Weight of an adult dog: determining how big the puppy will grow. The estimated weight of an adult dog, based on the breed and gender of the puppy. How to determine the approximate size of a mongrel puppy

Every owner wants to know what his puppy will look like when he grows up. Many people often measure the size and weight of their pet and worry whether these indicators correspond to the norms. Is it worth worrying if you notice a slowdown in growth, and whether the puppy can stop growing? These questions will be discussed in this article.

Stages of dog development and growth

The duration of the puppy's growing up period can be divided into the following stages:

1. - the period when the puppy is in the womb. He develops not only physically (organs and systems are formed, the strength of the constitution and the foundations of health are laid), but also psychologically (remembers the smell of his mother, the foundations of his character and behavior are formed).
   
2. - the period lasts from birth until the eyes open (about 10 days). The puppy adapts to the surrounding world, smells, his body learns to adapt to temperature conditions. This is a period of active growth: puppies become 2 times heavier than at birth. At the same time, you can clearly distinguish between strong and weak puppies based on their activity. In order for weaker puppies to develop better, they need help finding their mother's nipple.
   
3. Transition- lasts until the ear canal completely opens (up to 2 weeks from birth, less often - up to 17 days). During this period, puppies begin to hear, stand on their paws, walk, and get out of the box to eliminate. To protect the puppies from injury, they are transferred to an enclosure with their mother.
4. Adaptive- before reaching one month of age. At this stage, teeth erupt, the puppies begin to be supplemented with food, gradually weaning them from their mother's milk. Curiosity makes babies sniff, lick, and put everything in their mouth. Games are an important moment in the development of dogs; they begin at this stage; with their help, you can gradually accustom puppies to their owner.
5. Socio-psychological- lasts up to 3 months. There is an active knowledge of the surrounding world (people, objects, climatic conditions, street noises). The puppy is accustomed to a name, walked, taught the concepts of “good” and “bad”, separated from its mother, this is the period of formation of a positive or negative impression of the environment. The owner needs to spend a lot of time with the dog, walking and training it. For normal development, the animal needs to move a lot and play (alone, with toys, with the owner, other animals). It is very important to protect the dogs’ psyche from severe fears during this period, because they remain in the memory. This is also the period when teeth are changed and vaccinations begin.
6. - up to 6.5 months. Typological characteristics of the animal’s behavior, including sexual behavior, are becoming established, so communication with people, other animals, and the surrounding world cannot be limited. Sexual games, which begin at this age, contribute to the formation of sexual behavior and determine the ability for normal mating. There may be problems with executing the “Come to me!” command. - Having noticed this, the owner should walk the dog on a leash. Growth gradually becomes slower.
   
7. Final- up to 1–1.5 years. Permanent teeth grow, puberty occurs, females go into heat, males mark their territory. When among other dogs, the animal will try to take a higher rank position. The puppy may also try to take a dominant position in relation to the owner, which will then be difficult to change, so raising the puppy is of great importance.
8. After this, the puppy becomes an adult, and By approximately 4 years of age, the animal is fully mature.

Important! Each stage is important for the formation of a dog, so the owner must provide proper care to the pregnant bitch, and to the puppies- games, balanced nutrition, physical activity (according to age), training (for any breed), protect from injuries and diseases.

Intensive growth in dogs is observed until 6 months of age, then the rate decreases. The further development of healthy dogs kept in appropriate conditions depends on the breed and size. Let's look at the growth characteristics of small, medium and large dogs.


Small breeds

These dog breeds include:




Did you know? The smallest height in the world (18 cm)- Chihuahua Dianko.

Medium breeds

They grow until about 12 months of age; in terms of breeds it looks like this:

1. - about 8 months, matures up to 1.5 years.
   Cocker Spaniel
2. - up to 8–9 months, then grows in breadth.
3. - up to 8–10 months, until about 15 months gains muscle mass.
   
4. - up to approximately 9–10 months.
   
