How much to feed
How much weight can a dog safely lose in a week?
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
A safe rate of weight loss is generally around 1 to 2 percent of a dog's current body weight per week. For a 20kg dog, that works out to roughly 200 to 400g a week, while for a 5kg dog it is closer to 50 to 100g a week. Loss significantly faster than this range is generally considered unsafe and worth discussing with your vet.
Why this range is considered safe
A pace of 1 to 2 percent of body weight per week creates a calorie deficit large enough to produce steady progress while still allowing the body to primarily lose fat rather than significant muscle mass.
Faster loss generally requires a much larger calorie deficit, which increases the risk of nutrient deficiencies and muscle loss alongside the fat loss, similar to concerns around very low calorie diets in people.
Working out the number for your dog
Multiply your dog's current weight by 0.01 for the low end of the range and by 0.02 for the high end to get the expected weekly loss in kilograms.
This weekly figure naturally gets smaller in absolute terms as your dog loses weight and the percentage is calculated against a lower current weight each time.
What to do if loss is outside this range
If loss is consistently slower than 1 percent a week despite a reasonable calorie reduction, consider a further modest cut, generally another 5 to 10 percent, after checking in with your vet.
If loss is faster than 2 percent a week, ease the calorie reduction back slightly, since faster is not better and can indicate too large a deficit. A gentler, more gradual pace is easier on the body and generally more sustainable over the full length of a longer term weight loss plan overall, right from the start through to the finish.
Key takeaways
- A safe weight loss pace is generally 1 to 2 percent of current body weight per week.
- This works out to roughly 200 to 400g a week for a 20kg dog, or 50 to 100g for a 5kg dog.
- Loss significantly faster than this range risks muscle loss and is worth discussing with your vet.
- Recalculate the expected weekly amount periodically, since it naturally decreases as weight drops.