Sometimes the most meaningful consultations happen when you least expect them. During a recent family visit to my homeland of Bermuda, I had the opportunity to help a local dog owner whose situation perfectly demonstrates a widespread problem that affects approximately half of all dog owners – and why we developed the Sundog Daily Calorie Requirement Calculator to solve it.
Why Many Dog Owners Struggle With Feeding
Research reveals a startling truth about pet ownership: only 48% of dog owners can accurately estimate their dog’s body weight and even fewer (just 23% to 43%) can correctly interpret pet food label feeding guidelines. This means that the majority of well-intentioned dog owners are inadvertently overfeeding or underfeeding their pets, not due to neglect, but because of a fundamental gap in accessible, practical guidance.
Meet Koda: A Real-World Feeding Story
Koda, a sweet-natured, loveable 4-year-old neutered male Vizsla, weighed approximately 80 pounds when we saw each other earlier this month: about 12 pounds over his ideal weight of 68 pounds. His owner had been struggling with weight management despite having consulted with his veterinarian, who had correctly identified that Koda needed to lose weight but hadn’t provided specific guidelines to achieve it. Unfortunately, instead of walking away with an actionable plan, Koda’s owner was left feeling criticized and uncertain about how to help his beloved pup.
When I calculated Koda’s actual caloric needs versus what he was receiving, the numbers revealed the scope of the challenge. At his ideal weight, Koda would need approximately 1,466 calories per day for maintenance. However, for weight loss at his current 80-pound weight, his daily caloric requirement is 1,035 calories per day. This number represents his Resting Energy Requirement (RER), which is the amount of calories needed by a healthy dog at rest to sustain breathing, digestion and other metabolic functions at a neutral temperature.
Koda was being fed approximately 1,873 calories per day: 81% more than this weight loss target and 28% more than he would need at his ideal weight for maintenance. This wasn’t a case of poor food quality or lack of care; the solution was simply reducing portions to match his actual caloric requirements.
Understanding Body Condition: The Visual Assessment Tool
Before diving into Koda’s feeding situation, it’s important to understand how we assess whether a dog needs to lose weight. Veterinary professionals, canine nutritionists and informed pet owners use a Body Condition Score (BCS), typically on a 5-point or 9-point scale, to evaluate a dog’s body composition. This scoring system considers:
- Rib coverage: Can you easily feel the ribs without pressing firmly?
- Waist tuck: Is there a visible waist when viewed from above and a tuck-up when viewed from the side?
- Overall body shape: Does the dog (male and female) have an hourglass figure or a more rectangular appearance?
A dog at ideal weight should have easily palpable ribs with minimal fat covering, a visible waist and a tucked abdomen. Koda’s Body Condition Score indicated he was carrying excess weight that was impacting both his comfort and long-term health prospects.
The Neutering Factor: A Contributing Element
While Koda’s neutered status likely contributes to his weight management challenges (research shows spayed and neutered dogs require about 30% fewer calories and may experience increased appetite in comparison to intact dogs), this was not the primary cause of his weight gain. Koda had been neutered after reaching sexual maturity based on his breeders’ recommendation and his weight gain can be directly attributed to chronic overfeeding rather than to metabolic changes alone.
Koda's Feeding History
Koda’s feeding situation had evolved over time. Originally, his owner had selected Wellness Core Grain-Free Wild Game as Koda’s primary food. However, during a one-week boarding stay at the veterinary office in May 2025, Koda was fed exclusively Purina ONE Chicken & Rice Formula, a food that the vet office promotes. Interestingly, this resulted in significant weight loss during that week.
Unfortunately, once Koda returned home and resumed his regular feeding routine of 5 cups daily (now a 50/50 mixture that included both foods), he regained the weight he had lost by July 2025. This pattern demonstrated something crucial: it wasn’t the food type that mattered most, but rather the portion control that had been implemented during his boarding stay.
By the time we saw each other, Koda was being fed this mixture of:
- 2.5 cups of Wellness Core Grain-Free Wild Game (389 kcal/cup)
- 2.5 cups of Purina ONE Chicken & Rice Formula (360 kcal/cup)
His owner had been providing this mixture daily, along with commercial treats like milk bones and whole carrots. The research on pet feeding accuracy helps explain why: many owners struggle to accurately interpret feeding guidelines and Koda’s owner was part of the demographic navigating this challenge.
