# Dog food portion calculator - USEFUL



## Myah's Mom (Mar 25, 2013)

It's not about cups per day. It's about kcal/day.

Calculator (be sure to read all the way down about calculating activity level and other factors):

How much Food to feed your Dog | Happy Dog Training Southern California

Google your pet food to find the kcal/cup, if it's not on the bag.

Other useful figures: 1 cup is approx. 90 grams. 1 kg = 1000 grams. 1 kg = 2.2 lbs.

I made a spreadsheet and calculated out what my monthly cost would be for top brands compared to Costco Nature's Domain Salmon & Sweet Potato Grain Free. I wanted to see if, based on actual kcal/cup, if I could afford a higher end product.

Here are the results for my 6 month GSD, based on the best prices I could find:

Brand*kg/bag**cups/bag**price/bag**price/cup**kcal/cup**cups/day**price/day*Nature's Domain Salmon & Sweet Potato15.87176.32$30.89$0.183364.46$0.78Timber Wolf Organics Lamb & Apple10.9121.10$46.66$0.395562.70$1.04Timber Wolf Organics Wild & Natural21.8242.20$97.74$0.405642.66$1.07Canidae Grain Free PureSKY Duck & Turkey Meal Formula13.6151.10$59.99$0.405012.99$1.19Taste of the Wild High Prairie13.6151.10$44.99$0.303704.05$1.21Wellness Chicken Super5 Mix13.6151.10$50.99$0.344073.69$1.24Blue Buffalo Life Prot. Chx & Bwn Rice13.6151.10$56.99$0.384423.39$1.28Instinct Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, Chicken Meal11.5127.77$53.99$0.424903.06$1.29Nature's Logic Natural Lamb12133.32$64.99$0.495512.72$1.33Avoderm Oven Baked Chx & Bwn Rice10.89120.99$54.95$0.454863.09$1.40Orijen 6 Fresh Fish13.5149.99$85.80$0.574803.13$1.79


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## Myah's Mom (Mar 25, 2013)

Ah, the spreadsheet data didn't like copy and paste! Here is another try:

Here are the results for my 6 month GSD, based on the best prices I could find:

Brand *kg/bag **cups/bag **price/bag **price/cup **kcal/cup **cups/day **price/day*
Nature's Domain Salmon & Sweet Potato 15.87 176.32 $30.89 $0.18 336 4.46 $0.78
Canidae Grain Free PureSKY Duck & Turkey 13.6 151.10 $59.99 $0.40 501 2.99 $1.19
Taste of the Wild High Prairie 13.6 151.10 $44.99 $0.30 370 4.05 $1.21
Wellness Chicken Super5 Mix 13.6 151.10 $50.99 $0.34 407 3.69 $1.24
Blue Buffalo Life Prot. Chx & Bwn Rice 13.6 151.10 $56.99 $0.38 442 3.39 $1.28
Instinct Grain-Free Kibble, Chicken Meal 11.5 127.77 $53.99 $0.42 490 3.06 $1.29
Nature's Logic Natural Lamb 12.0 133.32 $64.99 $0.49 551 2.72 $1.33
Avoderm Oven Baked Chx & Bwn Rice 10.89 120.99 $54.95 $0.45 486 3.09 $1.40
Orijen 6 Fresh Fish 13.5 149.99 $85.80 $0.57 480 3.13 $1.79

Your "mileage may vary", based on your local prices, dog's dietary needs and whether any these (or kibbles like them) are suitable for your dog's digestive system. But as a science person who's addicted to spreadsheets and data analysis, I couldn't help myself, lol. Just thought I'd share.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

That might be a nice starting out point, but I don't think it's really any different than just using the guidelines on the back of the bag. According to the linked webpage, my 68 pound adult GSD would need (30 * (68 * 0.45359237) + 70) * 2 = 1990.65 kcal/day, or 5.5 cups/day of TOTW Pacific Stream. If I gave her that much food, she'd be quite fat indeed, as she gets 3 cups per day and is in excellent shape.

My puppy would need (30 * (47 * 0.45359237) + 70) * 2 = 1419.12 kcal/day resting, and 4257.37 kcal/day when worked hard (daily). This equates to 10.94 cups/day of Fromm LBP Gold! I'd say that's a bit extreme... He gets 4.5 cups/day and is in very excellent shape.

So I think the equation, while perhaps a nice starting point, is nowhere near accurate in my limited experience.


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## Myah's Mom (Mar 25, 2013)

wildo said:


> According to the linked webpage, my 68 pound adult GSD would need (30 * (68 * 0.45359237) + 70) * 2 = 1990.65 kcal/day, or 5.5 cups/day of TOTW Pacific Stream. If I gave her that much food, she'd be quite fat indeed, as she gets 3 cups per day and is in excellent shape.
> 
> My puppy would need (30 * (47 * 0.45359237) + 70) * 2 = 1419.12 kcal/day resting, and 4257.37 kcal/day when worked hard (daily). This equates to 10.94 cups/day of Fromm LBP Gold!.


For the puppy, you can't use the "times 2" twice. It's inherently in the equation, so just use it once.


For your adult, does the "times 2" for her activity level seem appropriate?

So far, it's working for us. But then again, everybody's mileage varies.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

For my adult- she's worked lightly daily, thus the times two. 
For the puppy- he's work heavily daily, thus the times six (which is in between their 4-8x modifier)


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## Myah's Mom (Mar 25, 2013)

wildo said:


> For my adult- she's worked lightly daily, thus the times two.
> For the puppy- he's work heavily daily, thus the times six (which is in between their 4-8x modifier)


Yeah, I can see where the multipliers aren't exactly accurate. For a puppy, it seems to work well for us. I still don't think the factors are intended to be used multiple times for the puppy factor.

Well, at least it's a starting place. At least it gets us (who did not before) start thinking about kcal/day when judging food brands. I was a "back of the bag" reader and spent time in the dog food aisle trying to calculate which was the best buy for my budget. Without kcal info, it's impossible. Because who knows what "activity level" multipliers the manufacturer uses, right?


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Myah's Mom said:


> I still don't think the factors are intended to be used multiple times for the puppy factor.


(30 * (47 * 0.45359237) + 70) * 6 = 4257.37 kcal/day
I didn't use a multiplier twice. I used 6 x RER.


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