How Much Homemade Dog Food to Feed Your Dog

One of the most common questions people have when switching to homemade dog food is simple—but not always easy to answer:

How much should I feed my dog?

Unlike commercial dog food, homemade diets don’t come with a feeding chart on the bag. Instead, home feeders rely on a few commonly used methods to determine portions. None of them are perfect, and all of them require observation and adjustment over time.

This article walks through the two most widely used approaches:

1. Feeding a percentage of body weight
2. Feeding based on calorie needs (NRC method)

Both can work. Understanding how they differ—and how to apply them realistically—helps you choose the method that fits your dog and your lifestyle.

There Is No Single “Perfect” Feeding Amount

Dogs are individuals. Two dogs of the same weight can need very different amounts of food depending on:

• Activity level
• Age and metabolism
• Neuter status
• Body condition
• The calorie density of the food itself

Because of this, homemade feeding always involves adjustment over time, regardless of which method you choose.

Method 1: Feeding 2–3% of Your Dog’s Body Weight

One of the most common and approachable ways to feed homemade dog food is by offering 2–3% of a dog’s body weight per day, split into one or more meals.

How This Method Works

Take your dog’s current body weight

Feed roughly:

• 2% for less active or overweight dogs
• 2.5% for average adult dogs
• 3% for very active or lean dogs

This method is popular because it’s:

• Easy to remember
• Easy to start
• Flexible and forgiving

Why This Method Can Work Well

For many home feeders, this approach is a practical starting point. It gives you a baseline while leaving room to adjust based on how your dog responds.

From experience, this flexibility is both the strength and the challenge of the method.

Important Limitations of the 2–3% Method

This approach is based on the weight of the food, not its calories. Homemade meals can vary significantly in calorie density.

For example:

• One batch may include more water, broth, or vegetables
• Another batch may be heavier in fats or meats
• Two bowls can weigh the same but contain different calories

I’ve personally noticed that some batches weigh more simply because I added more water—even though the calorie content is similar. That means feeding strictly by weight can sometimes lead to unintentional over- or under-feeding.

Hunger Cues Can Be Misleading

Another common issue with this method is interpreting hunger.

Many dogs—especially food-motivated breeds like Labradors—absolutely love homemade food. In my experience, my dogs would happily keep eating well past what they actually need. When they were on kibble, they were free-fed, so switching to homemade made it seem like they were suddenly always hungry.

That doesn’t automatically mean they need more food.

When using the percentage method, it’s important to:

• Watch body condition, not just appetite
• Adjust portions gradually
• Accept that enthusiasm ≠ underfeeding

Method 2: Feeding Based on Calories (NRC Method)

Another common approach is to feed based on your dog’s calorie needs, using formulas outlined by the NRC (National Research Council). This method is more calculated, but still requires adjustment in real life.

What Are RER and MER? (Plain English Version)

Let’s keep this simple.

RER (Resting Energy Requirement)
This is the number of calories your dog needs just to exist—to breathe, circulate blood, and maintain basic body functions at rest.

MER (Maintenance Energy Requirement)
This is RER multiplied by a factor that accounts for activity, age, and lifestyle. MER represents how many calories your dog needs per day to maintain weight.

The Basic RER Formula

RER = 70 × (body weight in kg) ^ 0.75

If math isn’t your thing, that’s okay. Many online calculators can do this for you.

Once you have RER, you multiply it by an activity factor (for example, a typical adult dog might be around 1.6).

That final number is your daily calorie target.

Why the Calorie Method Can Be Helpful

• Accounts for calorie density
• Useful when recipes vary
• Helpful for dogs needing weight control
• Provides a clearer target

You then build meals that roughly meet that calorie number each day.

Why the Calorie Method Isn’t Perfect Either

Even when feeding by calories:

• Dogs still have individual metabolisms
• Activity levels change
• Weight may still drift up or down

In practice, you may still find yourself adjusting portions slightly over time.

Calculated does not mean automatic.

How to Choose the Best Method for You

Both methods can work. The best choice depends on your comfort level and how you prefer to manage feeding.

The 2–3% Method May Be a Good Fit If:

• You want simplicity
• You’re comfortable adjusting visually
• You monitor your dog closely
• Your recipes don’t vary wildly in calorie density

The Calorie Method May Be a Good Fit If:

• You like structure and numbers
• You rotate recipes frequently
• You’re managing weight changes
• You want more precision
• Some feeders even use both—starting with calories, then checking portions against weight-based expectations.

What Matters More Than the Method

No matter how you calculate portions, the most important factors are:

• Your dog’s body condition over time
• Energy level and overall health
• Willingness to adjust as needed

Homemade feeding is not static. It evolves as you learn, as your dog changes, and as your confidence grows.

Key Takeaways

• There is no single perfect amount of homemade dog food to feed
• Feeding 2–3% of body weight is a common and flexible starting point
• Homemade food varies in calorie density, even when weights are similar
• Dogs may appear hungrier on homemade food due to palatability
• The NRC calorie method offers structure but still requires adjustment
• Monitoring your dog matters more than following any formula exactly
  

If you’re building your own recipes, Lesson 2: Balanced Meals explains how ingredient ratios fit into homemade dog food.