How To Predict A Dog’s Height
To predict your puppy’s adult height, measure his height in inches at 6 months of age. Then multiply this figure by 100 and divide that answer by 75 (or simply multiply the 6-month height by 1.33). In other words, puppies achieve about 75% of their adult height at 6 months old.
A dog’s height is measured from the top of their shoulders to the floor (not the top of their head like we do for humans). Measure your dog on a flat surface and make sure he’s fully upright and his legs are vertical rather than splayed out.
Dog Weight Estimator By Breed Size
As we mentioned above, a dog’s growth rate varies by breed. So there are different formulas to predict their adult weight by the general breed size. Dog breeds are generally broken into five categories by size, but keep in mind there is some overlap with dogs on the lower and higher end of each category.
Toy breeds develop faster than larger breeds and stop growing between 8 and 9 months of age. Most of their growth happens between 0-11 weeks. On average, they gain about 5-10% of their body weight daily (roughly 1-5 oz per week). To best predict a toy’s adult size, you’ll want to take their 6-week weight, double it and then double it again. So a puppy who weighs 2 pounds at 6 weeks will weigh approximately 8 pounds as an adult (2×2=4, 4×2=8).
Some popular toy breeds include the Chihuahua, Maltese, Pekinese, Pomeranian, Shih Tzu, Toy Poodle, and Yorkshire Terrier.
Small breeds typically stop growing between eight and 12 months. Like toy breeds, most of their growth occurs between 0-11 weeks. They gain about 5-8 ounces each week. You can apply the same formula you use for toy breeds to predict their adult weight: take their six-week weight, double it and double it again.
Some popular small breeds include the Beagle, Dachshund, French Bulldog, Jack Russell Terrier, Pug, Shetland Sheepdog, and West Highland White Terrier.
Medium-sized breeds usually reach their adult weight between 9 and 12 months of age, with the most rapid growth occurring between 0-16 weeks. To calculate medium-sized breeds, take their weight at 14 weeks, multiply that by 2 and add that figure to 1/2 of their 14-week weight. So if your puppy weighs 14 pounds at 14 weeks: 14×2=28, 28+7=35 pounds.
Some popular medium breeds include the Basset Hound, Border Collie, Bulldog, Cocker Spaniel, English Springer Spaniel, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and Whippet.
Large breeds can take from 12 to 18 months to reach their adult weight and height, with the most rapid growth occurring between 0-20 weeks. To calculate their adult weight, there are two methods you can use:
Some popular large breeds include the Boxer, Bloodhound, Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Rottweiler, and Standard Poodle.
Giant breeds typically take 12-18 months to finish growing, but some can take up to 2 to 3 years before they reach their full adult size. The most rapid growth occurs between 0-25 weeks. The calculation method for giant breeds is the same as for large breeds:
Some popular giant breeds include the Great Dane, Irish Wolfhound, Mastiff, Newfoundland, and Saint Bernard.
How Big Will My Puppy Get?
In general, an adult average-sized dog at 12 months old weighs about 2-1/2 times their weight at 14 weeks or twice their weight at four months of age. But these are over-generalized estimates that don’t take some other factors into account, including: