Blue Buffalo Feeding Chart: How Much to Feed Your Dog

By the PawMathCalc Team · Updated October 26, 2026

Short answer: a 50 lb spayed or neutered adult dog needs about 1,164 kcal a day, which is about 3.1 cups of Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Chicken Brown Rice (379 kcal per cup). Across the 87 Blue Buffalo dry foods below, calories range from 301 to 454 kcal per cup, so the right amount can differ by 51% between two bags of the same brand.

How much Blue Buffalo to feed: cups per day by weight

The table shows the daily amount for a healthy spayed or neutered adult dog at an ideal weight, for 10 lb, 30 lb, 50 lb, 70 lb. Split it into meals. Puppy foods show a dash: growing animals need 2 to 3 times more per pound, so use the calculator below with the right life stage.

Food	kcal per cup	kcal per kg	10 lb	30 lb	50 lb	70 lb
Grain Free Duck Potato	350	3,486	0.99	2.3	3.3	4.3
Grain Free Lamb Potato	358	3,565	0.97	2.2	3.3	4.2
Grain Free Salmon Potato	349	3,476	1	2.3	3.3	4.3
Grain Free Turkey Potato	352	3,503	0.99	2.3	3.3	4.3
Healthy Weight Turkey	329	3,278	1.1	2.4	3.5	4.6
Large Breed Grain Free Lamb Potato	358	3,562	0.97	2.2	3.3	4.2
Large Breed Turkey Potato	351	3,494	0.99	2.3	3.3	4.3
Salmon Potato	359	3,447	0.97	2.2	3.2	4.2
Senior Turkey Potato	339	3,376	1.0	2.3	3.4	4.4
Small Breed Grain Free Lamb Potato	377	3,582	0.92	2.1	3.1	4.0
Small Breed Turkey Potato	404	3,665	0.86	2.0	2.9	3.7
Turkey Potato	364	3,495	0.96	2.2	3.2	4.1
Beef	374	3,593	0.93	2.1	3.1	4.0
Chicken	375	3,598	0.93	2.1	3.1	4.0
Healthy Weight Chicken	330	3,228	1.1	2.4	3.5	4.5
Lamb	378	3,565	0.92	2.1	3.1	4.0
Large Breed Chicken	360	3,515	0.97	2.2	3.2	4.2
Senior Chicken	347	3,390	1.0	2.3	3.4	4.3
Small Breed Chicken	379	3,639	0.92	2.1	3.1	4.0
Adult Grain Free Chicken Potato	375	3,598	0.93	2.1	3.1	4.0
Adult Grain Free Lamb Potato	378	3,565	0.92	2.1	3.1	4.0
Beef	391	3,623	0.89	2.0	3.0	3.8
Chicken Brown Rice	379	3,633	0.92	2.1	3.1	4.0
Fish Brown Rice	379	3,634	0.92	2.1	3.1	4.0
Healthy Weight Chicken Brown Rice	322	3,264	1.1	2.5	3.6	4.7
Lamb Brown Rice	376	3,611	0.93	2.1	3.1	4.0
Large Breed Chicken Brown Rice	355	3,538	0.98	2.2	3.3	4.2
Large Breed Healthy Weight Chicken Brown Rice	331	3,294	1.1	2.4	3.5	4.5
Large Breed Lamb	367	3,521	0.95	2.2	3.2	4.1
Large Breed Senior Chicken Brown Rice	345	3,436	1.0	2.3	3.4	4.3
Salmon Brown Rice	381	3,595	0.91	2.1	3.1	3.9
Senior Chicken Brown Rice	343	3,416	1.0	2.3	3.4	4.4
Senior Salmon Brown Rice	336	3,362	1.0	2.4	3.5	4.5
Small Bite Chicken Brown Rice	392	3,633	0.89	2.0	3.0	3.8
Small Breed Chicken Brown Rice	398	3,682	0.87	2.0	2.9	3.8
Small Breed Healthy Weight Chicken Brown Rice	347	3,334	1.0	2.3	3.4	4.3
Small Breed Lamb Brown Rice	388	3,721	0.9	2.0	3.0	3.9
Small Breed Senior Chicken Brown Rice	368	3,532	0.95	2.2	3.2	4.1
Toy Breed Chicken Brown Rice	418	3,673	0.83	1.9	2.8	3.6
Digestive Care	394	3,778	0.88	2.0	3.0	3.8
Everyday Needs	395	3,723	0.88	2.0	2.9	3.8
Mobility Support	395	3,653	0.88	2.0	2.9	3.8
Skin Coat Care	363	3,615	0.96	2.2	3.2	4.1
Small Breed	395	3,719	0.88	2.0	2.9	3.8
Weight Control	324	3,224	1.1	2.4	3.6	4.6
Adult Chicken Grain Free	415	3,652	0.84	1.9	2.8	3.6
Adult Chicken Wholesome Grain	419	3,672	0.83	1.9	2.8	3.6
Adult Salmon Grain Free	422	3,649	0.82	1.9	2.8	3.5
Duck Wholesome Grain	423	3,664	0.82	1.9	2.8	3.5
Healthy Weight Chicken Wholesome Grain	357	3,303	0.98	2.2	3.3	4.2
Large Breed Adult Grain Free Chicken	374	3,521	0.93	2.1	3.1	4.0
Large Breed Adult Grain Free Salmon	388	3,591	0.9	2.0	3.0	3.9
Large Breed Chicken Wholesome Grain	390	3,614	0.89	2.0	3.0	3.8
Large Breed Healthy Weight Chicken Wholesome Grain	347	3,271	1.0	2.3	3.4	4.3
Large Breed Salmon Wholesome Grain	388	3,590	0.9	2.0	3.0	3.9
Premier Blend Adult Chicken Tender Meaty Cuts	454	3,649	0.77	1.7	2.6	3.3
Rocky Mountain Bison Wholesome Grain	389	3,663	0.89	2.0	3.0	3.9
Rocky Mountain Large Breed Bison Wholesome Grain	379	3,512	0.92	2.1	3.1	4.0
Rocky Mountain Large Breed Red Meat Wholesome Grain	383	3,545	0.91	2.1	3.0	3.9
Rocky Mountain Red Meat Wholesome Grain	383	3,614	0.91	2.1	3.0	3.9
Rocky Mountain Senior Red Meat Wholesome Grain	389	3,476	0.89	2.0	3.0	3.9
Salmon Wholesome Grain	420	3,632	0.83	1.9	2.8	3.6
Senior Chicken Wholesome Grain	390	3,488	0.89	2.0	3.0	3.8
Senior Salmon Wholesome Grain	429	3,711	0.81	1.8	2.7	3.5
Small Bite Chicken Wholesome Grain	424	3,672	0.82	1.9	2.7	3.5
Small Breed Chicken Wholesome Grain	425	3,688	0.82	1.9	2.7	3.5
Digestive Support	344	3,496	1.0	2.3	3.4	4.4
Food Intolerance	368	3,529	0.95	2.2	3.2	4.1
Kidney Function	409	3,925	0.85	1.9	2.8	3.7
Low Fat Digestive Support	301	3,307	1.2	2.6	3.9	5.0
Novel Protein Alligator	372	3,568	0.94	2.1	3.1	4.0
Weight Management	331	3,294	1.1	2.4	3.5	4.5
Weight Management URinary Care	314	3,123	1.1	2.5	3.7	4.8
Large Breed Puppy Chicken Brown Rice	385	3,628	-	-	-	-
Puppy Chicken Brown Rice	401	3,717	-	-	-	-
Puppy High Protein Chicken with Grains	433	3,748	-	-	-	-
Small Breed Puppy Chicken Oatmeal	417	3,731	-	-	-	-
Puppy Turkey Potato	394	3,649	-	-	-	-
Puppy Chicken	403	3,669	-	-	-	-
Large Breed Puppy Chicken Brown Rice	385	3,628	-	-	-	-
Puppy Chicken Brown Rice	401	3,717	-	-	-	-
Puppy Lamb Oatmeal	401	3,717	-	-	-	-
Small Breed Puppy Chicken Oatmeal	417	3,731	-	-	-	-
Large Breed Puppy Chicken Wholesome Grain	417	3,607	-	-	-	-
Puppy Chicken Grain Free	433	3,743	-	-	-	-
Puppy Chicken Wholesome Grain	433	3,748	-	-	-	-
Puppy Salmon Wholesome Grain	429	3,711	-	-	-	-

