About the Australian Shepherd
Tireless, brainy herding dogs that need serious daily activity. A typical adult Australian Shepherd weighs around 16–32 kg (Medium–Large).
How many calories does a Australian Shepherd need?
Calorie needs use the veterinary formula 70 × weight(kg)0.75 (the Resting Energy Requirement), multiplied by a lifestyle factor of ×2 for a typical dog at the life stage shown. Enter your own animal's details in the calculator for an exact figure.
| Body weight | Daily calories | Dry kibble ~3,500 kcal/kg | Wet ~1,050 kcal/kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 kg | 1120 kcal | 320 g | 1067 g |
| 18.286 kg | 1238 kcal | 354 g | 1179 g |
| 20.571 kg | 1352 kcal | 386 g | 1288 g |
| 22.857 kg | 1463 kcal | 418 g | 1394 g |
| 25.143 kg | 1572 kcal | 449 g | 1497 g |
| 27.429 kg | 1678 kcal | 479 g | 1598 g |
| 29.714 kg | 1782 kcal | 509 g | 1697 g |
| 32 kg | 1884 kcal | 538 g | 1794 g |
Feeding a Australian Shepherd for a healthy weight
Aussies are high-drive and burn a lot of energy when properly exercised; under-stimulated ones gain weight. Match calories to their real (often considerable) workload.
What to feed a Australian Shepherd
Dogs are facultative carnivores: they thrive on meat-forward diets but can use carbohydrate and plant matter. A complete-and-balanced food (dry, wet, fresh, or properly-formulated raw) meeting AAFCO or FEDIAF standards should make up the vast majority of intake, with treats capped at 10% of daily calories.
Most adult dogs do best on two meals a day. Puppies under four months need three to four smaller meals; large-breed puppies should be fed a large-breed-specific formula to slow bone growth and protect their joints.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I feed an Australian Shepherd?
An active Aussie needs generous calories — often 1,300-1,700 kcal a day for a 25 kg dog in real work. A less-exercised pet needs far fewer; feed to body condition.
How much should I feed my dog per day?
A 10 kg neutered adult dog at a healthy weight needs roughly 500-560 kcal per day — about 150-165 g of standard dry kibble split over two meals. Scale up or down with weight, activity and life stage using the calculator above.
Should I feed my dog once or twice a day?
Twice a day suits most adult dogs and helps regulate appetite and blood sugar. Puppies need three or more meals; some giant breeds prone to bloat also do better with smaller, more frequent meals.