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Dog Food Cans per Day Calculator

Find out how many cans of wet food your dog needs each day, week and month.

✔ Reviewed by our vet teamUpdated 18 Oct 2026Sources: NRC · Merck Veterinary Manual
Dog Food Cans per Day CalculatorFree · instant
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Quick answer A 20 kg neutered adult dog needs about 1,059 kcal a day, which is 2.4 cans of a 440 kcal can: about 17 cans a week or 73 cans a month. Enter your dog's weight and the kcal in your can to see how many cans to feed and buy.

How to use the dog food cans per day calculator

  1. Enter your dog's weight and life stage.
  2. Enter the kcal in one can (on the label).
  3. Press Calculate.

Worked example

A neutered adult dog weighing 20 kg, fed a wet food with 440 kcal per can.

Weight
20 kg
Life stage & activity
Neutered/spayed adult
Energy per can (kcal)
440
2.4 cans a day
Energy need
1,059 kcal/day
Cans per week
16.9
Cans per month
73
Energy per can
440 kcal

Cans from a single food; if you feed more than one food, share the calories between them.

Example values are illustrative; this result is produced by the same calculator above.

How we calculate it

MER = 70 × BW(kg)^0.75 × life-stage factor; cans per day = MER ÷ kcal per can

Sources: NRC · Merck Veterinary Manual

Understanding your result

To see how many cans of wet food a dog needs, the calculator estimates its daily energy (RER × a life-stage factor) and divides by the kcal in one can. A 20 kg neutered adult dog needs about 1,059 kcal a day.

With a 440 kcal can that is about 2.4 cans a day, 17 a week and 73 a month. The kcal per can is on the label, or you can work it out from kcal per 100 g and the can's weight.

If you feed dry food as well, use the Dog Wet and Dry Food Calculator to share the calories between the two.

Common mistakes

  • Using kcal per 100 g as if it were kcal per can.
  • Forgetting treats and other food.
  • Feeding by can size without checking calories.
  • Using this for puppies; use the Puppy Food Calculator.
  • Not adjusting as your dog's weight changes.

Good to know

  • Wet food costs more per calorie than many dry foods; compare with the Pet Food Price per 1,000 kcal Calculator.
  • Store opened cans as the maker advises.
  • Ask your vet about diet for dogs with health conditions.

Frequently asked questions

How many cans of dog food should I feed a day?

Divide your dog's daily calories by the calories in one can. A 20 kg neutered dog needs about 1,059 kcal a day, which is about 2.4 cans of a 440 kcal can.

Where do I find the calories per can?

Look for kcal per can on the label, or kcal per 100 g and the can weight, then multiply: kcal per can = kcal per 100 g × grams ÷ 100.

Can I feed wet and dry together?

Yes. Use the Dog Wet and Dry Food Calculator to split the calories between them.

What if my can size is different?

Use the kcal in that can. If you only know kcal per 100 g, multiply by the can's weight in grams and divide by 100.

Do I need to adjust for dry food?

Yes. Use the Dog Wet and Dry Food Calculator to share the calories between them.

Is this suitable for puppies?

No. Puppies need more energy per kilogram; use the Puppy Food Calculator.

Reviewed by the CalcuPaw Veterinary Review Team
Reviewed 8 Oct 2026 to 18 Oct 2026 · next review due by April 2027 · Meet the review team

Sources

  1. NRC (2006) Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats, National Academies Press
  2. Merck Veterinary Manual — Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals (incl. maintenance energy table)

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Estimates only. Every pet is different — confirm with your veterinarian.