How much should you really feed your dog? A weight-based portion guide

If you've ever compared the feeding chart on two different bags of dog food, you've probably noticed they don't agree. That's not a printing error — pack guidance is calculated from an average dog at an average activity level, and your dog is neither of those things.

The starting point that actually works is body weight combined with life stage, not the bag. A 12kg adult Labrador at a normal activity level needs roughly 200–260 grams of a typical dry food per day, split across two meals — but that range narrows fast once you factor in whether they're mostly a couch companion or a daily 5km walker.

The three numbers that matter more than the bag

Current weight, not target weight. If your vet has flagged your dog as a little over their ideal weight, portion for the weight you're working toward, not the number on the scale today — otherwise you're feeding to maintain the extra weight, not lose it.

Life stage. Puppies need considerably more energy per kilogram than adults — sometimes twice as much — because they're building tissue, not just maintaining it. Senior dogs typically need 20–30% less than they did at three years old, even at the same weight.

Activity, honestly assessed. "Active" on a feeding chart means sustained daily exercise, not a 15-minute walk. Most pet dogs sit in the low-to-moderate band, which is where most people over-portion.

A simple way to check you're on track

Run your hand along your dog's ribcage. You should be able to feel individual ribs with light pressure, without them being visibly outlined. From above, there should be a visible waist behind the ribs. If neither is true, it's worth adjusting the daily portion by about 10% and rechecking in two weeks rather than guessing at a bigger change.

This is exactly the kind of thing a subscription that adjusts to your pet's actual weight curve is built for — which is the reasoning behind TailWise's subscribe-and-save plans: the portion and delivery cadence are recalculated from what your dog is actually eating, not a static number set at signup.