Dog calorie calculator
Estimate your dog's daily calorie needs
Use the same calculator built into The Balanced Bowl app. Enter age, breed, weight, sex, and intact status to estimate daily calories (MER), resting energy (RER), and a practical calorie range.
Assumes indoor environment. Results are estimates--monitor body condition and adjust.
Dog calorie calculator
Results
Fill out the form to see your dog’s daily calorie estimate.
Notes
Standards + ranges used
This calculator estimates calories only. The Balanced Bowl recipe engine supports NRC, AAFCO, and FEDIAF nutrient standards for complete and balanced recipes.
Activity multipliers
- Sedentary: 0.875
- Moderate: 1.0
- Active: 1.1
- Working (light): 1.375
- Working (moderate): 2.0
- Working (heavy): 3.75
Life-stage factors
- Puppy (0–4 months): 2.5–3.0 (large/giant use 2.5)
- Puppy (4–12 months): 2.0
- Adult: 1.6 (neutered) or 1.8 (intact)
- Senior: 1.2 (neutered) or 1.4 (intact)
- Overweight senior neutered: 1.0
Breed modifiers are applied for select breeds (e.g., labs lower, terriers higher, sighthounds higher, northern breeds lower). Unlisted breeds default to 1.0.
Ready to build a complete recipe?
The calculator is a starting point. The Balanced Bowl builds standards‑based recipes with full macro and micronutrient breakdowns for your dog.