How much to feed an Alaskan Malamute: feeding chart by weight
The breed standard gives the desirable freighting size of the Alaskan Malamute as about 85 pounds for males and 75 pounds for females – not limits, as the breed has a natural range in size. Here you can see how much food that is per day and calculate with your own food.
How much should an Alaskan Malamute eat per day?
An adult Alaskan Malamute weighing 75–85 lb eats about 4⅛–4½ cups (421–462 g) of dry food a day if spayed or neutered with normal activity – that’s 1,578–1,733 kcal.
That’s for food with 380 kcal/cup (3,750 kcal/kg), using 1.6 × 70 × (weight in kg)^0.75 kcal from the Merck Veterinary Manual. Calculate with your own food right below.
Calculate with your food
How much does your dog weigh?
Decimals help, e.g. 22.5. No pet scale? Weigh yourself, then again holding your pet.
A starting point – the scale has the final say. If your dog is ill, talk to your vet.
Alaskan Malamute feeding chart by weight and activity
Dry food per day for spayed or neutered dogs, food with 380 kcal/cup (3,750 kcal/kg).
| Weight | Low activity | Normal | Very active |
|---|---|---|---|
| 75 lb | 3⅝ cups368 g | 4⅛ cups421 g | 4⅝ cups473 g |
| 80 lb | 3⅞ cups386 g | 4⅜ cups442 g | 4⅞ cups497 g |
| 85 lb | 4 cups404 g | 4½ cups462 g | 5⅛ cups520 g |
A starting point – the scale decides: weigh your dog every two weeks and adjust the amount if it gains or loses. Intact dogs need about 12% more. “Low activity” and “very active” are our own simple steps (0.2 lower or higher factor).
Weight by the standard
- males
- about 85 lb
- females
- about 75 lb
The AKC standard gives no range, only the desirable freighting sizes: males 25 inches and 85 pounds, females 23 inches and 75 pounds. It says there is a natural range in size, and size should not outweigh type, proportion and movement. The Royal Kennel Club standard gives the same weights.
Alaskan Malamute puppy weight chart and feeding amounts
An Alaskan Malamute grows to about 80 lb. Here’s what a puppy weighs at each age on the growth curve in the FEDIAF guidelines, and how much dry food with 380 kcal/cup (3,750 kcal/kg) it needs a day by the FEDIAF formula.
| Age | Weight | Dry food per day |
|---|---|---|
| 2 months | 19 lb | 2⅞ cups297 g |
| 3 months | 31 lb | 3⅞ cups390 g |
| 4 months | 39 lb | 4¼ cups435 g |
| 5 months | 46 lb | 4½ cups459 g |
| 6 months | 51 lb | 4⅝ cups474 g |
| 7 months | 56 lb | 4¾ cups481 g |
| 8 months | 60 lb | 4¾ cups486 g |
| 9 months | 63 lb | 4¾ cups487 g |
| 10 months | 66 lb | 4¾ cups487 g |
| 11 months | 69 lb | 4¾ cups486 g |
| 12 months | 72 lb | 4¾ cups483 g |
Every puppy grows a little differently. Weigh your puppy every week; if it doesn’t gain steadily, talk to your vet. At 12 months, a puppy is only at about 90% of its adult weight on the curve: large and giant breeds may keep growing until 10–16 months, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual.
Alaskan Malamute feeding tips
What the sources say about feeding this breed. For health questions, talk to your vet.
- A working dog: exercise every day
The Malamute was not bred for racing but for work, says the AKC: a strong, athletic dog with tremendous endurance, designed to carry heavy loads, that requires daily exercise. Romping in a well-fenced yard will suffice, according to the AKC, but many Malamutes also enjoy hiking, running and swimming with their owners. The Royal Kennel Club, on the other hand, lists more than two hours a day. Choose the column by how much yours actually moves.
- No excess weight, says the standard
The AKC standard says the Malamute’s body carries no excess weight and bone is in proportion to size; the Royal Kennel Club standard also says “no excess weight”. The weights in the standard are the desirable freighting sizes, not limits: body shape tells you better than the number whether yours is too heavy.
- Treats count
The AKC also advises watching an Alaskan Malamute’s calories and weight: too many treats can lead to obesity. Count everything your dog gets between meals as part of the daily amount.
- Large-breed puppy food
Until growth is complete, feed a puppy food made specifically for large breeds. According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, large and giant breeds may not finish growing until 10–16 months.
- Slow growth is better
According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, slow growth is better than fast growth: overfeeding speeds up growth, which doesn’t fit with proper skeletal development. It won’t make your dog smaller – large-breed puppies fed only 50–70% of what their free-fed littermates ate grew just as tall, with less body fat. So weigh out every meal, never leave food out all day (FEDIAF), and weigh your puppy every week.
Questions
How much should an Alaskan Malamute eat per day?
An adult Alaskan Malamute weighing 75–85 lb eats about 4⅛–4½ cups (421–462 g) of dry food a day if spayed or neutered with normal activity – that’s 1,578–1,733 kcal. That’s for food with 380 kcal/cup (3,750 kcal/kg), using 1.6 × 70 × (weight in kg)^0.75 kcal from the Merck Veterinary Manual. Use the calculator above for your food.
How much does an Alaskan Malamute weigh?
According to AKC, adult males weigh about 85 lb and females about 75 lb. The AKC standard gives no range, only the desirable freighting sizes: males 25 inches and 85 pounds, females 23 inches and 75 pounds. It says there is a natural range in size, and size should not outweigh type, proportion and movement. The Royal Kennel Club standard gives the same weights.
How much does an Alaskan Malamute weigh at 6 months?
About 51 lb on the growth curve in the FEDIAF guidelines, for an adult weight of 80 lb. Every puppy grows a little differently; the weight chart above shows every month from 2 to 12.
How much wet food does an Alaskan Malamute need?
An Alaskan Malamute weighing 80 lb, spayed or neutered with normal activity, needs about 55.2 oz of wet food with 30 kcal/oz or 4⅜ cups of dry food with 380 kcal/cup a day. That’s about 1,656 kcal. Use the calculator above for your food.
My dog weighs more than this. Is that too much?
Not necessarily. The range is for typical dogs; large or muscular dogs can weigh more. Your dog’s shape tells you more than the number: you should feel the ribs and see a waist from above. If in doubt, ask your vet.
Sources
- AKC – Alaskan Malamute Dog Breed Information (Nutrition, Exercise)
- AKC – Official Standard of the Alaskan Malamute (Size, Proportion, Substance)
- Royal Kennel Club – Alaskan Malamute breed standard (Body, Size)
- Royal Kennel Club – Alaskan Malamute (Breed characteristics: Exercise)
- FCI Standard No. 243 – Alaskan Malamute (official German version: Body, Size and Weight)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Feeding Practices in Small Animals
- FEDIAF Nutritional Guidelines 2025 (calcium for puppies p. 24, energy for growth p. 55)
Last checked: October 2026