Puppy feeding chart

Meals a day, calories and cups per meal for your puppy’s age and weight, with a printable chart to 1 year.

Sources last checked Nov 7, 2026. Not veterinary advice.

Your puppy

kcal/cup

Find “kcal/cup” in the Calorie Content statement on the bag. Without it we show calories only, not cups.

Expected adult size Adult weight in lb

Not sure? Skip it and we’ll estimate from age and weight.

More options Adult weight, body condition

Optional. From our Puppy Weight Calculator or your vet. It sets the weights in the chart.

Body condition Look from above, then feel the ribs.

5 of 9, ideal. Ribs felt without excess fat; waist seen behind ribs from above; tummy tucked up from the side.

Feeding plan

Enter age and weight to see meals a day and how much to feed.

Not veterinary advice. PupRange gives estimates from published veterinary sources. Every dog is different. If you’re worried, call your veterinarian.

The AKC suggests 4 meals a day until 12 weeks, 3 from 12 to 26 weeks and 2 from about 6 months (26 weeks).

How it’s calculated
  1. Calories. Resting energy (RER) = 70 × weight in kg to the power 0.75. A growing puppy needs RER × 3.0 until about 4 months and RER × 2.0 after that (AAHA 2021, Merck). We show ±10% around it, which is our estimate.
  2. Meals a day. From the AKC: four meals from 6 to 12 weeks, three from 3 to 6 months, two from 6 months on. VCA says two to three measured meals a day work well.
  3. Cups. Only when you enter the kcal per cup from your bag: cups a day = calories ÷ kcal per cup, then ÷ meals. We never guess a kcal/cup for you.
  4. The chart. One row every 4 weeks up to 1 year. Weights after today’s row are projected from a growth curve for the size class, so they’re estimates. The row where the factor drops from 3.0 to 2.0 is marked.
  5. Adult food. AKC: about 7–9 months for dogs under 20 lb as adults, 12–14 months for bigger dogs. VCA notes large and giant breeds can take 18–24 months to mature.

Calories depend on the food, the puppy and how active it is. Use the chart as a start, then adjust by body condition with your vet.

Sources

  1. American Kennel Club, Puppy Feeding Fundamentals (updated Oct 15, 2026) Checked
  2. VCA Animal Hospitals and Canadian Academy of Veterinary Nutrition, Feeding Growing Puppies (updated Feb 4, 2025) Checked
  3. AAHA 2021 Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats, Box 1: Energy Requirement Calculations 2021. Checked
  4. Merck Veterinary Manual, table: Daily Maintenance Energy Requirements for Dogs and Cats Checked
  5. WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee, Body Condition Score chart (dog, 9-point) Checked
  6. Linder DE, Freeman LM. Calorie density and feeding directions of commercial weight-loss diets for dogs and cats (JAVMA 2010), as reported by Tufts Now, Jan 26, 2010 Checked

Questions owners ask

How many times a day should I feed my puppy?

The American Kennel Club suggests four meals a day from 6 to 12 weeks, three meals from 3 to 6 months and two meals from 6 to 12 months. VCA says two to three measured meals a day work well, so if three suits your schedule better than four, that’s fine.

How much should I feed my puppy?

Start from calories, not scoops. Vets estimate a puppy’s daily need as 3 times its resting energy requirement until about 4 months, and 2 times after that (AAHA, Merck). Divide by the kcal per cup on your food’s label to get cups, then check your puppy’s weight and body condition every few weeks and adjust, as AAHA advises.

When should my puppy switch to adult food?

The AKC suggests around 7 to 9 months for dogs that will weigh under 20 lb as adults, and around 12 to 14 months for bigger dogs. VCA notes large and giant breeds can take 18 to 24 months to mature, so for a big puppy ask your vet when to switch.

Should I leave food out for my puppy all day?

VCA recommends measured meals, generally two to three a day, instead of leaving food out. It notes that free-choice feeding raises the risk of excess fat and, in large breeds, skeletal problems.

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