Daily Food Portion for a 5 kg Dog
Calculate the recommended daily food amount for a small 5 kg dog.
How to use this tool
- Weigh your dog or use the last vet measurement.
- Select the activity level that best matches your dog's lifestyle.
- Enter the kcal/100g from the dog-food bag (usually printed in the feeding guide).
- Read the recommended daily grams and approximate cups.
Small dogs like Chihuahuas and Pomeranians weighing around 5 kg need a carefully measured daily food portion to avoid overfeeding.
Frequently asked questions
- What is RER?
- Resting Energy Requirement (RER) is the energy a dog needs at rest in a thermoneutral environment. It is calculated as 70 × weight(kg)^0.75 (the NRC formula).
- What is MER?
- Maintenance Energy Requirement (MER) is RER multiplied by an activity factor (0.8–1.6) to account for lifestyle. This is the target daily calorie intake for most dogs.
- How many grams in a cup of dry dog food?
- Approximately 100–120 g depending on kibble size. This calculator uses 115 g/cup as a middle estimate. Check your food's feeding guide for the exact figure.