Feeding by breed and weight / Non-Sporting group
How much to feed a Poodle (Standard)
A neutered adult Poodle (Standard) at 71 lb needs about 1514 kcal a day, which is 4 cups of a 369 kcal/cup food; at the 44 lb end of the breed's range it is 1058 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.
Poodle (Standard) feeding table by weight and life stage
Each row is a Poodle (Standard) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44 lb (20.0 kg) | 661 | 1058 kcal | 2¾ | 1190 kcal | 3¼ | 925 kcal | 2½ |
| 51 lb (23.1 kg) | 738 | 1181 kcal | 3¼ | 1329 kcal | 3½ | 1034 kcal | 2¾ |
| 58 lb (26.3 kg) | 813 | 1301 kcal | 3½ | 1464 kcal | 4 | 1138 kcal | 3 |
| 64 lb (29.0 kg) | 875 | 1401 kcal | 3¾ | 1576 kcal | 4¼ | 1226 kcal | 3¼ |
| 71 lb (32.2 kg) | 946 | 1514 kcal | 4 | 1703 kcal | 4½ | 1325 kcal | 3½ |
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 71 lb Poodle (Standard) the gap between the intact and neutered columns is 189 kcal a day, roughly 0.5 cups. A dog that is already carrying extra weight should start from the inactive column (1325 kcal at 71 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 71 lb and 1514 kcal, 4 cups is about 384 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; for a deep-chested breed of this size, two or three smaller meals rather than one large one is the usual advice to reduce bloat risk, and your vet can say whether it applies to your dog. Puppies eat more per pound and more often: see the Poodle (Standard) puppy feeding chart.
How the Poodle (Standard) compares
Calories per pound fall as dogs get bigger, because RER scales with weight to the 0.75 power rather than linearly. A 71 lb Poodle (Standard) needs 21 kcal per pound; a 66 lb Vizsla needs 1433 kcal (22 per lb), a 65 lb Belgian Malinois needs 1417 kcal (22 per lb), a 70 lb German Shorthaired Pointer needs 1498 kcal (21 per lb). The breed ranks 31 of 49 by weight on this site.
Adult weight from Wikipedia breed infobox/body, checked 2026-10-20. Figures are maintenance starting points for a healthy adult; they are not veterinary advice.