Feeding by breed and weight / Terrier group
Feeding · Terrier group
How much to feed a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
A neutered adult Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier at 40 lb needs about 985 kcal a day, which is 2¾ cups of a 369 kcal/cup food; at the 35 lb end of the breed's range it is 891 kcal, or 2½ 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 35–40 lb
- 2At 40 lb 985 kcal a day
- 3Cups 2¾ cups at 369 kcal/cup
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier feeding table by weight and life stage
Each row is a Soft Coated Wheaten 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 lb (15.9 kg) | 557 | 891 kcal | 2½ | 1002 kcal | 2¾ | 779 kcal | 2 |
| 36 lb (16.3 kg) | 569 | 910 kcal | 2½ | 1024 kcal | 2¾ | 796 kcal | 2¼ |
| 38 lb (17.2 kg) | 592 | 947 kcal | 2½ | 1066 kcal | 3 | 829 kcal | 2¼ |
| 39 lb (17.7 kg) | 604 | 966 kcal | 2½ | 1087 kcal | 3 | 845 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 Soft Coated Wheaten 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 Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier puppy feeding chart.
How the Soft Coated Wheaten 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 Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier needs 25 kcal per pound; a 45 lb Standard Schnauzer needs 1076 kcal (24 per lb), a 40 lb Kerry Blue Terrier needs 985 kcal (25 per lb), a 44 lb Keeshond needs 1058 kcal (24 per lb). The breed ranks 62 of 132 by weight on this site. Females of the breed top out around 35 lb, which is 891 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.