How much to feed
How much should I feed a 45kg dog?
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
A 45kg dog typically needs about 505 to 530g of a standard dry food a day. This weight sits at the edge between large and giant breeds, and dogs here often do better on two or three smaller meals rather than one large one, partly for digestion and partly because a single very large meal can be genuinely uncomfortable for a big, deep chested dog.
The daily amount
Resting energy for a 45kg dog is around 1,215 kcal, and a typical neutered adult at normal activity needs close to 1.6 times that, about 1,945 kcal a day. At 350 to 400 kcal per 100g of dry food, that lands near 505 to 530g.
This is the figure for a dog getting regular walks, and it can be a meaningful amount of kibble volume, which is one reason splitting it across meals tends to work better than one sitting.
Why meal splitting matters more at this size
Deep chested large and giant breeds are generally recommended to eat smaller, more frequent meals rather than one large meal, partly for comfort and partly because it is a gentler way to process a large daily volume of food.
Two meals of roughly 250 to 265g each, or three of around 170 to 175g, both work well for a dog at this weight.
Watching body condition
Weigh your dog monthly and feel the ribs and waist every two to three weeks, since a gradual gain is easy to miss on a large frame until it becomes significant.
If your dog seems uncomfortable, restless, or unsettled shortly after a large meal, that is worth mentioning to your vet rather than assuming it will pass on its own. A vet check can also help rule out a physical cause if this becomes a repeated pattern after meals rather than a one off occurrence.
Key takeaways
- A 45kg adult dog typically needs about 505 to 530g of dry food a day.
- Splitting food into two or three meals suits large, deep chested breeds better than one large meal.
- Monthly weigh ins help catch gradual weight change on a big frame.
- Discomfort or restlessness after a large meal is worth raising with your vet.