How Much ZIWI Peak Air-Dried Food Should You Feed a Dog per Day? Grams by Body Weight, Topper Ratios and Cost per Feeding

Most healthy adult dogs eat about 1.3–1.8% of their body weight in ZIWI Peak air-dried food per day: roughly 85 g for a 5 kg dog, 150 g for a 10 kg dog, and 250 g for a 20 kg dog, split across two meals. Smaller dogs need proportionally more per kilogram than large dogs.

That number surprises people, because a 250 g daily portion looks tiny in the bowl next to kibble. Air-dried food carries roughly 4,300–4,700 kcal per kilogram with almost no moisture and very little filler, so the volume drops even though the calories don't. If you want to see the format side by side with other options, browse our air-dried dog food collection or compare it against dry dog food before you commit to a full bag.

What the standards say about air-dried feeding amounts

Feeding guidelines on any Canadian or US pet food bag are built from two numbers: the product's metabolisable energy (kcal/kg) and the dog's estimated daily energy requirement. AAFCO nutrient profiles, carried forward in its 2026 Official Publication, set minimums of 18% protein and 5.5% fat on a dry-matter basis for adult maintenance, rising to 22.5% protein and 8.5% fat for growth and reproduction. ZIWI Peak's guaranteed analysis sits far above both thresholds — typically 38% minimum protein and 25–32% fat depending on the recipe — which is exactly why portions are small.

The standard energy formula used in veterinary nutrition is resting energy requirement (RER) = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75, then multiplied by a factor of 1.4–1.8 for a neutered, moderately active adult dog. A 20 kg dog lands near 662 kcal RER and roughly 930–1,190 kcal per day in practice. At 4.5 kcal per gram, that's about 205–265 g of air-dried food. The American Veterinary Medical Association and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association both stress that these are starting estimates — body condition score, reassessed every 2–4 weeks, is the real measuring stick.

One more standards note that matters for air-dried: because fat content is high, calorie density varies more between recipes than it does across a single kibble line. A venison formula can run 200 kcal/kg higher than a chicken formula. Always read the kcal figure printed on your specific bag rather than reusing a number from a different flavour.

What we see in the store when owners switch to air-dried

The single most common mistake we watch happen is volume-for-volume substitution: someone who fed 3 cups of kibble scoops 3 cups of air-dried food and their dog gains weight within a month. Air-dried is roughly two to three times more calorie-dense per cup than an average grain-inclusive kibble, so the portion has to shrink dramatically.

Our nutrition experts at the North York store weigh portions on a kitchen scale for customers rather than talking in cups, because a "cup" of air-dried strips can vary by 20 g depending on how tightly it packs. When a customer comes in with a 9 kg Cavalier that has been getting loose stool on a new food, the first thing we ask is whether they measured by weight or by eye — about half the time, the answer explains the problem.

Pet owners tell us the second surprise is how long a bag lasts relative to its size. A 1 kg bag fed as a complete diet to a 10 kg dog at 150 g per day covers roughly 6–7 days. Used as a 15% topper for that same dog, the same bag stretches past 40 days. Customers love that flexibility, and in our store we see far more people buying air-dried as a topper than as a full diet — especially owners of fussy small breeds and senior dogs whose appetites have faded.

We also field a lot of transition questions in February and March, when GTA sidewalk salt and long indoor stretches already have digestive systems a bit unsettled. Our team recommends a 7–10 day crossover rather than a same-day swap, starting at 25% new food and increasing every second or third day.

ZIWI Peak feeding chart: grams by dog weight

The chart below assumes a moderately active, neutered adult dog and an average air-dried density of about 4.5 kcal per gram. Split every total into two meals, and weigh rather than scoop. Puppies, pregnant dogs, and hard-working dogs need considerably more — often 1.5 to 2 times these amounts.

• 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) — approximately 50–65 g per day (about 225–290 kcal)
• 5 kg (11 lb) — approximately 85–105 g per day (about 380–470 kcal)
• 10 kg (22 lb) — approximately 140–170 g per day (about 630–765 kcal)
• 15 kg (33 lb) — approximately 185–225 g per day (about 830–1,010 kcal)
• 20 kg (44 lb) — approximately 230–280 g per day (about 1,035–1,260 kcal)
• 30 kg (66 lb) — approximately 310–375 g per day (about 1,395–1,690 kcal)
• 40 kg (88 lb) — approximately 390–470 g per day (about 1,755–2,115 kcal)

Use the lower end of each range for couch-dwelling or overweight dogs and the upper end for dogs that get 60-plus minutes of real exercise daily. If your dog's ribs become hard to feel after three weeks, cut 10% and hold there. If the waist starts looking sharp and the spine is prominent, add 10%.

How to use air-dried dog food as a topper

As a topper, air-dried food should supply no more than 10–25% of your dog's daily calories, and you must subtract that same number of calories from the base meal. For a 20 kg dog eating about 1,100 kcal per day, a 15% topper equals roughly 165 kcal — about 37 g of air-dried food — with the kibble reduced accordingly.

