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
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe sits in the middle of the 140 dry dog foods we track, at 379 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 104 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.
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Adult Chicken & Brown Rice 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 cup57 g | ⅝ cup71 g |
| 10 lb 4.5 kg | ¾ cup72 g | ⅞ cup96 g | 1 ⅛ cups120 g |
| 15 lb 6.8 kg | ⅞ cup97 g | 1 ¼ cups130 g | 1 ½ cups162 g |
| 20 lb 9.1 kg | 1 ⅛ cups121 g | 1 ½ cups161 g | 1 ⅞ cups201 g |
| 30 lb 13.6 kg | 1 ⅝ cups164 g | 2 ⅛ cups218 g | 2 ⅝ cups273 g |
| 40 lb 18.1 kg | 2 cups203 g | 2 ⅝ cups271 g | 3 ¼ cups339 g |
| 50 lb 22.7 kg | 2 ¼ cups240 g | 3 ⅛ cups320 g | 3 ⅞ cups400 g |
| 60 lb 27.2 kg | 2 ⅝ cups276 g | 3 ½ cups367 g | 4 ⅜ cups459 g |
| 70 lb 31.8 kg | 3 cups309 g | 4 cups412 g | 5 cups515 g |
| 80 lb 36.3 kg | 3 ¼ cups342 g | 4 ⅜ cups456 g | 5 ½ cups570 g |
| 90 lb 40.8 kg | 3 ⅝ cups373 g | 4 ¾ cups498 g | 6 cups622 g |
| 100 lb 45.4 kg | 3 ⅞ cups404 g | 5 ⅛ cups539 g | 6 ½ cups674 g |
Label values: 379 kcal per cup, 3,633 kcal per kg. Source: petsmart.com, checked 18 Oct 2026.
Questions
How much Blue Buffalo Life Protection Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe should I feed a 50 lb dog?
About 3 ⅛ cups or 320 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 Blue Buffalo Life Protection Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe?
The label states 379 kcal per cup, 3,633 kcal per kg (checked 18 Oct 2026). Recipes change, so check your bag.
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- Homestyle Recipe Chicken Dinner with Garden Vegetables & Brown Rice Adult
- Life Protection Small Breed Chicken & Brown Rice Adult
- Life Protection Healthy Weight Chicken & Brown Rice Adult
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