5. - up to 11 months.
6. - grows in height up to 1 year, in muscles - up to 1.5–2 years.
7. - up to 9 months, growth ends up to 1.5 years.
8. Cocker Spaniel- up to 8 months in height, fully formed at a little over 12 months of age.
9. - they grow in height up to 10 months, and the appearance of an adult animal is formed up to 1.5 years.
10. - grows by 1 year, bones and muscle mass gain shape by 1.5 years.

Did you know? The biggest dog- a blue Great Dane named George, whose length is 213 cm and weight- 100 kg.

Large (large) breeds

Large breeds take the longest to grow and by the age of 3 years they take on the appearance of an adult dog. The growth of large breed dogs is as follows:




How to determine a dog's age

There are cases when the owner does not know the date of birth and age of his pet, and this indicator is important from the point of view of the start and frequency of vaccinations, sterilization, castration, training, care and feeding.

In order to approximately determine the age of an animal, there are the following methods:

1. Look at the teeth. A young animal 1 year old has white, clean, healthy teeth, a 2-year-old has yellow teeth, a 3-5-year-old has tartar, a 6-year-old has worn fangs, concave incisors, and over 8 years old has blunt fangs. Old dogs' teeth begin to fall out. Teeth change between the ages of 2 and 6 months.
2. Inspect the wool. The older the animal, the harder it feels to the touch. As you get older, your fur begins to turn grey.
3. Touch and examine the muscles. Flaccid muscles are a sign of an aging animal. The older the dog gets, the less he moves and the more he sleeps.
4. Look into your eyes. With age, the eyes begin to water and become dull, while the gaze of young dogs becomes clear.

Video: how to find out the age of a dog

Dog owners are often mistaken about their pets, and this also applies to their size. In this regard, they begin to look on forums for an answer to the question of why the dog is not growing, forgetting that this is impossible.

Owners often fall into misconceptions about the size of puppies:

1. The puppy has stopped growing and will be a dwarf. This is not so: puppies grow actively until 6 months, then growth and weight gain occur less actively and unevenly. The indicator can also be affected by illness, lack of physical activity, and lack of vitamins.
2. A small animal cannot protect me. This is not true: height and defensive ability are in no way dependent on each other. A dog trainer is able to train any animal to resist attacks on you.

Owners should understand that a puppy cannot stop growing, they just don’t notice it. If you show a puppy to someone who hasn't seen it for a while, they will definitely notice a change in appearance.

Important! At a certain age, all puppies will grow to the sizes provided by nature, but this process can take up to 3 years.

Even if you regularly take measurements and write down readings, it may turn out that the dog has relaxed his muscles a little, twisted, the ruler has moved out of place, etc.

In order for your dog to be physically developed, he needs to be fed properly and actively walked, and in order to protect you, he needs to be trained and be a friend to the dog.
Thus, the growth process of a dog goes through several stages. It is important that puppies can grow at the withers up to 1.5 years of age, and the larger the breed, the longer growth will continue. By the age of 3 years, the puppy will acquire the appearance of an adult animal.

Don’t worry too much about your pet’s growth - everything has its time, and a dog of any size will be able to protect you.

When purchasing clothes for your dog, you should pay attention to the following things:

- If your pet likes to grab small objects in his mouth (this applies to some Yorkshire terriers and Chihuahuas, as well as some other small dogs that are not trained in good manners), choose clothes for him that are devoid of ribbons, strings, buttons, rhinestones, sequins and other decorative elements.

- The material should not contain snags or unwoven threads (most often this happens on the sleeves of the product)

- Don't buy clothes to grow. The size chart above will help you choose the right size. Clothing must be appropriate for the dog so that nothing rubs and the dog does not get confused in it.

First study the composition of the fabric or threads from which the product is made. Avoid toxic materials. Dogs love to put clothes in their mouth.

Products made from rubberized fabric are very convenient; when you come home from the street, all you have to do is run a rag over your overalls and the dirt will be easily removed.

- It is important how quickly you can put on “clothes”. Velcro fasteners will help with this.

The presence of a hood on the product is not a plus, since many dogs do not like them, and just a dangling hood will make the dog uncomfortable. If you need to protect your head, you can use a hat.

