The maths, with your numbers
No guesswork and no brand chart. This is the same calculation a vet does on paper, so you can check it.
What this means for the bowl
Merrick Grain Free Real Chicken + Sweet Potato Recipe sits in the middle of the 140 dry dog foods we track, at 381 kcal per cup.
To show how much the food matters: a 40 lb spayed or neutered dog needs about 985 kcal a day. That is 2 ⅝ cups of this food, but 1 ⅞ cups of Purina Pro Plan All Ages Sport Performance 30/20 Salmon & Rice and 3 ⅝ cups of Kirkland Signature Healthy Weight Chicken and Vegetable. Same dog, same day, very different scoops.
A level 8 oz measuring cup holds about 106 g of this kibble. If you have kitchen scales, weighing is more accurate than scooping, because a heaped cup holds noticeably more than a level one.
Merrick Grain Free Real Chicken + Sweet Potato Recipe feeding chart
Daily amounts for healthy adult dogs with no treats, from the label calories and the AAHA 2021 energy factors. Split the amount into meals.
| Weight | Couch dog | Spayed or neutered | Very active |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 lb 2.3 kg | ⅜ cup43 g | ½ cup58 g | ⅝ cup72 g |
| 10 lb 4.5 kg | ⅝ cup73 g | ⅞ cup97 g | 1 ⅛ cups121 g |
| 15 lb 6.8 kg | ⅞ cup99 g | 1 ¼ cups131 g | 1 ½ cups164 g |
| 20 lb 9.1 kg | 1 ⅛ cups122 g | 1 ½ cups163 g | 1 ⅞ cups204 g |
| 30 lb 13.6 kg | 1 ½ cups166 g | 2 ⅛ cups221 g | 2 ⅝ cups276 g |
| 40 lb 18.1 kg | 2 cups206 g | 2 ⅝ cups274 g | 3 ¼ cups343 g |
| 50 lb 22.7 kg | 2 ¼ cups243 g | 3 cups324 g | 3 ⅞ cups405 g |
| 60 lb 27.2 kg | 2 ⅝ cups279 g | 3 ½ cups372 g | 4 ⅜ cups464 g |
| 70 lb 31.8 kg | 3 cups313 g | 3 ⅞ cups417 g | 4 ⅞ cups521 g |
| 80 lb 36.3 kg | 3 ¼ cups346 g | 4 ⅜ cups461 g | 5 ⅜ cups576 g |
| 90 lb 40.8 kg | 3 ½ cups378 g | 4 ¾ cups504 g | 5 ⅞ cups629 g |
| 100 lb 45.4 kg | 3 ⅞ cups409 g | 5 ⅛ cups545 g | 6 ⅜ cups681 g |
Label values: 381 kcal per cup, 3,592 kcal per kg. Source: merrickpetcare.com, checked 18 Oct 2026.
Questions
How much Merrick Grain Free Real Chicken + Sweet Potato Recipe should I feed a 50 lb dog?
About 3 cups or 324 g a day for a spayed or neutered dog, before treats. That is 1,164 kcal a day divided by the food’s label value. Use the calculator above to adjust for your pet.
How many calories are in Merrick Grain Free Real Chicken + Sweet Potato Recipe?
The label states 381 kcal per cup, 3,592 kcal per kg (checked 18 Oct 2026). Recipes change, so check your bag.