Dog Calorie Needs (RER/MER)
Calculate a dog's resting and maintenance energy needs.
About Dog Calorie Needs (RER/MER)
Resting energy requirement is seventy times the metabolic body weight, the weight raised to the 0.75 power. Multiplying by a life-stage factor converts it into the maintenance energy a dog needs each day. Calorie needs scale with metabolic body weight rather than plain weight, so this formula gives a far more accurate feeding target than a flat per-kilogram rule.
Formula
Dog Calorie Needs (RER/MER)
RER = 70 x weight^0.75; MER = RER x life-stage factor
- RER
- resting energy requirement
- MER
- maintenance energy requirement
Worked example
With the default values below, Dog Calorie Needs (RER/MER) returns Resting Energy (RER) of 662. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.
Inputs used
- Weightminimum 0.5 kg
- 20 kg
- Life stageone of Neutered adult, Intact adult, Inactive / overweight, Growing puppy, Pregnant / nursing
- Neutered adult
Results
- Resting Energy (RER)
- 662 kcal/day
- Maintenance Energy (MER)
- 1,059 kcal/day
- Feeding Note
- Feed to keep a lean, ideal body condition
Step by step
- 1Values used
- 2Dog Calorie Needs (RER/MER)
- 3Resting Energy (RER)= 662 kcal/day
- 4Maintenance Energy (MER)= 1,059 kcal/day
- 5Feeding Note= Feed to keep a lean, ideal body condition
Assumptions and limits
- The result is derived only from the 2 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
- In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
- Figures are rounded for display to whole numbers, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Dog Calorie Needs (RER/MER) calculated?
RER = 70 x weight^0.75; MER = RER x life-stage factor Resting energy requirement is seventy times the metabolic body weight, the weight raised to the 0.75 power. Multiplying by a life-stage factor converts it into the maintenance energy a dog needs each day.
Why does Dog Calorie Needs (RER/MER) matter?
Calorie needs scale with metabolic body weight rather than plain weight, so this formula gives a far more accurate feeding target than a flat per-kilogram rule.
What values do I need to enter?
This calculator takes 2 inputs: Weight, Life stage. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.