Puppy feeding charts / Herding group
Puppy growth · Herding group
Australian Cattle Dog puppy feeding chart
A Australian Cattle Dog grows to about 49 lb (the standard's range is 33–49 lb). Puppy calories track the puppy's current weight, not its adult weight: 7 lb of puppy under four months needs about 500 kcal a day, and the daily total keeps rising until adult weight, when the factor drops and the dog needs 1146 kcal — fewer calories than it did at 20 lb as a growing puppy (732 kcal).
- 1Under 4 months 7 lb · 500 kcal
- 2Most calories 42 lb · 1277 kcal
- 3Adult 49 lb · 1146 kcal
Chart: calories and cups as the puppy grows
Weigh the puppy, find the nearest row, feed that amount split into three or four meals under four months and two or three after. Re-weigh every two weeks. Cups use 369 kcal/cup (Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice (adult dry)); puppy foods are often denser, so use the kcal/cup on your bag — the sizer accepts it.
| Share of adult weight | Puppy weighs | Stage | Factor | kcal/day | Cups at 369 | Grams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15% | 7 lb (3.2 kg) | Puppy, under 4 months | × 3 | 500 | 1¼ | 120 g |
| 25% | 12 lb (5.4 kg) | Puppy, under 4 months | × 3 | 748 | 2 | 192 g |
| 40% | 20 lb (9.1 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 732 | 2 | 192 g |
| 55% | 27 lb (12.2 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 917 | 2½ | 240 g |
| 70% | 34 lb (15.4 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 1090 | 3 | 288 g |
| 85% | 42 lb (19.1 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 1277 | 3½ | 336 g |
| 100% | 49 lb (22.2 kg) | Adult, neutered | × 1.6 | 1146 | 3 | 288 g |
RER = 70 × kg0.75; puppy and adult factors from the Merck Veterinary Manual. The age split (four months) is Merck's; the weight shares are evenly spaced points for reading the curve, not growth milestones for this breed. Calorie density: Purina. Checked 2026-10-20.
Where the stages fall for a Australian Cattle Dog
The 3× factor applies while the puppy is under four months, which for a Australian Cattle Dog usually means the rows up to roughly a quarter or a third of adult weight — around 7–12 lb. Between four months and maturity the factor is 2×, covering the 20–42 lb rows. Medium breeds like this one typically reach adult weight around a year, when the factor drops to the adult 1.6× and the daily amount falls even though the dog is at its biggest.
The peak of the chart is the surprise for most owners: at 20 lb and 2× RER the puppy eats 732 kcal, but the same dog at its full 49 lb as a neutered adult needs only 1146 kcal. Watch for the hand-off and reduce the ration rather than letting the adult food amount "catch up".
Growth to watch in a Australian Cattle Dog
The standard puts an adult Australian Cattle Dog at 18–20 in at the withers (17–19 in for females), so a puppy at the 27 lb row — a little over half its adult weight — is typically most of the way to full height and still filling out. The standard gives one weight range for both sexes, so a smaller individual simply stops lower on the chart; switch to the adult factor when growth plateaus on the fortnightly weigh-ins, not at a date. The gap between the 42 lb puppy row (1277 kcal) and the adult row (1146 kcal) is the amount to cut at the switch.
Crate divider positions
The same growth rows are a guide for the divider in the adult-size crate. A Australian Cattle Dog ends up in a 30 in or 36 in crate — see the Australian Cattle Dog crate size page — and the divider should give the puppy only enough room to stand, turn around and lie flat at each stage, moving back roughly every re-weigh.
Compare with similar breeds
A Welsh Springer Spaniel puppy at 18 lb (40% of its 45 lb adult weight) needs 676 kcal; A Border Collie puppy at 22 lb (40% of its 55 lb adult weight) needs 786 kcal; A Finnish Lapphund puppy at 21 lb (40% of its 53 lb adult weight) needs 759 kcal.
Adult weight from Wikipedia breed infobox/body, checked 2026-10-21. The AKC standard states the height but not the weight, so the weight here is from Wikipedia breed infobox/body. Maintenance figures for a healthy puppy; your vet's growth-curve advice comes first.