How much should I feed a 50 lb dog?

A 50 lb dog weighs about 22.7kg, giving a resting energy of around 728 kcal, and a typical neutered adult at normal activity needs close to 1.6 times that, about 1,165 kcal a day. At 350 to 400 kcal per 100g of dry food, that lands near 300 to 320g.

In cups this is often close to two to two and a quarter cups, though the exact figure depends on how dense the specific kibble is.

A large bowl designed for a medium sized dog can make 300g of kibble look like a small serving, which tempts some owners to add a generous handful on top without weighing it.

Using a smaller bowl or a bowl with clear capacity markings can help the portion look appropriately full without needing to add extra.

Weigh your dog every two to three weeks and check the waist from above, which should be visible without needing to press through fat.

If you feed any wet food or a topper alongside the dry food, subtract its calories from the daily dry food total rather than adding it on top of a full portion. A simple habit of weighing the bowl before and after adding food, rather than trusting a familiar scoop by feel, keeps portions consistent even on rushed mornings when it would be easy to add a little extra without noticing.