The feeding chart is a guess. If you follow it blindly, you might be overfeeding your pet by 30%.
Manufacturer charts are designed for the most active pets. For a typical indoor dog in Toronto or Vancouver, these portions are often far too high.
Density matters. A cup of high-protein food from Pet Valu or Ren's Pets has way more energy than budget brands. Focus on calories, not volume.
It's called RER: Resting Energy Requirements. This is the baseline energy your pet needs just to breathe, digest, and stay alive.
Divide weight in lbs by 2.2 to get kg. Use the formula: 70 x (weight in kg)^0.75. For a 10 kg dog, the baseline is roughly 393 calories.
RER is just the start. To find the daily portion, we apply a 'Maintenance' multiplier based on how active your pet actually is.
Neutered adult dog? Multiply RER by 1.6. Growing puppy? You might need 3.0. Seniors usually drop to 1.2 as their metabolism slows down.
Our winters change everything. Less activity in January means you must trim portions to prevent that 'winter weight' from sticking around.
If your Husky spends hours outside in -20°C, they burn extra energy just to stay warm. They need a 10% to 15% boost in winter, unlike house pets.
One plain Timbit or a slice of cheddar can be 15% of a small dog's daily calories. These 'hidden' treats are the #1 cause of diet failure.
Stop using plastic scoops. A digital scale from Canadian Tire ensures your 'one cup' isn't actually a cup and a half. Precision is key.
Feeding isn't just about filling a bowl; it's about providing the exact fuel for a longer life. Master the RER, and you master their health.
See the full breakdown of multipliers and the exact steps to calculate your pet's ideal daily portion.