Calculate Your Dog's Energy Requirement
Calorie requirements for dogs are expressed in metabolized energy. Metabolized energy (ME) is the estimated amount of calories from protein, fat and carbohydrates that is actually digested.
Estimating your dog's energy requirement (calories from food) uses your dog's metabolic weight multiplied by an activity level value. Please use the guide below to estimate your dog's activity level.
Once you have chosen an activity level, proceed to the calculators below to determine your dog's metabolized energy requirement. This information is required at checkout at the Recipe Shop for pre-formulated recipes.
Please keep in mind that these are just estimates. However, it's a good starting place to determine the caloric content of the canine recipe formulation. Adjustments can always be made if necessary to meet the needs of your dog.
Estimating Your Dog's Activity Level
Sedentary Adult
Older sedentary adult dogs or those with little to no daily exercise.
More Active/Young Adult
Generally appropriate for dogs up to 3 years old and/or exercising 2-3 hours per day.
Less Active Adult
Many dogs over the age of 3 will fall into this category. Exercise is typically up to one hour per day.
Very Active Adult
Adult dogs exercising more than 3 hours per day (not including working or sled dogs).
Active Adult
Typically for dogs over the age of 3 with about 1-2 hours of daily exercise.
Working or Sled Dogs
Appropriate for extremely active working or sled dogs.*
*Activity levels for working and sled dogs are not available for calculation here as energy levels are extremely variable. Please contact me for assistance.
Calculators
Step 1
Mathematical equations to estimate a dog's caloric intake are based upon weight in kilograms. Please enter your pet's weight in pounds to convert to kilograms .
Step 2
Your dog's metabolic weight is a reference weight (in kilograms) that is used to estimate the required energy intake (calories from food) for your dog. Please enter your pet's weight in kilograms to determine his/her metabolic weight.
Step 3
Select an activity level from the dropdown menu, and enter your dog's metabolic weight from Step 2 to determine your dog's metabolized energy (ME) requirement.