How Much to Feed a 60 lb Dog (Plus 50, 70, 80 and 100 lb Dogs)
A typical 60 lb adult dog needs about 1,300 to 1,350 calories a day, which is roughly 2½ cups of a 535-calorie food like Bully Max 30/20, about 3¾ cups of a typical 350-calorie kibble, or just over 2 cups of PRO Series 31/25 at 600 calories per cup. An intact or very active 60 lb dog needs closer to 1,500 calories; an easy gainer needs about 1,150. Below are the numbers for 50, 60, 70, 80 and 100 lb dogs, how to turn calories into cups for any food, and how to adjust from there.
Family-owned since 2009 · Made in USA · Every batch triple tested · Zero recalls · 50,000+ 5-star reviews · Dog Food Advisor 5/5
Fewer cups per day for the same calories: 535 per cup, meat-based, 30% protein.
FEED A 60 LB DOG ABOUT 2½ CUPS A DAY OF BULLY MAX 30/20
30% protein, 20% fat and 535 calories per cup, so a 60 lb adult gets its day's calories in about 2½ cups instead of nearly 4. Includes TruMune to support digestion.
Save 10% with autoship and get each bag delivered on a schedule.
How Much to Feed a 60 lb Dog: The Calorie Math
Every feeding chart starts from the same formula veterinarians use. First the resting energy requirement (RER), the calories a dog burns doing nothing: 70 × (body weight in kg)0.75. Then a multiplier for life stage and activity. The Merck Veterinary Manual gives 1.6 × RER for a neutered adult, 1.8 × RER for an intact adult and 1.4 × RER for a dog prone to putting on weight, and notes that any individual dog may need up to 30% more or less than the calculation.
A 60 lb dog is 27.2 kg. Its RER is about 835 calories. So:
| 60 lb dog | Multiplier | Calories per day (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Easy gainer, low activity | 1.4 × RER | about 1,170 |
| Typical neutered adult | 1.6 × RER | about 1,335 |
| Intact adult, or active | 1.8 × RER | about 1,500 |
| Working or sport dog in season | 2 × RER or more | 1,670 and up |
Estimates. Weather, coat, age and metabolism move the real number. Start here, then adjust to body condition every two weeks.
If you want the number for your dog's exact weight and activity, the Bully Max dog food calculator runs the same formula. For the full method, read how much should I feed my dog.
Calories to Cups: Why the Food Decides the Scoop
Calories are the fixed number. Cups are not, because dog foods range from about 300 to 600 calories per cup. The same 60 lb dog eats very different amounts depending on the bag. Here is the daily portion for a typical neutered 60 lb adult (about 1,335 calories) across the Bully Max formulas and a typical kibble:
| Food | Calories per cup | Cups per day for a 60 lb adult (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Typical dry dog food | about 350 | about 3¾ cups |
| Bully Max 25/11 Lamb, 45% less fat | 415 | about 3¼ cups |
| Bully Max 30/20 Beef (chicken-free) | 530 | about 2½ cups |
| Bully Max 30/20 Chicken | 535 | about 2½ cups |
| Bully Max PRO Series 31/25 | 600 | about 2¼ cups |
Estimates at 1.6 × RER. The Bully Max 30/20 Chicken feeding chart lists 2½ to 3⅓ cups for dogs of 51 to 75 lb, which covers the typical-to-active range above.
This is the single most common feeding mistake we see: an owner switches to a calorie-dense food and keeps using the old scoop. A dog that was on 3¾ cups of a 350-calorie food and now gets 3¾ cups of a 535-calorie food is eating about 50% more calories than it needs. Read the calories per cup on the bag and reset the portion.
How Much to Feed a 50, 70, 80 or 100 lb Dog
Same formula, different weights. Calories are for a typical neutered adult (1.6 × RER); cups are for Bully Max 30/20 Chicken at 535 calories per cup and for a typical 350-calorie food.
| Dog weight | Calories per day (est.) | 30/20 Chicken, 535 kcal/cup | Typical 350 kcal/cup food | Bag chart range (30/20) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 lb | about 985 | about 1¾ cups | about 2¾ cups | 2 - 2½ cups (36 - 50 lb) |
| 50 lb | about 1,165 | about 2¼ cups | about 3⅓ cups | 2 - 2½ cups (36 - 50 lb) |
| 60 lb | about 1,335 | about 2½ cups | about 3¾ cups | 2½ - 3⅓ cups (51 - 75 lb) |
| 70 lb | about 1,500 | about 2¾ cups | about 4¼ cups | 2½ - 3⅓ cups (51 - 75 lb) |
| 80 lb | about 1,655 | about 3 cups | about 4¾ cups | 3⅓ - 4 cups (76 - 100 lb) |
| 90 lb | about 1,810 | about 3⅓ cups | about 5¼ cups | 3⅓ - 4 cups (76 - 100 lb) |
| 100 lb | about 1,960 | about 3⅔ cups | about 5½ cups | 3⅓ - 4 cups (76 - 100 lb) |
Estimates. The right-hand column is the printed feeding chart on Bully Max 30/20 Chicken (8 oz cup); it covers a range of activity levels, which is why it runs a little above the 1.6 × RER figure for the lighter dogs in each bracket. For an intact or working dog, use the top of the bracket.
Notice how the curve flattens. A 100 lb dog does not need twice the calories of a 50 lb dog, because calorie needs scale with body weight to the 0.75 power, not in a straight line. Bigger dogs need fewer calories per pound. That is also why the large bags last longer than people expect: a 100 lb dog on about 3⅔ cups a day gets roughly 40 days from a 40 lb bag of 30/20 (estimate, at about 3¾ cups of kibble per pound).
