Feeding your dog the right amount is one of those things that sounds simple but gets complicated fast. Too little and they lose muscle and energy. Too much and weight creeps up quietly over months until it becomes a real health issue. Most owners are doing one or the other without realizing it, because the guidelines on commercial food packaging are designed for sedentary dogs at average weights, which covers almost nobody.
The Basics: What Actually Determines Portion Size
Three things matter most: your dog's current weight, their age, and how active they actually are. A 10kg Beagle that runs at the park for an hour every day needs meaningfully more food than a 10kg Shih Tzu that mostly sleeps on the couch. Breed plays a role too, mainly because some breeds have faster metabolisms or are predisposed to weight gain.
The other variable is food type. Dry kibble is calorie-dense, so portions look small. Fresh or wet food has high moisture content, so the same caloric value looks like a much larger bowl. This trips people up when they switch food types and assume the volume should stay the same.
Quick check: You should be able to feel your dog's ribs without pressing hard, but not see them from across the room. If you have to dig to feel them, they are likely overweight. If they are prominent and visible, they may be underweight.
General Portions by Body Weight
These are starting points for an average adult dog on fresh food with moderate activity. Adjust based on what you observe over 2 to 4 weeks.
| Dog Weight | Daily Fresh Food | Meals Per Day |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 kg | 100 to 150g | 2 to 3 |
| 5 to 10 kg | 150 to 280g | 2 |
| 10 to 20 kg | 280 to 450g | 2 |
| 20 to 35 kg | 450 to 650g | 2 |
| 35 kg and above | 650g to 900g | 2 |
Adjusting for Age
Puppies need more food relative to their size because they are growing, but they need it spread across more meals since their stomachs are small. A general rule is three to four small meals per day for puppies under six months, dropping to twice daily as they approach adulthood. Puppy portions should be roughly 5 to 10 percent of their body weight daily, compared to around 2 to 3 percent for adult dogs.
Senior dogs, generally over seven years depending on breed size, tend to be less active and their metabolism slows. Most older dogs do well with a 10 to 20 percent reduction in total daily calories, though muscle maintenance still requires adequate protein. This is not the time to switch to a low-protein senior formula if your dog is otherwise healthy.
Activity Level Makes a Bigger Difference Than Most People Think
A working dog, a dog that runs daily, or a dog going through a period of high activity needs up to 40 percent more calories than a sedentary dog of the same weight. Meanwhile, a dog recovering from surgery or living in a small apartment with short walks may need 20 percent less than the baseline. Watch your dog's body condition rather than sticking rigidly to a number.
How to Know if You Have the Amount Right
Give any feeding change four weeks before drawing conclusions. Weight fluctuates day to day. Check body condition every two weeks: ribs should be easily palpable, waist visible from above, and abdomen tucked up slightly when viewed from the side. If your dog is gaining unwanted weight, reduce by 10 percent and reassess. If they seem hungry constantly, losing condition, or have low energy, increase slightly.
One useful habit is weighing your dog monthly at the same time of day. A consistent 5 percent change in either direction over a month is worth adjusting for.