Why the bag's chart may say something else

Feeding charts on bags are written for an average dog and often assume more activity than a typical indoor pet gets. Use the table as a starting point, weigh your dog every 2 to 4 weeks, and change the amount by about 10% if the weight moves. Intact, very active or working dogs need more; dogs that gain weight easily need less.

Calories per cup in this range

	kcal per cup
Median of 87 foods	379
Lowest: Blue Natural Veterinary Diet Low Fat Digestive Support	301
Highest: Blue Buffalo Wilderness Premier Blend Adult Chicken Tender Meaty Cuts	454

Switching between two foods of the same brand can change calories a lot. Always recalculate the cups when you change food, and mix the new food in over 7 to 10 days.

Your own dog's weight, age and activity are in the calculator below: pick the food in the "find your food" box and it fills in the calories. All brands side by side: dog food calories per cup chart.

Sources: calorie content (metabolizable energy, as fed) copied from each manufacturer's own product page on October 26, 2026; each food name links to its page. Cups per day: RER = 70 × (kg)^0.75, × 1.6 for a spayed or neutered adult dog or × 1.2 for a spayed or neutered adult cat (WSAVA style energy factors). Formulas change: check the bag you buy.

Try the dog food calculator

Enter your own numbers below, or open the full dog food calculator with the formula and more examples.

This guide is general information, not veterinary advice. Your pet may differ: ask your vet. Terms

Frequently asked questions

How many cups of Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Chicken Brown Rice should I feed my dog?

For a spayed or neutered adult at an ideal weight: about 0.92 cups a day at 10 lb, about 2.1 cups a day at 30 lb, about 3.1 cups a day at 50 lb, about 4.0 cups a day at 70 lb. Adjust by weight changes.

How many calories are in a cup of Blue Buffalo?

Between 301 and 454 kcal per cup across the 87 dry formulas listed, with a median of 379. Check the exact number on your bag.

Why does my dog need less than the bag says?

Bag charts are written for an average dog and often assume more activity. Spayed, neutered and indoor pets usually need less; weigh your dog and adjust.