The estimated weight of an adult dog, based on the breed and gender of the puppy. Weight of an adult dog: determining how big the puppy will grow Proper feeding of the puppy

When a puppy comes home, many owners have questions about what size and weight it will reach. Some people are interested in what age dogs grow up to - that is, when the active period of growth ends and the formation of muscle mass. For most breeds, there are several standards that can be used to guide you when answering these questions.

It is not at all necessary to control the height and weight of a four-legged pet if it is purchased from a reliable breeder. Having received a puppy a certain breed, you can check what an adult dog will be like by looking at its parents, and become familiar with the stages of growth by reading the relevant literature.

Answers to questions about the puppy's development are of much greater interest to owners of animals received for free or even picked up on the street. Although it is quite difficult to answer exactly to what age mongrel dogs grow and, moreover, what they will look like in a few months or years. These answers are no less important for owners who see that their pet’s growth rate does not quite meet their expectations.

To monitor the development of a puppy, and then a young dog, it is recommended to periodically weigh it using ordinary scales and measure using a tape measure or centimeter. Until the puppy is 2 months old, measurements are performed once every 5 days, up to six months - every ten days, then - monthly. The height of the dog at the withers in a standing position, the circumference of the pastern (carpal joint) and chest are measured. Elbow height measurements may also be taken.

Puppy growth stages

The rate of dog development initial stage her life is subject to certain patterns that are not related to the breed. Moreover, the beginning of growth is usually considered to be the period when the puppy is still an embryo, being in the mother’s womb. At this time, the formation of the animal’s body occurs, which is why it should only be taken from a responsible breeder who monitors the health of pregnant females.

The second stage is the life span from the birth of the puppy to 1.5 months. This period is called suckling and is the same for all breeds. This period is the same and lasts up to six months. During this time, the dog develops molars, its height at the withers approximately doubles, and its weight triples. Up to 6 months, puppies’ ears also grow, and by the end of the period they acquire the same shape as those of adult dog.

Growth of young animals

In the period from 6 to 12 months, the dog is no longer called a puppy, but a young animal. It continues to grow - although not always until the end of the term. Most small breeds complete their size increase by eight or nine months; large dogs take up to a year to grow. It is also not difficult to find out to what age dogs of medium breeds (spaniels, bulldogs, basset dogs, huskies and chow-chows) grow. They usually stop growing by 9 or 10 months.

During these six months, the sternum develops most noticeably in all breeds. However, growth is no longer as intense as at the previous stage. But the exterior changes noticeably - by the age of one year the pet looks almost the same as it will be throughout its life.

Development of a young dog

The next stage, when the pet can be called a young dog, continues for most breeds until 16 months of age. In small breeds it ends earlier - even before a year. The period can be characterized by an active increase in body weight or size, and a complete cessation of development. Much depends on the following factors:

• from health in the early stages - active puppies grow faster and can mature earlier than their sisters and brothers from the same litter;
• the quality of the dog’s nutrition - a responsible attitude to the pet’s diet will allow it to develop longer and become larger - although not by much;
• from the sex of the animal. Females tend to be smaller in size and weight.

The last stage of development is considered to be a period from one year to 2–3 years. At this time, small pets have long stopped growing, but big dogs can gain muscle mass. So, the answer to the question of how old do dogs grow to become fully grown depends on the breed. How smaller dog, the sooner she grows up. But even a representative of the largest breed - for example, a Newfoundland or St. Bernard - can well be considered an adult by the age of three.

Specific breeds

Looking in more detail at what age small breed dogs grow, it is worth noting the following facts:

• the growth of Chihuahuas and Yorkshire terriers ends by 8 months, after which only mass increases occur;
• A toy terrier can mature even faster – by six months. From this time on, neither their height nor their weight changes;
• Pugs change in size differently - some young dogs of this breed may stop growing at 6-7 months, others continue to develop until nine;
• The growth of a female Pekingese ends by 8–9 months, a male by a year;
• Dachshunds grow in length until they are eight months old, after which they only increase in width.

Dogs as large and muscular as the Rottweiler grow to their normal size by 12 months, and their muscles can increase until they are 2 years old. Shepherd dogs, St. Bernards and Labrador retrievers grow faster up to a year, and at the final stage - almost imperceptibly. They can be called fully formed by 2.5–3 years.

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

- If your pet likes to grab small objects in its mouth (this applies to some Yorkshire Terriers and Chihuahuas, as well as some other small dogs that have not been trained 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.

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 and their mother are transferred to an enclosure.
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 - important point in the development of dogs, they begin at this stage, with their help you can gradually accustom the puppies to the owner.
5. Socio-psychological- lasts up to 3 months. There is an active cognition of the surrounding world (people, objects, climatic conditions, street noise). The puppy is accustomed to a name, walking, taught the concepts of “good” and “bad”, separated from its mother, this is the period of formation of a positive or negative impression of 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, the females begin to heat, the 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 diet, physical activity (according to age), training (for any breed), protect from injury and disease.

