Methodology and sources

Nothing on this site is estimated by hand. Each figure below links to where it was read and the date it was checked. The arithmetic is in /js/sizer.js, which runs in your browser as well as at build time, and the data files are public at /data/breeds.json, /data/gear.json and /data/feeding.json.

Calories

Daily calories are resting energy requirement (RER) times a maintenance factor. RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75. Factors are the Merck Veterinary Manual's published MER multiples for dogs. Cups per day divide calories by the food's label kcal per cup; the example food is named with its label figure.

• RER: RER (kcal/day) = 70 × body weight (kg)^0.75 — Merck Veterinary Manual — Nutritional requirements of small animals.
• Maintenance factors: neutered adult, normal activity × 1.6; intact adult, normal activity × 1.8; adult, inactive or prone to weight gain × 1.4; puppy under 4 months × 3; puppy 4 months to adult size × 2 — Merck Veterinary Manual.
• Default calorie density: Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice (adult dry), 3790 kcal/kg and 369 kcal per 8 oz cup (about 96 g) — Purina. Typical adult dry foods print between about 300 and 550 kcal per cup on the bag; the exact figure is on your bag's label and the tool accepts it.

Crates

Crate, harness and bed sizes are the manufacturers' own published charts, copied as listed on the check date. The crate rule (dog length plus 2 to 4 inches) and the welfare minimum (stand up and turn around) are quoted from the named sources.

• Dimensions and weight bands: MidWest Homes for Pets — iCrate product sizing (manufacturer).
• Orvis — how to measure for a crate: "Add 2 to 4 inches to your dog's length (nose to base of tail) for crate length."
• Humane World for Animals — Crate training 101: "The crate should be large enough for your dog to stand up and turn around in. If your dog is still growing, choose a crate size that will accommodate their adult size."

Harness

• Ruffwear — Front Range harness sizing (manufacturer): XXS 13–17 in, XS 17–22 in, S 22–27 in, M 27–32 in, L/XL 32–42 in. "Measurement is around the widest part of the rib cage. In between sizes? Choose the larger size."

Beds

• Orvis — dog bed fit guide (Rectangle dog bed), rectangle and round charts as published.

Breeds

Height is at the withers in inches; weight in pounds for adult dogs. Where a breed standard states a figure it is used first (AKC, then FCI); where the standard is silent, the Wikipedia infobox or VCA breed page is used and named. Metric figures were converted and rounded to the nearest half inch or pound. Where the source gives only a maximum, the range reads "up to" that figure. The full table with per-breed sources is on the breed size chart.

What the site does not do

It does not invent chest girths per breed (standards do not publish them), does not estimate a dog's length from its height, and does not give feeding figures for pregnancy, lactation, illness or weight-loss programmes, which need a veterinarian's plan. All charts were checked on 2026-10-20; data version 2026-10-20.