How much to feed a Sheltie
There is no single correct amount to feed a Shetland Sheepdog, because the right portion depends on your dog's own weight, age, activity level and metabolism rather than the breed name alone. The reliable method is to start from the feeding guide on the food you actually buy, split it into two meals, and adjust it up or down based on how your dog's body condition changes over a few weeks.
Start from the pack, not a generic table
Every complete dog food has a feeding guide printed on the bag or pouch, usually a table showing grams per day against your dog's current weight. That figure is specific to the calorie density of that particular recipe, so a guide from one brand does not transfer to another — a working-dog food and a light or senior recipe can have quite different calorie counts per 100g even at the same bag size.
Shelties are a small-to-medium, active herding breed, typically weighing somewhere between 6kg and 12kg as adults, and most sit toward the more active end of that scale for their size. Use your dog's current weight, not a breed-average weight, against the pack's own guide as your starting point.
Split it and watch, don't just measure once
Two meals a day rather than one large meal is the usual advice for a breed this size — it is gentler on digestion and helps avoid the dog being ravenous by the second half of the day. Weigh the food out with kitchen scales rather than a scoop, since a 'scoop' varies hugely between kibble sizes and is one of the most common reasons a dog ends up over or under the amount intended.
After a couple of weeks on a given amount, check your dog's body condition rather than just trusting the number on the pack. You should be able to feel their ribs easily under a light covering of fat without them being visibly prominent, and there should be a visible waist when you look down at them from above. Adjust the daily amount up or down by a small percentage if that is not the case, and recheck after another couple of weeks.
When to bring your vet in
A working method at home covers most healthy adult Shelties, but a vet should be involved before any significant change for a puppy, an older dog, a dog with a diagnosed health condition, or a dog who is noticeably overweight or underweight already. They can give you a starting point based on your specific dog rather than a general guide.
It is worth a check-up too if your Sheltie's appetite changes suddenly, if they are losing or gaining weight despite a consistent amount of food, or if you are ever unsure whether an amount is right for your particular dog — a feeding guide is a starting point, not a fixed rule, and your vet can tell you what is actually normal for the dog in front of them.
Feeding kit
Things we stock that owners commonly reach for here. Nothing on this page depends on you buying one.
LickiMat OH Bowl for Dogs — Slow Feeder with Tongue-Cleaning Tips
A vet-developed dog feeding bowl with raised rubber tips that clean the tongue as your dog licks — calming, dishwasher safe, and available in three sizes.
From£12.99
Tarhong Paw Ikat Teal Pet Placemat – BPA-Free PVC & EVA
A vibrant teal ikat placemat with paw print accents — BPA-free, wipe-clean, and 29 × 48 cm for protecting floors under pet bowls.
£8.49
Tarhong Concentric Circle Slow Feeder Bowl for Dogs & Cats
A stylish slow-feeder bowl that encourages healthier, calmer mealtimes — available in blue, grey, or white.
£14.99
Tarhong Country Orchard Melamine Pet Saucer
A pretty fruit and floral orchard-print melamine saucer for pets — BPA-free, non-slip, shatterproof, and dishwasher safe at 13.2 cm.
£9.49
Common questions
- How many times a day should I feed my Sheltie?
- Two meals a day is the usual recommendation for an adult Sheltie, splitting the daily amount from the feeding guide roughly evenly. This tends to sit better with digestion than one large meal and helps keep energy levels more even across the day for an active breed like this.
- Why does my Sheltie always seem hungry?
- Some dogs are naturally more food-motivated than others regardless of whether they are getting the right amount, so appetite alone is not a reliable guide to whether you are feeding enough. Check body condition instead — visible ribs under a light covering of fat and a waist from above — and speak to your vet if you are unsure or if hunger seems unusually intense.
- Should I feed my Sheltie by breed weight or their actual weight?
- Always their actual current weight against the feeding guide on the food you use, not a breed-average figure. Individual Shelties vary in size within the breed, and using their real weight is the only way the guide's grams-per-day figure means anything for that specific dog.
- Do Shelties need less food than other dogs their size?
- Not especially — they are an active herding breed and generally need feeding in line with other dogs of a similar weight and activity level, rather than less. Individual metabolism varies more between dogs than breed does, which is why checking body condition matters more than following a fixed rule.
Related
Sources
Written against guidance published by UK veterinary and welfare organisations. Always confirm specifics with your own vet.
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.