to 1–2 eggs/day for medium dogs |
A common mistake is switching to a leaner protein (like chicken breast) without adjusting total calories upward to compensate for the lower caloric density. If your dog seems hungry after meals following a protein switch, check the math before increasing portions freely.
Your own protein needs work on similar principles — our Protein Intake Calculator shows how body weight and activity level drive daily protein targets for humans too.
Portion Size by Dog Weight: Quick Reference
Before you run the full calculator, here's a reference table for neutered adult dogs at light-to-moderate activity on a standard chicken-and-rice recipe (~1.2 kcal/gram):
| Dog Weight | Daily Calories | Daily Grams | Daily Cups | Per Meal (2×/day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 lbs (2.3 kg) | ~185 kcal | ~154 g | ~⅔ cup | ~77 g |
| 10 lbs (4.5 kg) | ~296 kcal | ~247 g | ~1 cup | ~123 g |
| 20 lbs (9 kg) | ~472 kcal | ~393 g | ~1½ cups | ~197 g |
| 40 lbs (18 kg) | ~752 kcal | ~627 g | ~2½ cups | ~313 g |
| 60 lbs (27 kg) | ~1,006 kcal | ~838 g | ~3½ cups | ~419 g |
| 80 lbs (36 kg) | ~1,240 kcal | ~1,033 g | ~4¼ cups | ~517 g |
| 100 lbs (45 kg) | ~1,465 kcal | ~1,220 g | ~5 cups | ~610 g |
These are starting points for maintenance. Adjust up if your dog loses weight, down if they gain. Check body condition score every two weeks when switching to homemade: you should be able to feel ribs easily but not see them, and there should be a visible waist tuck from above. Our calculator accounts for weight loss or gain goals by adjusting DER by ±20%.
Just like human daily water needs adjust with body weight and activity, dogs also need proportional hydration. Our Water Intake Calculator covers human hydration — a dog's water need is roughly 1 oz per pound of body weight per day as a general baseline.
The Supplements You Cannot Skip
This is the section most homemade dog food guides bury or skip. Nutrient deficiency is the most common failure mode of homemade dog diets, and it develops slowly — you won't see it for months, by which point real damage may have occurred.
Boneless meat contains virtually no calcium. Deficiency causes metabolic bone disease, fractures, and joint problems — especially severe in growing puppies. Add 1,000 mg calcium carbonate (or 1 tsp bone meal) per pound of boneless meat used.
Essential for skin, coat, joint, and brain health. Most fresh food diets are omega-6 heavy without supplementation. Add 1,000 mg EPA/DHA per 20–30 lbs of body weight daily.
Fills gaps in Vitamin D, Vitamin E, zinc, iodine, and B vitamins that plain meat-and-vegetable recipes can't reliably provide. Use a supplement formulated for dogs, not humans — dosing and ingredient ratios differ.
Often overlooked. Iodine deficiency affects thyroid function. Seafood-based recipes partially cover this, but land-animal recipes usually fall short. A small amount of iodized salt or a kelp supplement addresses this gap.
If supplement management feels complex, Balance IT, Rx Vitamins Canine Powder, or similar vet-formulated products provide a complete micronutrient package designed specifically to complete a home-cooked base recipe. These are the most practical solution for most pet owners.
This calculator is for educational and planning purposes only. Results are estimates based on standard RER/DER formulas and AAFCO nutritional guidelines. They are not a substitute for professional veterinary or veterinary nutritionist advice. Every dog has individual health conditions, metabolic rates, and dietary needs that this tool cannot fully account for. Before making significant changes to your dog's diet — especially for puppies, senior dogs, pregnant or lactating dogs, or dogs with health conditions — consult a licensed veterinarian or board-certified veterinary nutritionist. Never feed a dog foods known to be toxic including onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, xylitol, chocolate, macadamia nuts, or avocado.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start with your dog's Resting Energy Requirement: RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75. Then multiply by a life stage factor to get Daily Energy Requirement (DER). For a neutered adult, DER = RER × 1.6. For a puppy under 4 months, DER = RER × 3.0. Divide DER by the caloric density of your recipe (typically 1.0–1.4 kcal/gram for fresh food) to get daily grams. Our calculator handles all of this automatically — just enter your dog's details above.
The most widely used guideline is: 40–50% protein (meat, fish, eggs), 25–30% vegetables, 20–25% carbohydrates (rice, sweet potato, oats), and 5–10% healthy fats plus supplements. These ratios follow AAFCO adult maintenance standards. Puppies need slightly more protein (50–55%) for growth. Always add calcium supplementation when using boneless meat — it's the single most commonly missed nutrient in homemade dog diets.
Yes — many dogs thrive on it — but the recipe must be nutritionally complete. A simple meat-and-rice diet fed long-term without supplements leads to deficiencies in calcium, zinc, Vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids. These develop slowly and can cause serious problems before becoming visible. Always add appropriate supplements and have your recipe reviewed by a veterinary nutritionist if it's going to be the permanent diet. For occasional home-cooked meals alongside commercial food, the stakes are lower but supplement balance still matters.
Rough starting points for a standard chicken-rice recipe: 10 lb dog → ~1 cup/day; 30 lb dog → ~1.75 cups/day; 60 lb dog → ~3.5 cups/day; 100 lb dog → ~5 cups/day. Homemade food is denser in moisture than kibble, so these amounts are lower than commercial guidelines. The calculator above gives you exact grams and cups for your specific dog using the veterinary RER/DER formula — use it rather than generic tables for best accuracy.
Safe options: carrots, sweet potato, green beans, pumpkin, broccoli (small amounts), spinach, peas, zucchini, and cucumber. Always chop or lightly steam hard vegetables. Strictly avoid: onions, garlic, leeks, chives (cause hemolytic anemia even in small amounts), grapes and raisins (kidney failure), avocado (persin toxicity), and corn on the cob (obstruction risk). Mushrooms are a gray area — some are safe, many wild varieties are not. Stick to plain commercial mushrooms in small amounts or avoid entirely.
Neither is universally better. A well-formulated, properly supplemented homemade diet offers higher digestibility, fresher ingredients, and better ingredient control for dogs with food sensitivities. A poorly formulated homemade diet is one of the leading causes of nutritional deficiency in pet dogs. Commercial kibble from reputable brands is nutritionally complete by AAFCO standards and requires no supplementation. The best choice depends on your commitment to proper formulation, budget, and vet guidance for your specific dog's needs.
The essentials: calcium (1,000 mg per pound of boneless meat — the most critical and most commonly missed), fish oil for omega-3s (1,000 mg EPA/DHA per 20–30 lbs body weight), a canine multivitamin to cover Vitamin D, Vitamin E, zinc, and B vitamins, and iodine (iodized salt or kelp). Pre-made blends like Balance IT or Rx Vitamins Canine Powder are the most practical solution — they're formulated to complete a base home-cooked recipe with one measured scoop.
Adult dogs do well on two meals per day (split daily portion in half). Puppies under 6 months need 3–4 meals daily due to smaller stomach capacity and higher energy needs per pound. Senior dogs typically prefer two smaller meals. Free-feeding is not recommended for homemade food — it spoils faster than kibble and makes portion control impossible. Batch-cooking 3–5 days worth and refrigerating, or portioning into weekly freezer bags, is the most practical approach for most households.