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Growth and Maturity of Dogs
- Dogs reach full growth between 1 and 2 years old.
- This depends on breed and size. Most dogs stop growing in height around 9-12 months, with larger breeds possibly continuing until 18-24 months.
- Estimating Adult Weight of Puppies
- To calculate adult weight, divide the puppy’s weight at 20 weeks by 20 then multiply by 52. Or double the 6-month weight. Paws do not determine ultimate size.
Factors Affecting Growth
- Small, Medium, and Large Breeds
- Small breeds typically stop growing at 6 to 8 months old. Medium breeds stop around 12 months, while large breeds finish growing around 14 months old. Some large breeds fill out until 24 months old.
- Genetics, nutrition, exercise, health, and spaying/neutering status affect growth rate.
Understanding Maturity
- 16 Weeks to Adult Size
- Around 16 weeks old, most puppies are half-grown depending on the estimated maturity rate by breed. At 6 months, medium-to-large breed puppies weigh about two-thirds their adult weight, and giant breeds are about half their adult weight. Pay attention to diet to avoid growing too fast.