From body condition to daily portions Dog Weight Loss Diet Guide
Updated 11 November 2026 · CoCo Gourmet editorial team
Two dogs of the same weight can have very different frames and muscle, so the first step in a weight-loss plan is not the number on the scale but the shape of the body. This guide covers how to tell whether a dog is overweight with the body condition score (BCS), a daily feeding chart by weight for dogs that need to lose weight, the calories and fat of our five recipes, and how to handle treats and track progress. If your dog is too thin, see section 07.
In short
Start by checking the body condition score: BCS 4 is overweight and BCS 5 is obese. Then work out daily calories from the current weight: 70 × body weight (kg) to the power of 0.75 × a factor of 1.6 for an ideal body, 1.4 for overweight and 1.2 for obese. A 5 kg overweight dog needs about 327 kcal a day, or roughly 224–281 g of CoCo Gourmet Chicken & Vegetables. Keep treats within 10% of daily calories, weigh your dog every two weeks and aim to lose 1–2% of body weight a week.
01 Is my dog overweight?
Judge by the 5-point body condition score, not weight alone
The same weight means different things for different breeds and frames. The body condition score (BCS) judges body fat by looking and feeling, on a scale of 1 to 5. BCS 3 is ideal.
| Score | Ribs, waist and belly |
|---|---|
| BCS 1Very thin | Ribs, spine and hip bones are easy to see. Almost no fat can be felt. The waist and the tuck of the belly are very pronounced. |
| BCS 2Thin | Ribs are easy to feel. The waist is clearly visible from above and the belly tuck is clear from the side. |
| BCS 3Ideal | Ribs can be felt without a thick layer of fat. A waist is visible behind the ribs from above, and the belly tucks up when seen from the side. |
| BCS 4Overweight | There is some fat, but the ribs can still be felt. A waist can be seen from above but is not obvious. The belly tucks up only slightly. |
| BCS 5Obese | Ribs are hard to feel under a thick layer of fat, and there is fat over the lower back. The waist is barely visible or gone. The belly does not tuck up, or hangs down. |
Three places to check at home
- Ribs: run your palm lightly along the side of the chest. Ideally you can feel each rib without pressing. If you have to press to find them, there is too much fat.
- Waist: look down from above. There should be a waist behind the ribs. If the body is the same width from chest to hips, or wider at the waist, your dog is carrying extra weight.
- Belly: look from the side. The belly should slope up from the chest towards the hind legs. A belly level with the chest, or hanging down, points to extra weight.
With long-haired dogs, looking is not enough, so always feel with your hands. If you are not sure of the score, ask your vet to check at the next visit.
02 Four common causes
Usually more calories go in than are used
Cause 1
Portions measured by eye
Estimating with a bowl or a handful easily adds 10% or more to each meal. Fresh food has about 100–130 kcal per 100 g and dry food about 350–400 kcal, so one small extra handful of kibble makes a big difference.
Cause 2
Treats and table food are not counted
Treats, dental chews and food from the family table all contain calories. A little from each person can add up to a whole meal.
Cause 3
Same portion after neutering or with age
Energy needs usually fall after neutering and from around 7 years old. The feeding calculator uses a factor of 1.8 for intact dogs, 1.6 for neutered dogs and 1.4 for dogs aged 7 and over, so the old portion slowly leads to weight gain.
Cause 4
Less exercise
Hot weather, rain and busy weeks mean shorter and fewer walks, and fewer calories used.
If your dog gains weight quickly without eating more, or has a swollen belly or is drinking and urinating much more than usual, an illness may be involved. See your vet first rather than cutting the food yourself.
03 Weight-loss feeding chart
How many grams a day for an overweight or obese dog?
The chart uses the same formula as the feeding calculator: daily energy = 70 × body weight (kg) to the power of 0.75 × a factor, converted into grams of Chicken & Vegetables (116 kcal per 100 g). The factor is 1.6 for an ideal body, 1.4 for overweight (BCS 4) and 1.2 for obese (BCS 5), all based on the current weight.
| Current weight | Ideal factor 1.6 | Overweight factor 1.4 | Obese factor 1.2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2kg | 129–162g188kcal | 112–141g164kcal | 96–121g141kcal |
| 3kg | 175–219g255kcal | 153–192g223kcal | 131–164g191kcal |
| 4kg | 217–272g316kcal | 190–238g277kcal | 163–204g237kcal |
| 5kg | 257–322g374kcal | 224–281g327kcal | 192–241g280kcal |
| 7kg | 331–414g481kcal | 289–362g421kcal | 248–311g361kcal |
| 10kg | 433–542g629kcal | 380–475g551kcal | 324–406g472kcal |
| 15kg | 588–735g853kcal | 514–643g746kcal | 440–551g640kcal |
| 20kg | 729–912g1,059kcal | 638–798g926kcal | 547–684g794kcal |
| 25kg | 863–1,079g1,252kcal | 754–943g1,095kcal | 647–809g939kcal |
| 30kg | 989–1,237g1,435kcal | 865–1,082g1,256kcal | 741–927g1,076kcal |
For neutered dogs aged 1 year and over. As in the feeding calculator, amounts are shown as 80–100% of the calculated value. Each pack is 100 g, so grams ÷ 100 is the number of packs per day. These are reference values: weigh your dog every two weeks and adjust.