- Choose a costume for your pet in accordance with the season. Clothes that are too warm in summer can cause the animal to overheat and serves rather to improve aesthetic perception. If you really want to please your pet in the summer, choose T-shirts, vests and polos made from cotton, breathable fabrics. For the winter season, sheepskin coats, coats, papons, jackets and knitted sweaters are suitable.

Long-haired pets (provided they have an active lifestyle) should be dressed in winter overalls if the thermometer is below 26 °C, short-haired pets at air temperatures below -6 °C, otherwise the dog’s immunity is suppressed.

Rules for choosing the right size:

1. Identify the breed

2. Measure the length of the dog's back

3. Select the appropriate size on the scale based on the column (back length).

The chest circumference in the product is designed taking into account the dog’s freedom of movement, therefore this indicator is not the main one when selecting the right size.

Neck circumference measured at the widest point of the neck, where the collar is usually worn.

Back length (body length) You should measure along the back from the beginning of the neck (from the place where the collar is usually put on) to the beginning of the dog’s tail.

Bust measured at the largest point of the dog's chest. To determine chest size, measure the widest part of the dog's chest.

It is usually located just behind the front paws. When determining the size, it is recommended to add 2-3 cm to the resulting volume for a loose fit.

Some tips for accurately determining the size of your dog: To determine the length of the back, make sure that the dog is standing upright, not sitting or lying down. Measure the length along the spine from the base of the neck to the base of the tail.

2. Try to measure girths in the widest places.

3. If the measured data is between sizes, then choose the size upward;

4. Make a note about which model was chosen, because There are things in the silhouette of which a full fit is acceptable, and there are things that are based on a loose silhouette.

5. Be careful when choosing clothes based on gender. For boys there is a special cut-out hole, for girls the tummy is completely covered. In this case, this is noted in the text of the product description. If there is no division in the text for boys or girls, then this item is suitable for everyone.

Figure 2. How to measure a dog's paw to select shoes

When choosing shoes or socks, you should measure your dog's soles. You can put the dog's paw on a sheet and trace it with a pencil, thereby measuring the measurements according to the drawing of the paw.

Need to measure sole width at the widest point of the paw. Also when measuring sole length, it is necessary to take into account the longest claw of the dog.

Various sizes

Clothes sizes This site presents four types:

1. Sizes are marked with letters (XS, S, M, L, XL - Table 1);

2. Sizes are indicated by numbers (8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 - Table 2);

3. Clothing sizes for dachshunds are indicated by symbols (TM1, TM2, TC1, TC2 or TK-S, TK-M, TS-L, TS-XL - Table 3).

4. Clothing sizes for medium and large dog breeds are indicated by symbols (A0, A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1 - Table 4).

Shoe sizes are indicated by numbers (Table 5). There are two tables with shoe sizes. In each product description, see also the table below.

Collar size indicated on each product separately. The centimeters shown show the length of the entire collar, regardless of where the holes start and end. The description also provides information about which pet's neck fits each collar.

Table 1. Clothing sizes, standard

Table 2. Clothing sizes

Table 3. Clothing sizes for dachshunds

Table 4. Clothing sizes for medium and large breeds

Table 5. Shoe sizes - 2 tables for different shoe models

Boot sizes

How to determine what size a puppy will grow?

The weight of an adult dog of a particular breed is not difficult to find out. Females tend to weigh less than males. Most likely, the puppy will be about the same size as its parents when it grows up. If you know his parents, then with a high degree of probability you can predict the future size of the puppy.

It is more difficult to find out what size a mongrel dog puppy will grow up without seeing its parents. Most often, the owners of a mongrel dog determine how the puppy will grow up by its paws, chest and head size.

You can also compare the weight and height of a purebred puppy with the same indicators of purebred puppies of its age and draw an analogy, but for this you need to know the exact age of the puppy. However, this method is not always reliable. A stray puppy's weight may be low due to malnutrition and will only return to normal after living with its owner for a long time.

The best way is to show the puppy to a veterinarian; he will be able to more accurately predict the weight and height of the puppy as an adult.

How do you know what kind of dog will grow out of a miniature breed puppy?

