How many grams of food a dog should have depends first and foremost on the dog's weight, age and activity level - and on how nutrient-dense the food itself is. A small dog of four kilos needs far fewer grams than a large dog of forty kilos, and two dogs of the same weight can easily have widely differing needs if one has a high activity level and the other has a more moderate everyday life. That is why the best starting point is always the feeding guide on the meal you feed with, combined with a watchful eye on the dog's own development.
The good news is that you don't have to guess. Every ESSENTIAL FOODS meal has a feeding guide based on the dog's expected adult weight or current weight, and it specifies a daily gram amount. That number is your starting line. From there you adjust up or down according to what you see and feel on the dog over the weeks.
Weight determines the base amount, but activity level shifts the number
The dog's weight is the single factor that weighs most heavily when the daily food amount is to be determined. The bigger the dog, the more food the body requires to keep the engine running. But weight never stands alone. A dog with a high activity level that runs, works or is on the go most of the day burns noticeably more than a dog with a more moderate everyday life, where the days are spent on leisurely walks and rest at home. Two dogs of exactly the same weight can therefore lie quite a bit apart in grams per day.
That is why the feeding guide's number is more of a range than a definitive answer. If your dog is at the active end, you typically start in the upper part of the guide, while a dog with a calmer everyday life often thrives fine at the lower end. The season also plays a role, because many dogs use more energy in the cold months and less when the heat brings activity down. Think of it as a conversation between the number on the bag and the dog you have in front of you.
How to read the feeding guide on a meal
The feeding guide is built as a table where you find the dog's weight in one column and read off the recommended daily amount in grams next to it. If your meal is one of our dry meals, the amount is given as a total daily ration that you distribute across the dog's meals throughout the day. If you use a PÂTÉ meal, the guide works with the amount of wet meal the dog should have, and it is higher in grams because a wet meal contains more water than a dry one.
A practical tool here is precise measuring rather than a loose estimate by hand. THE ESSENTIAL CUP makes it easy to hit the same amount day after day, so you don't inadvertently creep up or down in grams without noticing. Consistency in measuring is a surprisingly large part of keeping the dog at its ideal level.
The food's nutrient density changes the equation
One of the most important but most often overlooked points is that grams are not grams across different types of food. A meal with human-grade ingredients and a high proportion of exquisite raw materials is more nutrient-dense, and therefore the dog often needs fewer grams of it to have its needs met than it would of a less nutritious alternative. If you compare two bags on price or weight alone, you can easily come to overlook that the dense meal goes further per gram.
ESSENTIAL FOODS' meals are composed and prepared from fresh raw materials and carefully selected local and regional delicacies, precisely so that every bowl delivers a lot of nutrition relative to the amount. That is also why you should never transfer the gram number from one meal directly to another. If you change meal, you read the feeding guide anew on the new one, because the right number of grams comes with the specific meal, not with the dog alone.
How many grams should a puppy have?
A puppy follows its very own curve. In the growth phase the puppy needs relatively many grams in relation to its current weight, because the body builds bones, muscles and tissue at a high pace, and that amount must be adjusted continuously as the puppy grows. Here the feeding guide is based on the puppy's expected adult weight and age, so you feed according to where the puppy is heading, not just where it is right now.
The puppy meals in the Beginning - kibble are created for the finest beginning with luxurious, grain-free puppy meals, fresh raw materials, human-grade ingredients and carefully selected local and regional delicacies, completely without grain and unnecessary fillers. If you want the entire foundation in place from day one, puppy meals + pate gathers relevant meals for the new puppy. And because amounts, meal rhythm and transitions can raise many questions in the first period, we have built a well-considered puppy universe where the advice comes directly from ESSENTIAL FOODS.
The food amount for the senior dog
When the dog enters its golden years, the need often changes again. Many senior dogs become less active and therefore burn a little less, which means that the daily amount very slowly may need to be turned down, so that the weight is kept stable through the dog's senior years. Other senior dogs keep their energy for a long time and just need finer adjustment. The key is to follow the body closely and let the food amount keep pace with the rhythm of everyday life.
The meals in Older Kibble are composed with the senior dog's everyday life, well-being and welfare in mind, and the feeding guide takes exactly this life phase into account. If your senior dog needs more eagerness to go to the bowl, a wet pâté for senior meal can be a delicate way to make the meal inviting without you losing control of the gram amount.
The food amount for the small dog
Small dogs have small stomachs and a fast metabolism, and they therefore eat few grams but get a lot out of every bite. Precisely for that reason it matters extra that the meal is nutrient-dense and consists of small pieces of a suitable size that the small appetite can manage. Precise measuring is also more important here, because even a small deviation in grams takes up relatively much on a small body.
In the Beginning - size - small kibble you find puppy meals adapted to the smallest, while adult small dogs often have their favourites among the other meals, where taste and nutritional profile suit their daily well-being. If you are in doubt about which meal best hits your small dog's appetite, it is worth trying your way a little with a trial meal.
Remember to subtract treats from the daily ration
One of the most common places where the equation goes off track is the treats. If you use treats for training, comfort or reward, they count in the total daily energy intake, and they should therefore be subtracted from the main meal's grams so that it all adds up. Otherwise the dog unnoticed gets more than the feeding guide suggests, and over time that can shift the weight. A good rule of thumb is to keep the treats to a modest share of the day's total intake and turn the meal down correspondingly on days with a lot of training.
If you want to spoil without upsetting the balance, there are delicate options in Delights Treats, and for the smallest dogs and for fine-grained training the smaller pieces in mini Delights can be easier to dose in small amounts. Whatever you choose, the point is the same: treats are part of the daily ration, not an addition on top.
How to read whether the amount fits
The number on the bag brings you close, but it is the dog itself that determines whether the amount is right. Keep an eye on body condition over weeks and months rather than day to day. You should be able to feel the ribs without being able to see them clearly, and the dog should have a visible waist seen from above. If the dog loses or gains weight over time, you adjust the food amount in small steps and give the body time to keep up before you assess again. Sudden, large changes in the amount are rarely necessary.
If you want a fixed reference point for assessing the dog's body condition, it can be an advantage to read the guide what is good dog food, which helps you understand what lies behind a good meal, and how quality and amount work together. If you are in doubt about the exactly right number of grams for your particular dog, ESSENTIAL FOODS' nutrition advisers are ready by phone, chat and email to advise on feeding, food and nutrition, so that you hit the amount that suits the dog's weight, age and activity level. If, on the other hand, you experience sudden changes in appetite, weight or well-being, you should always contact your veterinarian.