Feeding by breed and weight / Working group
How much to feed a Saint Bernard
A neutered adult Saint Bernard at 200 lb needs about 3292 kcal a day, which is 9 cups of a 369 kcal/cup food; at the 120 lb end of the breed's range it is 2244 kcal, or 6 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.
Saint Bernard feeding table by weight and life stage
Each row is a Saint Bernard 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120 lb (54.4 kg) | 1403 | 2244 kcal | 6 | 2525 kcal | 6¾ | 1964 kcal | 5¼ |
| 140 lb (63.5 kg) | 1575 | 2519 kcal | 6¾ | 2834 kcal | 7¾ | 2205 kcal | 6 |
| 160 lb (72.6 kg) | 1741 | 2785 kcal | 7½ | 3133 kcal | 8½ | 2437 kcal | 6½ |
| 180 lb (81.6 kg) | 1901 | 3042 kcal | 8¼ | 3422 kcal | 9¼ | 2662 kcal | 7¼ |
| 200 lb (90.7 kg) | 2058 | 3292 kcal | 9 | 3704 kcal | 10 | 2881 kcal | 7¾ |
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 200 lb Saint Bernard the gap between the intact and neutered columns is 412 kcal a day, roughly 1.1 cups. A dog that is already carrying extra weight should start from the inactive column (2881 kcal at 200 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 200 lb and 3292 kcal, 9 cups is about 864 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 Saint Bernard puppy feeding chart.
How the Saint Bernard compares
Calories per pound fall as dogs get bigger, because RER scales with weight to the 0.75 power rather than linearly. A 200 lb Saint Bernard needs 16 kcal per pound; a 176 lb Newfoundland needs 2991 kcal (17 per lb), a 180 lb Great Dane needs 3042 kcal (17 per lb), a 165 lb Great Pyrenees needs 2850 kcal (17 per lb). The breed ranks 48 of 49 by weight on this site.
Adult weight from VCA Animal Hospitals breed page, checked 2026-10-20. Figures are maintenance starting points for a healthy adult; they are not veterinary advice.