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Dog Wet and Dry Food Calculator

Split your dog's daily calories between wet and dry food and see the grams of each.

✔ Reviewed by our vet teamUpdated 18 Oct 2026Sources: NRC · Merck Veterinary Manual
Dog Wet and Dry Food CalculatorFree · instant
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Quick answer A 20 kg neutered adult dog needs about 1,059 kcal a day. Fed half from a 1,000 kcal/kg wet food and half from a 3,600 kcal/kg kibble, that is about 530 g of wet food and 147 g of dry food a day. Adjust the share to match your dog's diet.

How to use the dog wet and dry food calculator

  1. Enter your dog's weight and life stage.
  2. Choose the share of calories from wet food.
  3. Enter the kcal per kg of each food and press Calculate.

Worked example

A neutered adult dog weighing 20 kg, fed half its calories from a 1,000 kcal/kg wet food and half from a 3,600 kcal/kg kibble.

Weight
20 kg
Life stage & activity
Neutered/spayed adult
Share of calories from wet food
50%
Wet food energy (kcal/kg)
1000
Dry food energy (kcal/kg)
3600
1,059 kcal/day
Energy need
1,059 kcal/day
Wet food per day
530 g
Dry food per day
145 g

Treats count toward the daily total.

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; wet grams = MER × wet share ÷ (wet kcal per kg ÷ 1000); dry grams = MER × (1 − wet share) ÷ (dry kcal per kg ÷ 1000)

Sources: NRC · Merck Veterinary Manual

Understanding your result

Many owners feed both wet and dry food. The calculator finds your dog's daily energy (RER × life-stage factor), splits it by the share of calories you want from wet food, and converts each share to grams using that food's kcal per kilogram.

A 20 kg neutered adult dog needs about 1,059 kcal a day. Half from a 1,000 kcal/kg wet food is about 530 g, and half from a 3,600 kcal/kg kibble is about 147 g.

Wet food looks like a lot because it is mostly water. The calories, not the grams, are what you are matching.

Common mistakes

  • Feeding the full dry amount and adding wet food on top.
  • Using the wrong kcal per kilogram for either food.
  • Forgetting that treats count too.
  • Splitting by weight instead of by calories.
  • Switching foods suddenly.

Good to know

  • Change the wet share gradually and watch body condition.
  • Use the Dog Food Cans per Day Calculator if you feed cans.
  • Ask your vet if your dog has a health condition.

Frequently asked questions

How do I feed wet and dry food together?

Decide what share of the daily calories comes from each, then divide each share by that food's energy density. The calculator does this and shows grams of each food.

Why do wet food grams look so large?

Wet food is mostly water, so you need many more grams than dry food for the same calories.

Should I count treats?

Yes. Treats count toward the daily total, so reduce the meals slightly if you give treats.

What wet share should I choose?

That is your choice or your vet's. The calculator simply splits the calories by the share you set.

Where do I find kcal per kg for wet food?

On the label or from the maker. If you only have kcal per can, use the Dog Food Cans per Day Calculator.

Is this good for puppies?

No. Puppies need a different plan; use the Puppy Food Calculator and ask your vet.

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.