How Much to Feed a Whippet
Like their Greyhound cousins, Whippets are meant to be lean — ribs faintly visible is healthy. Using the veterinary RER/MER formula, an adult Whippet of about 30 lbs needs roughly 794 kcal per day — around 209 g (2.1 cups) of typical dry food. The calculator below is pre-set for the Whippet: adjust the weight, life stage and food type to match your dog.
Whippet portion calculator
Veterinary RER/MER formula — daily calories, grams and cups.
RER 496 kcal × 1.6 (adult, neutered/spayed) = 794 kcal, at 380 kcal/100g. Estimates for healthy pets — always confirm with your veterinarian.
Medium dogs like the Whippet are where feeding guides on the bag are least reliable, because the healthy weight range is wide and activity levels vary enormously. Our 794 kcal estimate assumes the profile selected above; if your Whippet runs, hikes or works most days, recalculate with the “Active / working” setting before changing food brands.
The Whippet typically weighs around 30 lbs (13.6 kg) as a healthy adult. That small body has an RER of 496 kcal; applying the adult, neutered/spayed multiplier of 1.6 gives 794 kcal per day, or about 209 g of dry food. At these quantities a proper gram scale beats measuring cups — cup-level errors of “just a little extra” compound into pounds over a season.
These numbers are a starting point, not a prescription. The calculator supports every life stage (puppy, puppy, adult, neutered/spayed, adult, intact, active / working, senior, weight loss plan) — a puppy can need two to three times the adult allowance, while a senior or a dog on a weight-loss plan needs noticeably less. Recheck the numbers after any change in weight, activity, food brand or neutering status, and always transition between foods gradually over 7–10 days. For medical conditions, pregnancy or lactation, follow your veterinarian's feeding plan instead.
Frequently asked questions
How much food should a Whippet eat per day?
A typical adult Whippet weighing 30 lbs needs about 794 kcal per day (adult, neutered/spayed), which is roughly 209 grams — about 2.1 cups — of standard dry food, split into 2 meals.
How is the Whippet's daily portion calculated?
We use the standard veterinary formula: Resting Energy Requirement (RER) = 70 × (weight in kg)^0.75, then multiply by a life-stage factor. For a 13.6 kg Whippet, RER is 496 kcal, and the adult, neutered/spayed factor of 1.6 gives 794 kcal per day.
How many times a day should I feed my Whippet?
2 meals per day is the standard recommendation for a adult, neutered/spayed dog — about 397 kcal (104 g of dry food) per meal. Puppies and kittens need 3–4 smaller meals instead.
My Whippet seems hungry after meals — should I feed more?
Begging is not a reliable hunger signal, especially in food-motivated breeds. Judge by body condition instead: you should feel ribs easily under a thin fat layer. If your Whippet is truly losing weight at 794 kcal per day, increase portions by ~10% and re-weigh in two weeks.