Puppy to adult
Pick 'Puppy to adult' and enter age and weight. It's the same engine as the puppy weight calculator, built on over a million real puppy weigh-ins, and it returns a likely adult weight with an 80% range.
Adult dog: is this weight healthy?
Pick 'Adult dog', choose the breed, and enter the current weight. The tool shows the typical range for the breed (from breed-club standards) and tells you whether your dog is below, inside or above it.
Treat that as a prompt, not a verdict. Breed ranges describe typical dogs. A small-framed, lean Labrador can weigh less than the range and be in perfect shape, and a big-framed one can weigh more. Vets use a body condition score instead, usually on a 9-point scale where 4 or 5 is ideal. At home you can check three things: you can feel the ribs under a thin layer of fat, there's a visible waist from above, and the belly tucks up from the side.
Daily calories
The calorie figure starts from resting energy requirement, which is 70 × body weight in kg raised to the power 0.75. That is multiplied by a life-stage factor: 1.6 for a typical neutered adult, 1.8 for an intact one, up to 3.0 for hard-working dogs. It's a starting point, and individual dogs differ by 20% or more.
Check the kcal per cup or per 100 g on your food, feed to the number for two to three weeks, and then adjust. If the dog is getting heavier, trim by 5 to 10%. If it's thinning, add the same. If your dog is overweight, your vet may set a lower target and a plan to get there slowly.
Weight change that deserves a vet call
A dog that loses weight without trying, or whose appetite changes sharply, should be seen. So should a dog that gains quickly despite no change in food. Both can point to illness, and neither is something a calculator can sort out.
How to use it, step by step
- Choose puppy or adult. Puppies get an adult-weight forecast. Adults get a breed comparison and calorie starting point.
- Enter the details. Breed, weight, and for puppies the age.
- Read the result. Compare with the typical range and the 80% forecast range.
- Check body condition at home. Ribs easy to feel but not see, a visible waist, a tucked belly.
Questions people ask
What is a healthy weight for my dog?
It depends on the dog's frame as much as the breed. Use the breed range as a guide, then check body condition: ribs easy to feel but not see, a visible waist, and a tucked belly. Your vet can score it.
How do I work out how many calories my dog needs?
Start with resting energy: 70 × weight in kg to the power 0.75. Multiply by about 1.6 for a neutered adult or 1.8 for an intact one. Adjust after a few weeks based on weight and body condition.
Can I use this for a mixed breed?
For a puppy, yes, with the breed left blank. For an adult dog, pick the breed that looks closest and lean harder on the body condition check than on the range.
How many calories does a puppy need?
Puppies need more per kilogram than adults. PupCurve's tracker uses the National Research Council 2006 growth equation, which depends on the puppy's weight and its expected adult weight.
Last reviewed October 31, 2026. General information, not veterinary advice. Growth curves are PupCurve's analysis of data from Salt et al. 2017 (CC BY 4.0). How it works.