About PupPortions

PupPortions is a set of free dog feeding calculators built on the standard veterinary energy equations, the same starting math used in clinical nutrition texts. One person runs the site. There is no clinic, no vet on staff, and no "reviewed by Dr." byline. The value is transparent formula math you can check, not a medical relationship.

Methodology

All calorie outputs derive from the resting energy requirement formula RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)0.75, multiplied by widely published life-stage factors (e.g. 1.6 for neutered adults, 2.0–3.0 for puppies). Daily calories (MER) divided by your food's kcal/cup or kcal/can become portion sizes.

Portion (cup) conversions use the calorie density you enter from your food's label. Where we assume a default, it is stated next to the result (e.g. 375 kcal/cup, ~110 g/cup kibble density). Raw-feeding outputs use the conventional body-weight-percentage method (2–3% for adults, age-tapered for puppies) with the 80/10/10 template.

Sources

The RER/MER framework and life-stage factors are standard in companion-animal nutrition. Primary public references we align with:

• National Research Council (NRC), Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats (2006): energy equations and nutrient baselines used throughout clinical nutrition texts.
• WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines and committee toolkit: nutritional assessment as part of care, body-condition scoring, and diet history framing.
• 2021 AAHA Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats (PubMed 34228790): systematic feeding assessment, ideal weight, and weight-management context.

Breed pages that mention a known feeding-related risk (for example bloat management, spinal load from extra weight, or toy-breed puppy meal frequency) include short source notes pointing at general veterinary references. Those notes describe feeding management, not diagnosis or treatment.

What this is not

These tools are formula-based estimators for healthy dogs. They are not a substitute for a veterinarian, a veterinary nutritionist (DACVN), or a therapeutic diet plan. They do not calculate disease-specific diets, medication dosing, or toxicity. If your dog is pregnant, nursing, underweight, gaining or losing weight without a clear reason, or has a medical condition, get a vet-directed plan.

Limitations

Individual dogs commonly vary ±25% from formula estimates. Our results are starting points for healthy dogs, to be adjusted using body condition scoring. Feed the calculated amount for 2–3 weeks, then adjust ±10% if ribs, waist, and belly tuck say the dog is drifting lean or heavy.

How this site makes money

Some pages carry advertising, and a few outbound links are affiliate links (marked "sponsored") that may pay us a commission. Those links point at kitchen scales and food storage, the equipment a portion number needs, and as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. We do not take money to point you at one dog food over another, because which diet suits your dog is a question for your vet and not for a calculator. Commissions never change the math, which is fixed by the formulas above.

Contact

Questions or corrections: use the contact page.