Calorie Count in Kirkland Dog Food

Kirkland brand dog food is available only through Costco Wholesale. Meat and meat meal are its first ingredients and vegetables and nutritional supplements are also included. The brand makes different varieties appealing to pet owners with dogs in different life stages, although each product is labeled as suitable for all life stages. Each recipe also varies in the amount of calories provided per 8-ounce cup.

Kirkland dry dog foods for adult dogs come in both lamb and chicken flavors. The adult dog lamb, rice and vegetable formula has 373 calories per 8-ounce cup. The chicken and rice formula has a few more calories at 393 calories per cupful. Both formulas list meat as the first ingredient and meat meal as the second. The extra calories in the chicken come from the recipe's fifth ingredient, chicken fat. Egg product and fish meal provide two more sources of protein.

Kirkland's puppy food contains chicken, fish and egg, supplying 31.1 percent protein and 18.9 percent fat to support a young dog's nutritional needs. The puppy food has about 3 percent more protein than the adult food packed into 366 calories per 8 ounce cup. Small breed adults have their own formulation with a recipe similar to the adult chicken dog food recipe with a few additions such as yucca schidigera -- commonly used to cut fecal odor and control cholesterol levels -- and taurine for cardiovascular health. The formula serves up 362 calories in each cup.

Aging comes with its own particular problems for dogs and Kirkland has two varieties of food for old and overweight dogs. The mature dog formula has 330 calories per cup. The first four ingredients include chicken, chicken meal whole grain brown rice and oatmeal with an overall protein content of 30 percent. The healthy weight formula serves up a mere 275 calories in a cupful of food, with high fiber ingredients that include brown rice, pearled barley, millet and peas that will keep your dog feeling satisfied between meals.

Just a spoonful of canned food stirred into your dog's dry food takes it from dinner to dining. Kirkland has several varieties of canned food with calories ranging from 232 calories per 8 ounces in the beef and vegetables in gravy to a whopping 604 calories per 8 ounce cup in the super premium chicken and vegetables in gravy. The foods list meat as their first ingredient along with broth, supplemental meat and eggs, potatoes and vegetables.