Quick topper amounts at a 15% inclusion rate:

1. 5 kg dog — about 14 g air-dried, reduce base meal by roughly 60 kcal
2. 10 kg dog — about 23 g air-dried, reduce base meal by roughly 105 kcal
3. 20 kg dog — about 37 g air-dried, reduce base meal by roughly 165 kcal
4. 35 kg dog — about 56 g air-dried, reduce base meal by roughly 250 kcal

Two practical tips from the counter. First, break the strips smaller with your fingers so the dog can't pick out only the topper and leave the kibble — that's the failure mode we hear about most. Second, a splash of warm water over the mix releases aroma and helps hydration, which matters more for dogs eating a low-moisture diet. If your dog is a genuinely tough case, a broth can layer on top of the air-dried food; you'll find both formats among our dog treats and meal-topper options.

What does ZIWI Peak air-dried food cost per feeding in Canada?

Cost per feeding, not bag price, is the number worth comparing — and it's simple arithmetic: divide the bag price by the bag weight in grams to get cost per gram, then multiply by your dog's daily gram portion. A dog eating 150 g per day from a 1 kg bag consumes one bag every 6.7 days; a dog eating 37 g as a topper stretches that same bag across roughly 27 days.

Because prices shift with exchange rates and supply, we don't publish figures here — check the current listing and our price match guarantee before you buy. What we can tell you is the pattern we see in purchase histories: topper users typically spend a fraction of what full-diet feeders spend, which is why air-dried is the format we most often suggest to owners who want premium ingredients without rebuilding their whole feeding budget.

Questions dog owners ask about ZIWI Peak portions

How many grams of ZIWI Peak should a 10 kg dog eat per day?

A moderately active 10 kg adult dog needs roughly 140–170 g of ZIWI Peak air-dried food per day, or about 630–765 kcal, divided into two 70–85 g meals. Lower the amount toward 130 g for a sedentary or overweight dog, and confirm against the kcal/kg figure printed on your bag.

Do you need to add water to air-dried dog food?

Water isn't required — air-dried food is shelf-stable and ready to serve — but adding 30–60 mL of warm water per 100 g improves palatability and total water intake. Dogs previously fed wet dog food or raw dog food, which run 70–78% moisture, often accept the switch faster when the meal is moistened.

Can puppies eat air-dried food, and how much?

Puppies can eat air-dried formulas labelled for growth or all life stages, and they generally need 2–3 times the adult portion per kilogram of body weight. A 5 kg growing puppy may need 170–210 g daily across three meals. Because growth diets require 22.5% protein and 8.5% fat minimum under AAFCO profiles, confirm the label states suitability for growth, and ask your veterinarian about large-breed calcium limits.

Is high-fat air-dried food safe for every dog?

No. Formulas running 28–32% fat are too rich for dogs with a history of pancreatitis, hyperlipidaemia, or fat-sensitive digestion, and research indexed on PubMed links high dietary fat to pancreatitis risk in predisposed dogs. Those dogs need a veterinarian-guided, lower-fat plan instead. Any dog with a diagnosed medical condition should have its diet approved by a vet before you change formats.

Choosing the right air-dried formula for your dog

Air-dried diets from different makers vary mainly in protein source, fat percentage, and whether they include organ meat, bone, and green-lipped mussel for omega-3 support. Match the protein to your dog's tolerance history first, then check fat content against activity level.

Beyond the food itself, a few add-ons matter for dogs on concentrated diets. Glucosamine and omega-3 support is worth discussing with your vet for seniors and large breeds — our dog health and wellness range includes joint and digestive formulas with probiotics and prebiotics. For portion accuracy, a flat scale-friendly bowl beats a scoop every time; see our dog bowls and feeding supplies. And if you're still deciding between formats for a specific issue like weight management or sensitive digestion, our guide to pet food for specific needs narrows it down faster than reading twenty labels.

Staff at the counter have walked hundreds of GTA owners through this exact transition — after an off-leash session at Downsview Park, more than one customer has come straight in asking why their dog seems hungrier in winter. The answer is usually activity and cold-weather energy burn, and it's typically a 10% portion adjustment, not a food change. For broader feeding guidance, our dog blog covers transitions, treats, and supplement math in more depth, and the store FAQ answers ordering and stock questions.

Quick summary: Feed most adult dogs 1.3–1.8% of body weight in ZIWI Peak air-dried food daily — about 150 g for a 10 kg dog and 250 g for a 20 kg dog — split into two weighed meals. As a topper, cap it at 10–25% of daily calories and subtract those calories from the base meal. Calculate cost per feeding from grams per day, not bag price, and check with your veterinarian before switching a dog with any diagnosed health condition.

Visit us at 1111A Finch Ave W, Unit 2, North York, ON M3J 2P7 — we're open 7 AM to 11 PM daily, and delivery is available across the GTA through apps like Uber Eats. Bring your dog's current bag and weight, and we'll work out the gram portion with you at the counter.