🍖 Vet-Formula Based

How much wet food
should your dog eat?

Can labels assume every dog is average. This calculator uses your dog's actual weight and activity level to estimate daily calories, then converts that into ounces and cans.

lb

This sets the calorie multiplier above resting energy needs — pick the closest match, not a perfect science.

kcal

Check your can's label — most wet foods run 25–35 kcal/oz. 30 is a reasonable default.

Daily amount 14.2 ounces / day
≈ 2.6 medium cans/day

Try the age calculator →
🩺 How this is calculated: based on the standard resting-energy-requirement formula used in veterinary nutrition (70 × body weight in kg^0.75), scaled by activity level. It's a starting point — every dog's metabolism differs, so check body condition after 2 weeks and adjust with your vet.

Why weight alone isn't enough

A 40 lb couch potato and a 40 lb agility dog don't need the same calories — activity level can swing daily needs by 2x or more. That's why this calculator asks for both. Most feeding charts online just apply one fixed gram-per-kilogram ratio to every dog and every food — this one runs the same resting-energy-requirement formula vets use, then lets you calibrate it to your exact can's calorie density instead of a generic average.

Our method: we calculate Resting Energy Requirement (RER) from your dog's weight, then multiply by an activity factor for their life stage — 1.0 for weight loss up to 3.0 for young puppies. That gives daily calories, which we divide by your food's calorie density to get ounces, then cans. Adjust the calorie density field to match your specific food's label for a more precise number.
WeightLow activityModerateActive

Reference table assumes 30 kcal/oz food. Estimates only — always monitor body condition and consult your vet for major changes.