Newborn miniature breed puppies weigh approximately 6–8 times less than large breed puppies, but as adults, a miniature dog will weigh 100 times less than a large dog. In small breeds, growth occurs much faster and more intensely than in large breeds.

A newborn small breed puppy's weight is about 5% of its mother's body weight. Such a puppy grows most actively in the first 6 months of life. By about 3 months, the puppy reaches half the body weight of an adult, and by 8–10 months it turns into an adult dog.

The maximum growth rate of a small breed puppy is the period of weaning from the mother, then fat begins to be deposited. At this point, it is important not to overfeed the dog, otherwise the tendency to obesity will remain throughout its life.

How do you know how a medium breed puppy will grow up?

The growth of medium breed dogs is similar to that of miniature breed dogs, with puppies reaching adult body weight by 9–10 months. From birth to 6 months, the weight of a medium breed puppy increases approximately three times, and the animal doubles in size at the withers.

How big will a large and giant breed puppy grow?

The growth rates of large and giant breed dogs are very different from small and medium breeds. Large puppies continue to grow up to 8 months - their daily weight gain remains very large. You need to monitor the rate of weight gain yourself by weighing the dog once a week or at an appointment at the veterinary clinic. During this period, puppies are very susceptible to diseases of the musculoskeletal system: hip dysplasia, osteochondrosis and others.

The most intensive growth period for dogs whose adult weight exceeds 25 kg is from 3 to 5 months. At 5 months, puppies already reach half the weight of an adult. They continue to grow until they are 18–24 months old. In dogs of large and giant breeds, sexual dimorphism is more pronounced than in small and medium-sized ones, that is, females mature earlier than males.

How to feed small, medium, large and giant breed puppies?

The portion of food should be measured so that it corresponds to the body weight of an adult dog, and not to the current weight of the puppy, but at the same time corresponds to the age of the puppy. Your veterinarian will help you determine the estimated weight of an adult dog from a puppy if you find it difficult to do this or have not found the right breed in the table. It is important not to overfeed the puppy, otherwise the fragile skeleton will not be able to carry too much weight - the risk of dysplasia, skeletal deformation, and intervertebral hernia increases. It is best to regularly weigh puppies of all breeds every week to determine if they are gaining too much weight.

As soon as a four-legged pet of unknown origin appears in a house, a lot of questions arise about how it will grow up, who it will look like, whether it will become big or remain small. If we are talking about a purebred puppy, then there are no particular difficulties about the future exterior - you can look at its parents or other representatives of the breed. But for any dog ​​there are certain rules and canons of growth at different age periods. So, to what age do dogs grow?

In most cases, puppies grow rapidly up to 6 months; in representatives of small breeds, growth slows down earlier than in larger ones.

Puppies of large breeds grow and develop after six months of age, although not so quickly. Let's look at the growth of some breeds:

• Pekingese - these small dogs grow on average up to 9 months, males often up to a year.
• – their growth continues up to 7-8 months.
• – very small and fragile puppies grow up to 8 months, and after a year they become much stronger.
• – the growth of puppies stops at 8 months, after which they continue to grow, but only in width.
• – the growth of these puppies varies – it can stop at six months or continue up to 9 months, while they rapidly gain weight.
• Rottweilers are a powerful and large breed, puppies grow up to 12 months, and the development of the muscle corset occurs until 2 years of age.
• – active growth is observed up to a year, and the dog is fully formed by two years.

But it is worth considering that the above data are only average figures, because in addition to the ratio to the breed, there are also a lot of equally important factors that influence the growth and development of a dog:

• proper, balanced nutrition;
• absence or presence;
• conditions for keeping the pet;
• hereditary predisposition to diseases.

Stages of dog development and growth

A healthy, normally developed puppy should grow in accordance with a certain pattern. The concept of growth includes several stages:

• changes in the puppy's weight;
• body growth;
• external changes (exterior);
• physiological characteristics.

