How to find out what size the puppy will be. The estimated weight of an adult dog, based on the breed and gender of the puppy. Proper feeding of a puppy
When a puppy comes home, many owners have questions about what size and weight it will reach. Some people are interested in the age at which dogs grow - that is, when the active growth period ends and muscle mass finishes forming. 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 of a certain breed, you can check what an adult dog will be like by looking at the 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 more 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 weigh it periodically using regular 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. Majority small breeds complete growth in size by eight or nine months, large dogs grow up to a year. 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 active increase weight or body size, and a complete stop of development. Much depends on the following factors:
- from health to 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.
Size difference between male and female The last stage 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 many years 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.
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're talking about 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 dogs there are certain rules and growth canons 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 large breeds They grow and form even 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 is also a mass of no less important factors, affecting the growth and development of the 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 meaning, 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 are laid future dog. 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 breastfeeding, the so-called suckling period, lasting 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 may be accompanied active growth, slowing it down or stopping completely.
- 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 it doesn't exist exact numbers, but a certain trend is still visible.
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, transferred serious illnesses can negatively affect the development of the bone frame, resulting in deformations and obvious violations 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.
Puppies begin to grow from six months of age flat bones, that is, the chest bone is actively developing, the pets are growing, 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 certain periods measure the dog 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 has an intensive set of muscle mass Therefore, the diet must be enriched with proteins.
Dog owners have a choice - to feed their pet natural products or prepared food - dry or wet. Sometimes there is a successful combination of these two types.
If the puppy owner chooses to feed dry or wet look feed, then he must pick up a good one. Such products contain all important micro- and macroelements, vitamins, sufficient amounts of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Balance ready-made feed 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 gave preference natural nutrition, must comply with 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 activity cardiovascular system, loss of vision and teeth, so their use 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.
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.
Find out what size the puppy will grow up to be mongrel dog, not seeing her parents is more difficult. Most often the owners mongrel dog Determine how the puppy will grow up by its paws, chest and head size.
You can also compare weight and height mongrel puppy with the same indicators of purebred puppies of his 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.
Most best way- 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 puppies miniature breeds weigh approximately 6–8 times less than puppies of large breeds, but in adulthood a miniature dog will already 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 its body weight 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 to find out how a puppy will grow up medium breed?
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 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. veterinary clinic. During this period, puppies are very susceptible to diseases of the musculoskeletal system: dysplasia hip joint, osteochondrosis and others.
Most intensive period growth of dogs whose adult weight exceeds 25 kg - 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. Veterinarian will help determine the estimated weight of an adult dog based on a puppy if you find it difficult to do this or did not find it in the table the right breed. 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 increases, intervertebral hernia. It is best to regularly weigh puppies of all breeds every week to determine if they are gaining too much weight.
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 choosing 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 breast volume, measure the most wide 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 accurately determining the 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 this case, this is noted in the text of the product description. If there is no division in the text for boys or girls, it means this thing 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
Clothing 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
| Size | Back length | Bust | Breed |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 17-20 | 28-32 |
Chihuahua, toy terrier, mini Yorkie, small breed puppies |
| S | 22-25 | 36-40 |
Yorkshire Terrier, Toy Terrier, Maltese, Japanese chin, pomeranian spitz |
| M | 26-29 | 40-44 | |
| 29-31 | 44-47 |
Chinese Crested, Pug, Toy Poodle, Large Yorkie, Shih Tzu, miniature pinscher |
|
| L | 31-34 | 46-50 |
Miniature poodle, shih tzu, fox |
| XL | 36-39 | 54-58 |
Cocker spaniel, poodle |
| XXL | 38-41 | 56-62 |
Cocker Spaniel, Small Poodle, West Highland |
Table 2. Clothing sizes
| Size (nr) | Back Length(cm) |
Chest (cm) |
Dog breed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 24 | 27 | |
| 10 | 26 | 32 | Yorkshire Terrier, Maltese, Chihuahua, Toy Terrier |
| 10chh | 26 | 34 | |
| 29 | 36 |
Yorkshire Terrier, Chihuahua, Pomeranian, Papillon, Toy Poodle |
|
| 12chh | 29 | 38 | Chihuahua, Pomeranian, Papillon |
| 14 | 32 | 40 | Chihuahua, Pomeranian, miniature poodle, Brussels Griffon, Petit Brabançon |
| 16 | 35 | 44 | Small Spitz, Miniature Poodle, Brussels Griffon, Brabançon, Miniature Pinscher, Chinese crested dog |
| 18 | 38 | 48 | Chinese Crested Dog, Spitz, Miniature Schnauzer, Fox Terrier |
| 20 | 40 | 52 | Chinese Crested Dog, Spitz, Miniature Schnauzer, Fox Terrier, American cocker spaniel, English cocker spaniel |
Table 3. Clothing sizes for dachshunds
| Size | Back Length(cm) |
Chest (cm) |
Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| TM1 or TK-S | 34 | 40 | |
|
TM2 or TK-M |
39 | 43 | Dwarf (miniature) dachshund |
| TC1 or TS-L | 44 | 52 |
Standard fee |
| TC2 or TS-XL | 49 | 55 | Standard fee |
| K39 | 39 | Welsh Corgi | |
| K43 | 43 | Welsh Corgi |
Table 4. Clothing sizes for medium and large breeds
| Size | Back Length(cm) |
Chest (cm) |
Dog breed |
|---|---|---|---|
| A0 | 35 | 55 | West Highland White Terrier, Scottish Terrier |
| 30 | 50 | Pug, french bulldog |
|
| 35 | 55 | ||
| 40 | 60 | American Cocker Spaniel, English Cocker Spaniel, Beagle, Miniature Schnauzer, german spitz medium, sheltie, fox terrier, chinese crested dog | |
| 40 | 70 | ||
| 45 | 75 | Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Kerry Blue Terrier, Shar Pei, Collie | |
| 50 | 80 | Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Kerry Blue Terrier, Shar Pei, Collie | |
| 55 | 75 | ||
| 60 | 80 | Labrador Retriever, golden retriever, Siberian Husky, Doberman, Boxer, Akita, Australian Shepherd | |
| 65 | 85 | Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Siberian Husky, Doberman, Boxer, Akita, Australian Shepherd | |
| 70 | 90 | Rottweiler, boxer, St. Bernard, Great Dane |
Table 5. Shoe sizes - 2 tables for different shoe models
Boot sizes
| Size (nr) | Sole length (cm) | Width at sole (cm) | Boot height (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 3,5 | 2,7 | 7 |
| 1 | 4 | 3,1 | 7 |
| 2 | 4,5 | 3,5 | 7 |
| 3 | 5 | 3,9 | 8 |
| 4 | 5,5 | 4,3 | 9 |
| 5 | 6 | 4,8 | 10 |
The growth of dogs largely depends 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 body weight between 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: BW of a newborn puppy of the breed Yorkshire Terrier is about 140 g, which corresponds to 5% of his mother's BW. 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 calorie intake causes proliferation of adipocytes and the 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. Large dogs are more susceptible to skeletal diseases during this period. Therefore, the dog owner must carefully prepare daily ration to prevent your 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 overconsumption a dog's energy increases the risk of developing musculoskeletal diseases, incl. hip dysplasia and osteochondrosis.
Large and giant dog breeds have two stages of growth:
- Phase intensive growth when the skeleton is mainly formed
- A phase of significant growth slowdown, during which muscle mass builds up
The growth rate of a large and very large puppy large dogs 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 (
