Feeding by breed and weight / Terrier group
Feeding · Terrier group
How much to feed a Kerry Blue Terrier
A neutered adult Kerry Blue Terrier at 40 lb needs about 985 kcal a day, which is 2¾ cups of a 369 kcal/cup food; at the 33 lb end of the breed's range it is 852 kcal, or 2¼ 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 33–40 lb
- 2At 40 lb 985 kcal a day
- 3Cups 2¾ cups at 369 kcal/cup
Kerry Blue Terrier feeding table by weight and life stage
Each row is a Kerry Blue Terrier 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 lb (15.0 kg) | 533 | 852 kcal | 2¼ | 959 kcal | 2½ | 746 kcal | 2 |
| 35 lb (15.9 kg) | 557 | 891 kcal | 2½ | 1002 kcal | 2¾ | 779 kcal | 2 |
| 37 lb (16.8 kg) | 580 | 929 kcal | 2½ | 1045 kcal | 2¾ | 813 kcal | 2¼ |
| 38 lb (17.2 kg) | 592 | 947 kcal | 2½ | 1066 kcal | 3 | 829 kcal | 2¼ |
| 40 lb (18.1 kg) | 615 | 985 kcal | 2¾ | 1108 kcal | 3 | 862 kcal | 2¼ |
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 40 lb Kerry Blue Terrier the gap between the intact and neutered columns is 123 kcal a day, roughly 0.3 cups. A dog that is already carrying extra weight should start from the inactive column (862 kcal at 40 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 40 lb and 985 kcal, 2¾ cups is about 264 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 Kerry Blue Terrier puppy feeding chart.
How the Kerry Blue Terrier compares
Calories per pound fall as dogs get bigger, because RER scales with weight to the 0.75 power rather than linearly. A 40 lb Kerry Blue Terrier needs 25 kcal per pound; a 40 lb Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier needs 985 kcal (25 per lb), a 45 lb Standard Schnauzer needs 1076 kcal (24 per lb), a 40 lb Brittany needs 985 kcal (25 per lb). The breed ranks 61 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.