Feeding by breed and weight / Non-Sporting group
Feeding · Non-Sporting group
How much to feed a Chinese Shar-Pei
A neutered adult Chinese Shar-Pei at 60 lb needs about 1335 kcal a day, which is 3½ cups of a 369 kcal/cup food; at the 45 lb end of the breed's range it is 1076 kcal, or 3 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.
- 1Adult weight 45–60 lb
- 2At 60 lb 1335 kcal a day
- 3Cups 3½ cups at 369 kcal/cup
Chinese Shar-Pei feeding table by weight and life stage
Each row is a Chinese Shar-Pei 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 lb (20.4 kg) | 672 | 1076 kcal | 3 | 1210 kcal | 3¼ | 941 kcal | 2½ |
| 49 lb (22.2 kg) | 717 | 1146 kcal | 3 | 1290 kcal | 3½ | 1003 kcal | 2¾ |
| 53 lb (24.0 kg) | 760 | 1216 kcal | 3¼ | 1368 kcal | 3¾ | 1064 kcal | 3 |
| 56 lb (25.4 kg) | 792 | 1267 kcal | 3½ | 1426 kcal | 3¾ | 1109 kcal | 3 |
| 60 lb (27.2 kg) | 834 | 1335 kcal | 3½ | 1501 kcal | 4 | 1168 kcal | 3¼ |
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 60 lb Chinese Shar-Pei the gap between the intact and neutered columns is 166 kcal a day, roughly 0.4 cups. A dog that is already carrying extra weight should start from the inactive column (1168 kcal at 60 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 60 lb and 1335 kcal, 3½ cups is about 336 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 Chinese Shar-Pei puppy feeding chart.
How the Chinese Shar-Pei compares
Calories per pound fall as dogs get bigger, because RER scales with weight to the 0.75 power rather than linearly. A 60 lb Chinese Shar-Pei needs 22 kcal per pound; a 70 lb Australian Shepherd needs 1498 kcal (21 per lb), a 60 lb Siberian Husky needs 1335 kcal (22 per lb), a 60 lb Portuguese Water Dog needs 1335 kcal (22 per lb). The breed ranks 80 of 132 by weight on this site.
Adult weight from AKC breed standard (PDF), checked 2026-10-21. Figures are maintenance starting points for a healthy adult; they are not veterinary advice.