At what age do dogs stop growing?

dog growth rate

Different dogs grow at different rates. It mostly depends on the size and breed. Small dogs grow much faster than large dogs and reach maturity at a younger age. Miniature breed dogs can fully grow by 9-10 months, while some giant breeds take up to 18-24 months.

Dog growth and mental maturity

As a rule, smaller breeds mature faster than large or giant ones. This means that puppies of the same age, but different breeds (for example, a chihuahua and a golden retriever) will be at different stages of development: a chihuahua by 12 months can already behave like an adult dog, and a retriever will still play pranks like a puppy.

Factors that determine the rate of growth of a dog

How fast dogs grow is influenced by many factors. In addition to genetics, this is also influenced by the environment – nutrition, training, care, etc.

Not surprisingly, food is high on the list of factors that affect puppy growth (both quality and quantity of food). As your puppy grows, be especially careful about how much you feed him.

It sounds counterintuitive, but if you’re raising a large breed puppy, you don’t need to feed him a lot. Studies have shown that obesity in puppies, especially in fast growing large breeds, can greatly contribute to the development of hip dysplasia and other orthopedic problems. Therefore, in no case do not overfeed the puppy! Follow the necessary nutritional guidelines.

How to determine if the puppy has finished growing?

If the dog is purebred, then the easiest way to find out is to contact the breeder or veterinarian, as each breed and each individual puppy grows in its own way.

It is more difficult with mestizo dogs – unfortunately, it is impossible to understand in advance how large the puppy will grow and when its growth will stop. If you know the parents of such a dog, then you can only try to roughly estimate its final size.