About the Shetland Sheepdog
Bright, agile herding dogs in a compact package. A typical adult Shetland Sheepdog weighs around 7–12 kg (Small–Medium).
How many calories does a Shetland Sheepdog need?
Calorie needs use the veterinary formula 70 × weight(kg)0.75 (the Resting Energy Requirement), multiplied by a lifestyle factor of ×1.6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 kg | 482 kcal | 138 g | 459 g |
| 7.714 kg | 518 kcal | 148 g | 494 g |
| 8.429 kg | 554 kcal | 158 g | 528 g |
| 9.143 kg | 589 kcal | 168 g | 561 g |
| 9.857 kg | 623 kcal | 178 g | 593 g |
| 10.571 kg | 657 kcal | 188 g | 625 g |
| 11.286 kg | 690 kcal | 197 g | 657 g |
| 12 kg | 722 kcal | 206 g | 688 g |
Feeding a Shetland Sheepdog for a healthy weight
Shelties are active and generally lean but gain weight if under-exercised. Their thick coat can hide body condition, so feel for the waist.
What to feed a Shetland Sheepdog
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 a Shetland Sheepdog?
A 9 kg Sheltie needs roughly 500-620 kcal a day at normal activity, more if doing agility or herding work. Check body condition under the coat rather than trusting appearances.
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.