The concepts of growth and development have different meanings, but if the pet is healthy, then they occur in a timely manner. There are several stages of growth and development of puppies:

• The first stage is considered to be the period when the puppy is still in the womb. This period is very important, since this is where the main qualities of the future dog are laid. And here it is worth choosing a future family member more carefully, based on information about his parents and the reputation of the breeders.
• The second stage is considered to be the time when the baby is breastfed, the so-called suckling period, which lasts from birth to one and a half months. At this time, the breeder is responsible for the well-being and growth of the babies, and he also bears full responsibility for the small pets. If the puppy is strong and the future owners have experience in feeding one-month-old puppies, then you can wean him from his mother a little earlier to be completely sure of his proper feeding and further growth.
• The third stage is longer, lasting from 1.5 to 6 months. Most often, during this time period, puppies end up with new owners. At this time, the puppy is growing very rapidly, his milk teeth are changing. Here, the owner is solely responsible for all processes.
• The fourth stage - from 16 to 12 months, is quite varied and depends on the breed of the puppy. It can be accompanied by active growth, its slowdown, or a complete stop.
• The fifth stage is no longer the growth of a puppy, but the processes of formation of an adult, albeit young, dog. Its duration is on average 2-2.5 years. While stopping in growth, the animal continues to gain muscle mass.

It is important to have an idea of ​​what measurement data corresponds to the norm in a given period. Of course, there are no exact figures, but a certain trend can still be observed.

Period from birth to 6 months

From birth to six months, a healthy, active puppy should increase in weight by three times, and grow at the withers by two times. At this time, dogs only grow in height.

This stage is characterized by the cessation of growth of tubular bones. Therefore, it is very important that at this time everything is formed according to the norm. Improper, unbalanced nutrition, serious illnesses can negatively affect the development of the bone frame, resulting in deformations and obvious disorders that cannot be corrected.

In this case, the adult will have incorrect body proportions, which will put an end to exhibitions and participation in competitions.

In puppies, from the age of six months, the growth of flat bones occurs, that is, the chest bone actively develops, the pets grow, but already in width. These processes last intensively for about 6 months, and after a year growth continues, but at a slower pace.

A dog's bone structure is fully formed by the age of three. Small breeds finish developing much earlier than large ones.

The growth of the pet is affected by the first mating, after which the animal’s growth stops completely. This is one of the reasons to avoid early ones, so as not to disrupt the development and growth of the dog.

To record metric data, it is necessary to measure the dog at certain periods and record all data. To weigh the puppy, you can use household scales, but if the pet is a large breed, then large commercial scales will be needed.

In addition, the following parameters are measured:

• sternum girth;
• height (height at withers);
• length of hind and front legs.

To remove them, measuring tapes, tape measures and rulers are used.

Proper feeding of a puppy

Nutrition plays a big role in the growth and development of a dog. Ideally, a diet, including the number of feedings, the composition of the diet, based on individual and breed characteristics, should be developed by a dog handler.

On average, a puppy up to 3 months old should eat at least 5-6 times a day. An older pet is gradually transferred to four feedings a day. From 6 months, the number of feedings can be reduced to two, as for an adult dog.

Do not forget that from six months the pet experiences an intensive gain of muscle mass, so the diet must be enriched with proteins.

Dog owners have a choice - to feed their pet with natural products or ready-made food - dry or wet. Sometimes there is a successful combination of these two types.

If the puppy owner chooses to feed dry or wet food, then he must choose a good one. Such products contain all important micro- and macroelements, vitamins, sufficient amounts of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The balance of the finished food affects the normal development of the puppy. In addition, most manufacturers, when producing such products, take into account age characteristics and other nuances.

Those owners who prefer natural nutrition should follow the following recommendations:

• Eliminate too spicy, fatty, smoked, and salty foods from your diet.
• It is best to buy sea fish after boiling it first. Raw fish and meat can lead to infection with helminthic infestations.
• Bones are poorly digestible, so it is not advisable to give them to your pet to chew on.
• Sweets and chocolate lead to disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system, loss of vision and teeth, so their consumption is excluded.
• You can give low-fat cheese, cottage cheese, boiled meat, raisins, dried fruits, etc.
• Food should be at room temperature so as not to disrupt the digestion process.

Caring care and attentive attitude towards your pet will help it grow and develop normally.