How much to feed a Japanese Akita Inu: feeding chart by weight
A Japanese Akita Inu usually weighs 55–75 lb. Here’s how much to feed per day, a feeding chart by weight and activity, and a puppy weight chart.
How much should a Japanese Akita Inu eat per day?
An adult Japanese Akita Inu weighing 55–75 lb eats about 3¼–4⅛ cups (333–421 g) of dry food a day if spayed or neutered with normal activity – that’s 1,250–1,578 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.
Japanese Akita Inu 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 lb | 2⅞ cups292 g | 3¼ cups333 g | 3¾ cups375 g |
| 60 lb | 3⅛ cups311 g | 3½ cups356 g | 4 cups400 g |
| 70 lb | 3½ cups350 g | 4 cups399 g | 4⅜ cups449 g |
| 75 lb | 3⅝ cups368 g | 4⅛ cups421 g | 4⅝ cups473 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).
How much does a Japanese Akita Inu weigh?
- males
- 65–75 lb
- females
- 55–65 lb
Source: AKC (Foundation Stock Service)
The AKC lists this breed as the “Japanese Akitainu”. Don’t confuse it with the Akita, the American type: the AKC lists it as a separate, heavier breed, with 100–130 pounds for males and 70–100 pounds for females. The Royal Kennel Club has also kept the Akita and the Japanese Akita Inu apart since 2006. The FCI and Royal Kennel Club standards for the Japanese Akita Inu give only the height at the withers, no weight.
Japanese Akita Inu puppy weight chart and feeding amounts
A Japanese Akita Inu grows to about 65 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 | 15 lb | 2½ cups254 g |
| 3 months | 25 lb | 3¼ cups334 g |
| 4 months | 32 lb | 3⅝ cups372 g |
| 5 months | 37 lb | 3⅞ cups393 g |
| 6 months | 42 lb | 4 cups405 g |
| 7 months | 45 lb | 4⅛ cups412 g |
| 8 months | 49 lb | 4⅛ cups416 g |
| 9 months | 51 lb | 4⅛ cups417 g |
| 10 months | 54 lb | 4⅛ cups417 g |
| 11 months | 56 lb | 4⅛ cups416 g |
| 12 months | 58 lb | 4⅛ cups414 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.
Japanese Akita Inu feeding tips
What the sources say about feeding this breed. For health questions, talk to your vet.
- Plenty of exercise, on leash
Regular walks and mental exercise are highly recommended for the breed, says the AKC, and with proper training a Japanese Akita Inu makes a fine companion for hiking. Because of its high prey drive, the AKC recommends keeping it on leash in public spaces. The Royal Kennel Club lists more than two hours of exercise a day. Choose the column by how much yours actually moves.
- Three meals for puppies, two for adults
For the Japanese Akita Inu, the AKC suggests feeding puppies three times a day and adults twice a day. So split the daily amount from the chart and weigh it out – the Merck Veterinary Manual recommends measured meals at set times for adult dogs anyway.
- 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.
- No extra calcium
Don’t add calcium, phosphorus or vitamin D to a complete puppy food: according to the Merck Veterinary Manual, it’s rarely necessary and may even do harm. FEDIAF says too much calcium harms skeletal development in large breeds. If your vet advises otherwise, follow your vet.
Questions
How much should a Japanese Akita Inu eat per day?
An adult Japanese Akita Inu weighing 55–75 lb eats about 3¼–4⅛ cups (333–421 g) of dry food a day if spayed or neutered with normal activity – that’s 1,250–1,578 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 a Japanese Akita Inu weigh?
According to AKC (Foundation Stock Service), adult males weigh 65–75 lb and females 55–65 lb. The AKC lists this breed as the “Japanese Akitainu”. Don’t confuse it with the Akita, the American type: the AKC lists it as a separate, heavier breed, with 100–130 pounds for males and 70–100 pounds for females. The Royal Kennel Club has also kept the Akita and the Japanese Akita Inu apart since 2006. The FCI and Royal Kennel Club standards for the Japanese Akita Inu give only the height at the withers, no weight.
How much does a Japanese Akita Inu weigh at 6 months?
About 42 lb on the growth curve in the FEDIAF guidelines, for an adult weight of 65 lb. Every puppy grows a little differently; the weight chart above shows every month from 2 to 12.
How much wet food does a Japanese Akita Inu need?
A Japanese Akita Inu weighing 65 lb, spayed or neutered with normal activity, needs about 47.2 oz of wet food with 30 kcal/oz or 3¾ cups of dry food with 380 kcal/cup a day. That’s about 1,417 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 (Foundation Stock Service) – Japanese Akitainu Dog Breed Information (Nutrition, Exercise)
- FCI Standard No. 255 – Akita (Size)
- AKC – Akita Dog Breed Information (Height/Weight; in the FCI: American Akita)
- FCI Standard No. 344 – American Akita
- Royal Kennel Club – Japanese Akita Inu breed standard (Size)
- Royal Kennel Club – Japanese Akita Inu (Breed characteristics: Exercise)
- 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