Adjust to the Dog, Not the Chart
The chart gets you within about 20%. The dog closes the gap. Every two weeks, run three checks with the dog standing:
- Ribs. Slide your flat hands along the sides. You should feel each rib under a thin cover of fat without pressing. If you can see them, add about 10% to the portion. If you have to push to find them, cut 10%.
- Waist. From above, there should be a visible waist behind the ribs. From the side, the belly should tuck up.
- The scale. Weigh monthly. A stable adult should hold within a couple of pounds.
Change one thing at a time, wait two weeks, and check again. Short-coated muscular breeds like pit bulls, American Bullies and Cane Corsos show every rib and every pound, which makes this easy. Our dog weight chart and is my dog underweight guide go deeper on body condition.
Split It Into Two Meals
Feed the day's total in two meals, morning and evening, 8 to 12 hours apart. One big meal a day makes a hungry dog and a bigger stomach load; two meals even out energy and are easier on digestion. Deep-chested breeds should never be exercised hard right after a large meal. Puppies need 3 to 4 meals, and their calorie needs per pound are about double an adult's, so use a puppy chart, not this one: see our dog feeding schedule.
When a 60 lb Dog Needs More Than the Chart
Some dogs eat the full chart amount and still look thin. Working dogs, sport dogs, intact males, dogs in cold weather and dogs recovering from illness all burn more. If your dog is at 1.8 × RER and still losing condition, the fix is usually not more cups; it is more calories per cup. PRO Series 31/25 packs 600 calories, 31% protein and 25% fat into each cup, so a 60 lb hard keeper gets 1,500 calories in about 2½ cups instead of nearly 4½ cups of a 350-calorie food. The Bully Max PRO feeding chart lists 2⅔ to 3⅛ cups for a 60 lb dog, which covers that range.
In our customers' words
“Better results for her and keeping weight on her”
— Bully Max customer, post-purchase survey
“I tried out a month supply to see how my dog would take to it and he loves the food definitely more active and healthy”
— Bully Max customer, post-purchase survey
HARD KEEPER AT 60 LB? FEED 600 CALORIES PER CUP
31% protein, 25% fat and 600 calories per cup. Built for working, sport and hard-to-keep-weight-on dogs.
Save 10% with autoship on every bag of PRO Series.
Weight loss you cannot explain, or a dog that eats well and still loses weight, needs a vet visit before a diet change. Parasites, dental pain and illness all show up as "won't hold weight." For the step-by-step plan once the vet has cleared your dog, read dog food for underweight dogs and our high calorie dog food guide.
FAQ
How many cups should a 60 pound dog eat a day?
About 2½ cups of a 535-calorie food like Bully Max 30/20, or about 3¾ cups of a typical 350-calorie kibble. The number depends entirely on the calories per cup printed on the bag. Estimate; adjust to body condition.
How many calories does a 60 lb dog need?
About 1,335 a day for a typical neutered adult, about 1,170 for an easy gainer and about 1,500 for an intact or active dog, using the formula RER = 70 × kg^0.75 and the Merck multipliers. Working dogs need more.
How much should a 50 lb dog eat?
About 1,165 calories a day for a typical adult: roughly 2¼ cups of Bully Max 30/20 or 3⅓ cups of a 350-calorie food. The Bully Max 30/20 chart lists 2 to 2½ cups for 36 to 50 lb.
How much should a 70 lb dog eat?
About 1,500 calories a day: roughly 2¾ cups of Bully Max 30/20 or 4¼ cups of a 350-calorie food. The 30/20 chart lists 2½ to 3⅓ cups for 51 to 75 lb.
How much to feed a 100 lb dog?
About 1,960 calories a day for a typical adult, which is about 3⅔ cups of Bully Max 30/20 or 5½ cups of a 350-calorie food. Big dogs need fewer calories per pound, so the portion does not double from 50 lb to 100 lb.
Should I feed my 60 lb dog once or twice a day?
Twice. Two meals 8 to 12 hours apart keep energy steady and are easier on digestion than one large meal, especially for deep-chested breeds.
Feed by Calories, Then Check the Dog
Find the calories per cup on your bag, divide your dog's daily need by that number, split it into two meals, and adjust by 10% every two weeks until the ribs feel right. If you would rather feed fewer cups for the same calories, Bully Max 30/20 does it with meat-based nutrition: see why active dogs do well on 30/20.
Feed a 60 lb dog about 2½ cups a day
535 calories per cup, 30% protein and 20% fat. Fewer cups, firmer stool and a bag that lasts longer than its weight suggests.
FEED A 60 LB DOG ABOUT 2½ CUPS A DAY OF BULLY MAX 30/20
30% protein, 20% fat and 535 calories per cup, so a 60 lb adult gets its day's calories in about 2½ cups instead of nearly 4. Includes TruMune to support digestion.
Save 10% with autoship and get each bag delivered on a schedule.
Family-owned since 2009 · Made in USA · Every batch triple tested · Zero recalls · 50,000+ 5-star reviews · Dog Food Advisor 5/5
Sources
- Merck Veterinary Manual, Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals and the table Daily Maintenance Energy Requirements for Dogs and Cats: RER = 70 × (kg)^0.75; MER 1.8 × RER intact adult, 1.6 × RER neutered adult, 1.4 × RER obesity prone, 3 × RER puppies under 4 months, 2 × RER over 4 months; individual needs vary by up to 30%. merckvetmanual.com
- Bully Max 30/20 High Protein Chicken, 30/20 Beef, PRO Series 31/25 and 25/11 Lamb product pages: calories per 8 oz cup and printed feeding charts.
- Bully Max post-purchase survey, Dec 2024 to Jun 2025 (customer quotes).
