Puppy feeding charts / Herding group
Puppy growth · Herding group
Icelandic Sheepdog puppy feeding chart
A Icelandic Sheepdog grows to about 30 lb (the standard's range is 20–30 lb). Puppy calories track the puppy's current weight, not its adult weight: 5 lb of puppy under four months needs about 388 kcal a day, and the daily total keeps rising until adult weight, when the factor drops and the dog needs 794 kcal — fewer calories than it did at 12 lb as a growing puppy (499 kcal).
- 1Under 4 months 5 lb · 388 kcal
- 2Most calories 26 lb · 891 kcal
- 3Adult 30 lb · 794 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% | 5 lb (2.3 kg) | Puppy, under 4 months | × 3 | 388 | 1 | 96 g |
| 25% | 8 lb (3.6 kg) | Puppy, under 4 months | × 3 | 552 | 1½ | 144 g |
| 40% | 12 lb (5.4 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 499 | 1¼ | 120 g |
| 55% | 17 lb (7.7 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 648 | 1¾ | 168 g |
| 70% | 21 lb (9.5 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 759 | 2 | 192 g |
| 85% | 26 lb (11.8 kg) | Puppy, 4 months to adult | × 2 | 891 | 2½ | 240 g |
| 100% | 30 lb (13.6 kg) | Adult, neutered | × 1.6 | 794 | 2¼ | 216 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 Icelandic Sheepdog
The 3× factor applies while the puppy is under four months, which for a Icelandic Sheepdog usually means the rows up to roughly a quarter or a third of adult weight — around 5–8 lb. Between four months and maturity the factor is 2×, covering the 12–26 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 12 lb and 2× RER the puppy eats 499 kcal, but the same dog at its full 30 lb as a neutered adult needs only 794 kcal. Watch for the hand-off and reduce the ration rather than letting the adult food amount "catch up".
Growth to watch in a Icelandic Sheepdog
The standard puts an adult Icelandic Sheepdog at 18 in at the withers (16½ in for females), so a puppy at the 17 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 26 lb puppy row (891 kcal) and the adult row (794 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 Icelandic Sheepdog ends up in a 24 in or 30 in crate — see the Icelandic Sheepdog 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 French Bulldog puppy at 12 lb (40% of its 31 lb adult weight) needs 499 kcal; A Dachshund (Standard) puppy at 13 lb (40% of its 32 lb adult weight) needs 530 kcal; A Basenji puppy at 10 lb (40% of its 24 lb adult weight) needs 435 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.