Feeding by breed and weight / Hound group
Feeding · Hound group
How much to feed a Norwegian Elkhound
A neutered adult Norwegian Elkhound at 55 lb needs about 1250 kcal a day, which is 3½ cups of a 369 kcal/cup food. 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 about 55 lb
- 2At 55 lb 1250 kcal a day
- 3Cups 3½ cups at 369 kcal/cup
Norwegian Elkhound feeding table by weight and life stage
Each row is a Norwegian Elkhound 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 lb (24.9 kg) | 781 | 1250 kcal | 3½ | 1407 kcal | 3¾ | 1094 kcal | 3 |
| 55 lb (24.9 kg) | 781 | 1250 kcal | 3½ | 1407 kcal | 3¾ | 1094 kcal | 3 |
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 55 lb Norwegian Elkhound the gap between the intact and neutered columns is 157 kcal a day, roughly 0.4 cups. A dog that is already carrying extra weight should start from the inactive column (1094 kcal at 55 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 55 lb and 1250 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 Norwegian Elkhound puppy feeding chart.
How the Norwegian Elkhound compares
Calories per pound fall as dogs get bigger, because RER scales with weight to the 0.75 power rather than linearly. A 55 lb Norwegian Elkhound needs 23 kcal per pound; a 66 lb Samoyed needs 1433 kcal (22 per lb), a 66 lb Vizsla needs 1433 kcal (22 per lb), a 71 lb Poodle (Standard) needs 1514 kcal (21 per lb). The breed ranks 81 of 132 by weight on this site. Females of the breed top out around 48 lb, which is 1129 kcal a day neutered.
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.