Intensive growth in dogs is observed until 6 months of age, then the rate decreases. Further development period healthy dogs which are kept in appropriate conditions depends on the breed and size. Let us consider the features of the growth of small, medium and large dogs.


Small breeds

These dog breeds include:




Did you know? Most short stature 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. - up to 10 months they grow in height, up to 1.5 years the appearance of an adult animal is formed.
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. Dog height large breeds it happens like this:




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, in a two-year-old - yellow, in a 3-5-year-old - with tartar, in a 6-year-old - worn fangs, concave incisors, over 8 years old - 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 true: puppies grow actively until they are 6 months old, then growth and weight gain occur less actively and unevenly. The indicator may also be affected by illness, absence physical activity, lack of vitamins.
2. Animal small size can't 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.

The height of dogs depends largely on their diet and other external influences, it changes with age and varies among dogs different breeds. With significant variability in body weight (BW) depending on the breed - from 1 kg in a Chihuahua to 80 kg and higher in a St. Bernard - the dog is strikingly different from other animal species. The higher the BW of an adult dog, the proportionally lower the body weight at the time of birth of the animal.

Although differences in the body weight of adult dogs of small and large breeds can be expressed by a factor of 100, their BW at birth differs by no more than 6-8 times.

For example: The BW of a newborn Yorkshire Terrier puppy is about 140 g, which corresponds to 5% of the BW of its mother. Let's compare: the BW of a newborn Great Dane puppy is 600-700 g, which is about 1% of the BW of its mother. Thus, large breed puppies undergo a longer period of growth before reaching the BW of an adult dog, in other words, the intensity of the dogs' growth rate is proportional to their BW at maturity. It is important that a dog owner carefully monitors changes in their pet's BW. To do this, the animal is weighed once a week and the obtained indicators are compared with the growth curve of the given breed, which can be provided by a veterinarian. Using this method, it is possible to check whether the dog’s growth rate is too high.

Growth of small breeds of dogs, whose adult BW is less than 10 kg, mainly occurs in the first 6 months of life; their chips reach half the body weight of adult dogs at approximately three months of age and are fully grown by 8-10 months. Their growth rate is maximum during the weaning period, when fat deposition begins. In a puppy with such rapid growth, excess caloric intake causes adipocyte proliferation and a predisposition to obesity persists throughout life. Large breed puppies. The body weight of which in adulthood exceeds 25 kg continues to grow rapidly even after weaning; their daily weight gain remains high until 8 months of age. Due to these growth characteristics, dietary errors are much more serious for them than for puppies of small breeds, who have a feeding period mother's milk is the most critical phase of growth. Dogs large sizes during this period they are more susceptible to skeletal diseases. Therefore, the dog owner must carefully plan the daily diet to prevent the pet from gaining too much weight. This is again helped by regularly weighing the animal and comparing changes in its body weight with the growth curve. It has been proven that excessive energy consumption by a dog increases the risk of developing musculoskeletal diseases, incl. dysplasia hip joint and osteochondrosis.

Large and giant dog breeds have two stages of growth:
- Intensive growth phase, when the skeleton is mainly formed
- A phase of significant growth slowdown, during which muscle mass builds up

The growth rate of a puppy of large and very large dogs is maximum in the period from 3 to 5 months of life - at 5 months of age it reaches half the body weight of an adult dog of its breed. The body weight of large breed dogs continues to increase until 18-24 months of age, when their body weight becomes 80-100 times greater than at birth (for comparison, in small breed dogs during this period the difference in body weight is only 20-30 times greater).

A puppy’s diet during the growing period is mainly determined based on an estimate of its “adult” weight. Comparing this calculated indicator with the animal’s actual body weight makes it possible to determine whether there is a tendency for it to overfeed, which is indicated by too much BW during weighing periods. A dog's growth rate is directly affected by the calorie content of his diet - excess energy consumption accelerates the growth process and physical maturation. In short, a large increase in BW with an incomplete process of joint formation increases the risk of musculoskeletal diseases.

When calculating the “adult” BW of a dog, it is necessary to take into account the breed and gender: females usually mature earlier than males. However, sexual dimorphism is more pronounced in large and very large dogs.

The tables below (Tables 1,2,3 and 4) show reference parameters characterizing the BW of adult dogs of several breeds that differ in size. These data were obtained based on the results of weighing dogs during the exhibition period (

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 bust size, measure the widest part. chest dogs. 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 precise definition size of your dog:

1. The dog must be measured only in a standing position. 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 in this case this is noted in the product description text. If there is no division in the text for boys or girls, then this item is suitable for everyone.

Figure 2. How to measure your 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, also see 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