Feeding by breed and weight / Non-Sporting group
How much to feed a Bulldog
A neutered adult Bulldog at 50 lb needs about 1164 kcal a day, which is 3¼ cups of a 369 kcal/cup food; at the 40 lb end of the breed's range it is 985 kcal, or 2¾ cups. That is the maintenance figure before treats, from the resting energy requirement formula and the Merck Veterinary Manual's factor of 1.6 for a neutered adult.
Bulldog feeding table by weight and life stage
Each row is a Bulldog at that weight. Columns are the Merck factors: a neutered adult (×1.6), an intact adult (×1.8) and a dog that is inactive or gains weight easily (×1.4). Cups assume 369 kcal per cup, the label figure for Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice (adult dry); change it to your bag's number on the sizer.
| Weight | RER | Neutered adult | Cups | Intact adult | Cups | Inactive / weight-prone | Cups |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 lb (18.1 kg) | 615 | 985 kcal | 2¾ | 1108 kcal | 3 | 862 kcal | 2¼ |
| 43 lb (19.5 kg) | 650 | 1039 kcal | 2¾ | 1169 kcal | 3¼ | 910 kcal | 2½ |
| 45 lb (20.4 kg) | 672 | 1076 kcal | 3 | 1210 kcal | 3¼ | 941 kcal | 2½ |
| 48 lb (21.8 kg) | 706 | 1129 kcal | 3 | 1270 kcal | 3½ | 988 kcal | 2¾ |
| 50 lb (22.7 kg) | 727 | 1164 kcal | 3¼ | 1309 kcal | 3½ | 1018 kcal | 2¾ |
RER = 70 × kg0.75; factors from the Merck Veterinary Manual. Calorie density from the Purina product page (3790 kcal/kg, 369 kcal per 8 oz cup, about 96 g). Checked 2026-10-20.
Why the number is lower than the bag says
Bag feeding guides are written for an active, intact adult and often run above the neutered-maintenance figure; for a 50 lb Bulldog the gap between the intact and neutered columns is 145 kcal a day, roughly 0.4 cups. A dog that is already carrying extra weight should start from the inactive column (1018 kcal at 50 lb) and be weighed every two weeks. Treats and chews count: a single dental chew can be 70–100 kcal, which adds up faster than it looks across a week.
Formulas get a healthy adult into the right range; body condition keeps it there. Ribs should be easy to feel under a thin layer of fat, and the dog should have a visible waist from above. If that is not the case after four weeks, adjust by about 10% and re-check — and ask your vet before changing a dog with a medical condition, a pregnant or nursing female, or a working dog in season.
Grams and meals
At 50 lb and 1164 kcal, 3¼ cups is about 312 g a day of a 96 g/cup kibble — a kitchen scale is more repeatable than a scoop. Split into two meals for an adult. Puppies eat more per pound and more often: see the Bulldog puppy feeding chart.
How the Bulldog compares
Calories per pound fall as dogs get bigger, because RER scales with weight to the 0.75 power rather than linearly. A 50 lb Bulldog needs 23 kcal per pound; a 55 lb Border Collie needs 1250 kcal (23 per lb), a 60 lb English Springer Spaniel needs 1335 kcal (22 per lb), a 70 lb Australian Shepherd needs 1498 kcal (21 per lb). The breed ranks 26 of 49 by weight on this site.
Adult weight from AKC breed standard (PDF), checked 2026-10-20. Figures are maintenance starting points for a healthy adult; they are not veterinary advice.