Example: a 5 kg overweight dog
70 × 5 to the power of 0.75 × 1.4 = about 327 kcal a day. Chicken & Vegetables has 116 kcal per 100 g, so 327 ÷ 116 × 100 = about 281 g. Start from the lower end at 224 g, which is 2 to 3 packs a day. The same dog at an ideal body condition would eat about 257–322 g, so this is roughly 13% less.
When you feed fresh food with kibble
When fresh food goes on top of kibble, the calories of both count. Choose "As a topper" in the feeding calculator and enter the kibble's kcal per 100 g and the amount per meal: the calculator subtracts the kibble from each meal's calories and converts the rest into grams of fresh food.
04 Calories and fat of 5 recipes
For the same calories, a lower-calorie recipe means a bigger portion
All five CoCo Gourmet main recipes are complete and balanced to AAFCO 2016 standards, so they can stay the main meal during weight loss. They range from 102 to 128 kcal per 100 g. For the same daily calories, a lower-calorie recipe gives a slightly larger portion, which suits dogs with a big appetite.
| Recipe | Calories per 100 g | Fat min. | Daily amount 5 kg, overweight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef & Sweet Potato | 102kcal | 4.6% | 256–320g |
| Venison & Beets | 104kcal | 4.3% | 251–314g |
| Fish & Pumpkin | 105kcal | 4.1% | 248–311g |
| Chicken & Vegetables | 116kcal | 5.4% | 224–281g |
| Pork & Broccoli | 128kcal | 6.7% | 204–255g |
Daily amount is for 327 kcal (5 kg, overweight, neutered), shown as 80–100% of the calculated value. Fat is the guaranteed minimum.
Beef & Sweet Potato has the fewest calories (102 kcal) and Fish & Pumpkin has the least fat (4.1% min). The total for the day matters more than the recipe, though: a lower-calorie recipe still leads to weight gain if the portion is too big.
Fresh food is about 70–75% water, so for the same calories it weighs about three times as much as kibble. When you switch from kibble or add fresh food on top, the bowl looks fuller, but the calories are the same.
If your vet has asked you to limit fat
CoCo Gourmet Care Gastrointestinal Care (Low fat), at 92 kcal per 100 g, is a diet with restricted fat. Please use it under your vet's guidance. The five main recipes are complete everyday food, not therapeutic diets.
05 Six habits that help
Six habits for slow, steady weight loss without hunger
- 1Weigh every meal on a kitchen scale
- Portions measured by eye creep up. Each CoCo Gourmet pack is 100 g, so count the packs for the day and weigh the remainder.
- 2Keep treats within 10% of daily calories
- Take the calories of treats off the main meals. For training rewards, set aside part of the day's food. Food made for people is higher in salt and fat, so leave it out during weight loss.
- 3Split the day's food into 2–3 meals
- The total stays the same, but the gaps between meals are shorter. A slow-feeder bowl also makes a meal last longer.
- 4Keep one record for the whole family
- Write down the daily amount and every treat, so nobody feeds twice.
- 5Build up exercise gradually
- Extra weight puts more load on the joints, so start by adding a few minutes to each walk. On hot days, walk early in the morning or in the evening and bring plenty of water.
- 6Check weight and body condition every two weeks
- Use the same scale at the same time of day, and feel the ribs and waist. Writing the numbers down shows whether the portion needs to change.
06 Pace and adjusting
Aim to lose 1–2% of body weight a week
If weight comes off too fast, a dog gets hungry and can lose muscle along with fat. A common guide is 1–2% of current body weight a week: about 50–100 g a week for a 5 kg dog and 100–200 g for a 10 kg dog.
Feed the same amount for 2–4 weeks, then adjust by weight and body condition:
- No change in weight: check treats and how you measure first, then cut the daily amount by about 10%.
- Losing more than 2% a week: increase the daily amount by about 10%.
- Ideal body condition (BCS 3) reached: recalculate the daily amount for an ideal body, then weigh once a month so the weight does not creep back.
See your vet first in these cases
For obese dogs (BCS 5), puppies, pregnant or nursing dogs, senior dogs, and dogs with heart, joint or hormonal conditions or on medication, agree a target weight and plan with your vet first. If your dog becomes listless, vomits or has diarrhoea during weight loss, stop cutting the food and see your vet.