The Sundog Calculator: Estimating Caloric Requirements
This is exactly the type of situation that inspired us to develop the Sundog Daily Calorie Requirement Calculator. Using the calculator, I was able to quickly determine Koda’s daily caloric requirement and demonstrate the overfeeding that was occurring:
Step 1: Calculate Base Requirements
- Koda’s Resting Energy Requirement (RER): 1,035 calories per day
- Caloric target for weight loss at his current weight of 80lbs: 1,035 calories per day (RER is appropriate for controlled weight loss)
Step 2: Food Analysis Using Mixed Food Feature
The calculator’s ability to handle multiple foods was perfect for Koda’s situation. I entered both of his foods using the mixed meal feature:
Findings: The Caloric Reality
- Current feeding: 5 cups = 1,873 calories per day
- Required Caloric Intake for Maintenance at 68lbs: 1,466 kcal/day
- Recommended Caloric Intake for weight loss at 80lbs: 1,035 kcal/day
- Overfeeding rate: 28% more than he would need for maintenance at his ideal weight of 68lbs.
Making Practical Adjustments
Rather than dropping immediately from 5 cups to the calculated 2⅞ cups (the equivalent of 1,035 kcal/day), I recommended starting with 3 cups daily: a 40% calorie reduction that’s still 8.6% above our target for a gentler transition.
Please note that the approach that I decided on is more conservative than conventional recommendations for canine weight loss. The standard weight loss protocol would be to limit Koda’s daily caloric intake to his RER calculated for his ideal weight of 68lbs, which represents 916 kcal/day or the equivalent of 2.45 cups per day of his current kibble mixture. As this recommendation meant immediately reducing his food intake by more than 50%, I opted for a gentler approach and depending upon Koda’s progress after 4 weeks, will explore further reducing Koda’s daily food intake to 2.5 cups of dry food per day.
We also eliminated commercial treats, using only raw carrots (1-2 daily) and kibble pieces reserved from the daily portion for training rewards.
The Perfect Weight Loss Treat: Raw Carrots
Raw carrots represent an ideal weight loss treat for dogs who tolerate them well, like Koda. Unlike humans, dogs have a limited capacity to derive nutrition from most raw vegetables due to their shorter digestive tract and lack of specific enzymes needed to break down plant cell walls. When dogs eat raw carrots, they cannot digest the cellulose that makes up the vegetable’s structure, meaning virtually no calories are absorbed. Instead the carrot passes through their system largely intact. However, dogs still derive significant benefits from this crunchy snack: the act of chewing provides mental stimulation and satisfaction, while the fiber content promotes feelings of fullness and satiety. This makes raw carrots an optimal “calorie-free” treat that allows dogs to enjoy the behavioural satisfaction of eating and chewing without the caloric consequences that can sabotage weight loss efforts. For dogs like Koda who love their food, carrots offer a way to maintain treat-giving routines while supporting their weight management goals.
A Simple Change with a Big Impact
What struck me most about this consultation was how a widespread problem, which affects nearly half of all dog owners, could be remedied with precise, actionable information. Koda’s owner had been carrying the stress of his vet’s criticism while simultaneously lacking the practical tools to address the problem. The research showing that most owners struggle with feeding calculations helped normalize his experience and reinforced that this wasn’t about negligence but about a system-wide gap in accessible guidance.
Supporting Factors: Activity and Lifestyle
Koda’s lifestyle was already working in his favour. His daily activities include vigorous play sessions with his 2-year-old Vizsla sister Reya, which encompass running, jumping and chasing. Additionally, Koda enjoys daily swimming sessions in the family pool. This combination of high-energy play and low-impact exercise creates an ideal environment for healthy weight loss once his caloric intake was properly managed. Within just one week of implementing these changes, Koda began showing signs of gradual weight loss.
That's A Wrap
Being able to help Koda and his owner during my trip to Bermuda was truly a highlight of my time on the island. It reinforced why my husband and I created the Sundog Calorie Calculator: to make sound nutritional guidance accessible to dog owners everywhere, addressing the research-proven challenge that many pet owners face when trying to feed their dogs appropriately.
Getting Started with Targeted Feeding
If you’re facing a similar situation with your dog, the Sundog Daily Calorie Requirement Calculator can help you determine what your pet needs. The calculator’s mixed food feature allows you to account for multiple food types as well as treats, while the multi-day planning tool helps you to prepare for a multi-day trip, or to better plan your shopping. Go ahead and try the free tool right here:
Remember, the results represent approximations to use as a starting point. As every dog is unique, you may need to adjust portions based on your individual dog’s response. But as Koda’s story demonstrates, having access to reliable baseline calculations is the first step toward successful weight management. You can find more detailed information and instructions for the calculator here.
Ready to calculate your dog’s caloric needs? Try the Sundog Daily Calorie Requirement Calculator and take the guesswork out of feeding your furry family member.