Puppy Growth Charts

Puppyhood is a phase that every doggo person remembers. It is filled with joy, mischief, many things eaten and chewed, and raw energy, making unforgettable memories. However, for puppies, it is a learning and development phase. They need to grow into confident, happy, and healthy adults. 

The charts above show the major growth phases in a puppy’s life. The growth trajectory is generally according to their breed sizes. This guide further discusses puppyhood's growth phases (breed size-wise) and different development phases that also look into their changing energy needs.

1. Breed-wise puppy growth charts

2. Puppy development phases in detail

Puppy Growth Charts explained:

Below, we discuss the growth charts for each breed size.

Puppy Growth Chart Extra Small Breeds

Extra Small breeds grow fastest during the first six months of their puppyhood. They reach 46% of their mature weight in the first three months (Growth Stage 1), get to 87% of their mature weight by the end of 6 months (Growth Stage 2) and reach almost full maturity by the end of 9 months (Growth Stage 3). For more details on each growth stage - read the next section.

Common examples of extra small breeds - Chihuahua, Maltese, Yorkie, Shih Tu, Poodle Toy

Puppy Growth Chart Small Breeds

Small breeds also grow fast and reach their mature weight by the first 11-12 months of life. They get to 23% within the first three months (Growth Phase 1), 60% of their mature weight by 6 months (Growth Phase 2), 84% of their mature weight by 10 months (Growth Phase 3), and full maturity by 12-13 months (Growth Phase 4).

Common examples of small breeds - Australian Terrier, Beagle, Borer Terrier, French Bulldog, Lhasa Apso, Jack Russell Terrier

Puppy Growth Chart Medium Breeds

Medium breeds reach their mature weight by 12-13 months. They reach 24% within the first three months (Growth Phase 1), 76% of their mature weight by eight months  (Growth Phase 2), 96% of their mature weight by 12 months  (Growth Phase 3) and full maturity by 12-13 months ( Growth Phase 4).

Common examples of medium breeds - Cocker Spaniel, Australian Cattle dog, American Pitbul Terrier, Border Collie, Bulldog, Irish Terrier, Siberian Husky

Puppy Growth Chart Large Breeds

Large breeds reach their mature weight by 14-15 months. They reach 32% within the first three months (Growth Phase 1), 70% of their mature weight by 7 months (Growth Phase 2), 88% of their mature weight by 11 months (Growth Phase 3), and full maturity by 11+ months ( Growth Phase 4).

Common examples of large breeds - German Shephard, Labrador, Golden Retriever

Puppy Growth Chart Giant Breeds

Giant breeds reach their mature weight by 16-18 months of age. They reach 22% within the first three months (Growth Phase 1), 53% of their mature weight by six months  (Growth Phase 2), 83% of their mature weight by 12 months (Growth Phase 3) and full maturity by 12+ months ( Growth Phase 4).

Common examples of giant breeds - Akita, Cane Cosco, Great Dane, New Foundland, Saint Bernard

Puppy growth stages explained:

We divide the puppy's growth into four distinct stages. In each stage, we learn about the puppy's daily energy and nutritional needs and what ingredients and cooking styles are preferred.

Daily Energy Requirement (DER) will be calculated as per the below formula:

DER = 130 x (Body Weight in kg) ^ 0.75 x Puppy Energy Multiplier x Activity Discount (10-20%)

For more details, read the guide on Puppy Energy Requirements.

Puppy Development Stage 1: 

Breed size-wise puppy growth in phase 1:

This is the first phase of a puppy’s life. Puppies generally wean after the first 4-5 weeks and transition to puppy food. The puppy moves to its new and permanent home. Extra small and large breeds grow faster than other breeds in this phase. This phase is more about growth with acceptance of new food, taste, smells and family.

Energy Requirements:

Use the puppy multiplier range below to calculate your puppy's daily energy needs for this phase.

Growth Phase 1:

Since body weight increases, the multiplier decreases. This takes care of the changing energy needs with weight increase.

Homemade food and ingredients:  

Month #1 - Mother’s milk. In case of special circumstances, mother’s milk can be replaced with goat’s milk, egg yolk, whole milk yogurt, probiotic (half spoon) and fish oil capsule.

Month #2-3: Goat’s milk, egg, yogurt, muscle and organ meat (preferably white meat), animal fat, soft raw meaty bones. For RMBs, start with chicken necks cut into small pieces with no skin. The size of the pieces will depend on the size of the breed - extra small and small can be given ground and medium and bigger breeds may start with small pieces given under supervision. For teething chewies offer bully sticks, dried esophagus, and dried ligaments.

Puppy Development Stage 2: 

Breed size-wise puppy growth in phase 2:

Stage 2 is all about accelerated growth, especially for extra small, small and medium size breeds. The energy and nutritional intake has to be optimal to support this growth. This is also the phase where they explore the world around them with their developing senses. They develop habits that remain with them for life. In this pre-adolescent stage, they become more confident in the new and permanent house, start to phase out chewing as permanent teeth come in, and learn more social skills. This is the right time to introduce them to new ingredients and cooking styles. Build new habits that will help them stay fit and healthy for life.

Energy Requirements:

Use the puppy multiplier range below to calculate your puppy's daily energy needs for this phase.

Growth Phase 2:

Dogs grow fastest in this phase, and small and medium breeds almost reach their full size at the end of this stage.   

Homemade food and ingredients:  

Ground meat—Introduce all types of meat. Introduce other ingredients like vegetables, fruits, and salmon. Introduce ground or pureed vegetables like dark leafy greens, zucchini, broccoli, and cabbage. Introduce different cooking styles and any variety in feed - volume, food temperature, ingredients, cooking style, timing, and more.

Introduce the different categories of ingredients you will be feeding for life, especially various types of meat and carbohydrate sources.

Puppy Development Stage 3: 

Growth in stage 3 is more linear rather than exponential, as in stage 2. Now, the dog is a teenage dog who will gain sexual maturity in this period. Their height and skeleton growth will reach almost 90% of the mature size. Their metabolism will start changing from puppy to an adult. Small and medium breeds will also gain some adult muscles, and large and giant breeds will look almost fully grown but very thin.  

Energy Requirements:

Use the puppy multiplier range below to calculate your puppy's daily energy needs for this phase.

Growth Phase 3:

Homemade food and ingredients: At the end of this stage, start feeding all the adult-stage ingredients. By now, your dog should be aware of different ingredients, their smell and taste, and your cooking styles. You should also be aware of your dog’s likes and dislikes. At the end of this stage, start transitioning to adult maintenance calories and meal frequency.

Puppy Development Stage 4: 

By stage 4, most breeds are almost adults. Large and giant breeds do grow, but the growth rate plateaus at this stage. Most dogs are adults by now, so transition to an adult diet. Ensure the transition is gradual and you are not overfeeding at this stage. Adjust the dog’s calorie intake for recent changes like spaying or neutering.

Energy Requirements:

Use the puppy multiplier range below to calculate your puppy's daily energy needs for this phase.

Growth Phase 4:

Homemade food and ingredients: Feed an adult diet. Transition to adult maintenance calories, adjusting neutering or activity-related adjustments. Feeding optimal calories and nutrition is essential, as excess may push your dog to an unhealthy and overweight life.

Keep changing ingredients, feed fresh and use natural as much as possible, including any additional supplements.

Closing Comments:

1. Look at the growth chart as per your dog’s breed size.

2. Learn about the different development stages of your puppy.

3. For each stage, learn the calories you need to feed, what ingredients you may introduce, and the nutritional requirements.

Happy parenting. 😀