When you’re choosing a food for your dog, one of the first things you’ll look at is the cost. At first glance, there can be a big difference in price point between food on supermarket shelves and some others that you see online.
However, the real cost of feeding your dog isn’t about the price of the bag. The more important question is:
How much does it actually cost to feed your dog per day?
In this guide, we’ll break down how feeding costs work and why quality nutrition may cost less per day than you think.
Why the price of the bag can be misleading
Many dog owners compare the cost of a food purely on the price tag, but this rarely gives the full picture.
It is required by FEDIAF (European Pet Food Industry Federation) that every dog food bag must have a feeding guide printed on the bag. This feeding guide tells you how much of the food to feed per day, whether this changes based on the size or weight of your dog, and if the life stage or activity level of your dog matters.
A food made with higher-quality ingredients and a higher meat content are often more nutrient-dense. This means that your dog may need smaller portions compared to typically less nutrient-dense foods.
Because of this factor, the cost per day can sometimes be more similar than you think – or even cheaper.
How daily feeding cost is calculated
Working out the daily feeding cost is actually very simple.
You need three things:
- The size of the bag (in kg)
- The price of the bag
- The recommended daily feeding amount – adjusted for your dog’s weight and activity level
From then on, you can calculate how many days the bag will last and what the daily feeding cost will be.
Let’s take DARF Regular as an example.
A 20kg bag costs £73.62 on subscription and a medium-sized dog with a higher activity level is recommended to eat 180g per day.
- 20kg = 20,000g
- 20,000 ÷ 180 = 111 days of food
- £73.62 ÷ 111 = £0.66 per day.
To compare this to another food that you could see and has a cheaper upfront cost, let’s work out Bakers Adult Dry Dog Food with Tasty Beef & Country Vegetables in a 14kg bag size.
A 14kg bag costs £29 when you subscribe and a medium-sized dog with a higher activity level is recommended to eat 345g a day.
- 14kg = 14,000g
- 14,000 ÷ 345 = 41 days of food
- £29 ÷ 41 = £0.71 per day
Across a year this means that despite DARF having the higher upfront cost, it can save you around £20. This shows that to truly understand the cost of feeding your dog, you need to look beyond the initial cost.
Why quality nutrition matters
Choosing the right food for your dog isn’t just about price though.
A balanced, nutritious diet supports:
- Healthy digestion
- Strong muscles
- A healthy coat and skin
- Improved energy and overall wellbeing
High-quality foods are designed to provide dogs with the nutrients they need in the right proportions, helping support long term health.
Here at Sabre Pet Food, we offer a wide range of high-quality nutrition options designed to suit different dogs and feeding preferences, helping you find the right balance of nutrition, quality and value.
Explore our range of dog food today and find the right option for you and your dog 🐾