07 If your dog is too thin
How many grams a day for a thin dog?
Dogs whose ribs and spine are easy to see and feel (BCS 1–2) need more calories than a dog at an ideal body condition. The feeding calculator uses a factor of 1.75 for slightly thin and 2 for thin.
| Current weight | Slightly thin factor 1.75 | Thin factor 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2kg | 141–177g206kcal | 161–202g235kcal |
| 3kg | 192–240g279kcal | 220–275g319kcal |
| 4kg | 238–298g346kcal | 272–340g395kcal |
| 5kg | 281–352g409kcal | 322–403g468kcal |
| 7kg | 363–454g527kcal | 414–518g602kcal |
| 10kg | 474–593g688kcal | 542–678g787kcal |
| 15kg | 643–804g933kcal | 735–919g1,067kcal |
| 20kg | 798–998g1,158kcal | 912–1,141g1,324kcal |
Chicken & Vegetables (116 kcal), neutered dogs aged 1 year and over, shown as 80–100% of the calculated value.
A sudden increase can upset the stomach, so add about 10% every few days and split the day's food into three or more meals. Pork & Broccoli has the most calories of the five recipes (128 kcal), so a dog with a small appetite gets the same calories from a smaller portion.
If your dog eats normally but stays thin, or loses weight suddenly, an illness may be involved. See your vet first.
08 FAQs
Dog weight management FAQs
- How much should I feed my dog to lose weight?
- Work out daily calories from the current weight: 70 × body weight (kg) to the power of 0.75 × a factor of 1.4 for overweight (BCS 4) or 1.2 for obese (BCS 5). A 5 kg overweight dog needs about 327 kcal a day, or roughly 224–281 g of CoCo Gourmet Chicken & Vegetables; an obese 5 kg dog needs about 280 kcal, or 192–241 g. For other weights, see the weight-loss feeding chart on this page or use the feeding calculator.
- How can I tell if my dog is overweight?
- Use the body condition score (BCS). If you have to press to feel the ribs, cannot see a waist from above and the belly does not tuck up when seen from the side, your dog is overweight (BCS 4–5). Dogs of the same weight can have very different frames, so weight alone is not enough.
- Which recipe is best for a dog on a diet?
- The lowest-calorie recipes are Beef & Sweet Potato (102 kcal), Venison & Beets (104 kcal) and Fish & Pumpkin (105 kcal), and Fish & Pumpkin has the least fat (4.1% min). For the same daily calories, a lower-calorie recipe gives a slightly larger portion. The total for the day matters most, so work out the amount for your dog's body condition first.
- Can I give treats while my dog is losing weight?
- Yes, but keep treats within 10% of daily calories and take them off the main meals. For a 5 kg overweight dog on about 327 kcal a day, that is about 32 kcal of treats. You can also set aside part of the day's food as rewards.
- How fast should a dog lose weight?
- A common guide is 1–2% of current body weight a week, or about 50–100 g a week for a 5 kg dog. Feed the same amount for 2–4 weeks: if the weight has not changed, cut the amount by about 10%; if it is falling too fast, add about 10%.
- Can I just halve my dog's food?
- We do not recommend it. A big cut also cuts protein, vitamins and minerals, and a hungry dog is more likely to gulp food or scavenge. Work out daily calories for your dog's body condition and adjust step by step. If your dog needs to lose a lot of weight, plan it with your vet.
- Is fresh food more fattening than kibble?
- No. Weight depends on total calories for the day, not on the type of food. Fresh food is about 70–75% water and has about 100–130 kcal per 100 g; kibble has about 350–400 kcal per 100 g. For the same calories fresh food weighs about three times as much, so measure in grams, not by the bowl.
- My dog gained weight after neutering. How should I change the portion?
- Energy needs usually fall after neutering. The feeding calculator lowers the factor from 1.8 for intact dogs to 1.6 for neutered dogs, about 10% less. Recalculate the portion after neutering and weigh your dog once a month.
- My dog is too thin. How much should I feed to gain weight?
- The factor is 1.75 for a slightly thin dog (BCS 2) and 2 for a thin dog (BCS 1). A slightly thin 5 kg dog needs about 409 kcal a day, or roughly 281–352 g of Chicken & Vegetables. Add about 10% every few days and split the food into three or more meals. If your dog loses weight suddenly, see your vet first.
About CoCo Gourmet
CoCo Gourmet is fresh dog food from Japan. The five main recipes are vet-supervised and complete and balanced to AAFCO 2016 standards. Each 100 g pack is sealed separately, which makes it easy to control the daily amount in grams, and delivery is free to every district in Hong Kong.
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