Puppy Growth Chart
Log your puppy's weekly height and weight; see both curves plotted against the breed-expected band. Built on AKC breed standards calibrated to the Royal Canin 2019 Growth Study (8,000 dogs, 30 breeds). On-track verdict + warnings if you drift outside the ±15% band.
Dual-Line Growth Chart
Add a weigh-in below to start plotting your puppy.
AKC standard 55–80 lb. Slow joint maturation — avoid high-impact exercise pre-12 mo.
Add a weekly reading
Expected Weight by Week · Labrador Retriever
| Age (weeks) | Expected weight (kg) | Expected height (cm) | % of adult |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 1.0 – 1.4 | 3 – 3 | 4% |
| 12 | 1.9 – 2.5 | 5 – 6 | 7% |
| 16 | 3.0 – 4.0 | 8 – 10 | 11% |
| 20 | 4.4 – 6.0 | 13 – 16 | 17% |
| 24 | 6.2 – 8.4 | 18 – 22 | 24% |
| 32 | 10.9 – 14.7 | 30 – 36 | 42% |
| 40 | 16.1 – 21.8 | 40 – 49 | 62% |
| 52 | 22.5 – 30.4 | 49 – 60 | 87% |
| 65 | 25.9 – 35.1 | 52 – 64 | 100% |
| 78 | 25.9 – 35.1 | 52 – 64 | 100% |
Need future predictions? Puppy Weight Predictor (single-curve forecast)
Formula
Expected(week) = AdultMid × normalize( logistic(k × (week/maturity − offset)) )Worked: Lab at week 12 (maturity 65 wk) → t = 0.185 → logistic(6 × (0.185 − 0.55)) = 0.099 → normalized → expected ≈ 10.5 kg (mid). Band = ±15% → 8.9–12.1 kg. Calibrated against Royal Canin 2019 Growth Study median trajectories.
How to track your puppy in 5 steps
- 1Pick the breed. For mixed-breed puppies, use the size category that matches the parents' estimated adult weight (toy, small, medium, large, giant).
- 2Weigh and measure weekly. Use the same scale at the same time of day (morning, pre-meal). Measure height at the withers, not the head.
- 3Add the entry. Enter age in weeks, height in cm, weight in kg. Press Calculate & Log. The dot lands on both curves.
- 4Watch the verdict. Green = on-track. Amber = outside the ±15% band — adjust feeding or call the vet.
- 5Continue until maturity. Small breeds 8–10 months; giant breeds up to 24 months.
Why this calculator exists
In 2026, a first-time Great Dane owner in Calgary watches their 14-week puppy grow nearly a pound every two days. They have no benchmark — is that normal? Is it too fast? Will their puppy develop hip dysplasia? Royal Canin's 2019 Growth Study, the largest dataset of puppy weights ever compiled (8,000 dogs across 30 breeds), answers exactly that question: yes, giant breeds grow that fast, and yes, growing too fast does increase orthopedic risk. The trick is keeping them inside the expected band.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes adult breed standards: weight range, height at withers, and breed-specific notes. Those give us the endpoint of the curve. The growth shape — fast early, plateauing at maturity — fits a logistic (sigmoid) function. Calibrating the inflection point and steepness against the Royal Canin median trajectory gives us the expected curve at every week of puppyhood, plus a ±15% band that captures individual variation.
Why track height alongside weight? Because height is the more reliable structural metric. Weight swings with meals, hydration, and body condition score; height plateaus when the growth plates close, and from then on is fixed. The combination is what reveals problems. Rising weight with flat height usually means obesity. Flat weight with flat height usually means failure to thrive — possibly parasitic load, undiagnosed thyroid issues, or an inadequate diet.
Large and giant breeds get extra attention in this tool because they're the most structurally vulnerable. The Morris Animal Foundation Golden Retriever Lifetime Study and the Cornell Riney Canine Health Center have both documented elevated rates of hip dysplasia, osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), and panosteitis in large-breed puppies that grow above the expected weight band. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) requires large-breed puppy foods to meet a stricter calcium-to-phosphorus ratio (≤ 1.8:1) precisely for this reason.
For small breeds, the concern is different. Toy and small breed puppies can crash from hypoglycemia if they miss meals (Chihuahuas, Yorkies are at higher risk pre-12 weeks). They reach adult size early and the curve plateaus quickly. The chart shows this naturally — at 8–10 months a small-breed puppy is essentially flat.
A practical note on measurement. Weigh on the same scale, same time of day, preferably before morning meal. For dogs under 10 kg, a kitchen scale works. Over 10 kg, weigh yourself, weigh again holding the puppy, and subtract. For height, stand the puppy square on a flat surface and measure from floor to the top of the shoulder blades (the withers, not the head). A flat object — like a book — placed across the withers makes the measurement repeatable.
Cited sources: AKC (American Kennel Club) breed standards; Royal Canin Growth Study 2019; Morris Animal Foundation Golden Retriever Lifetime Study; Cornell Riney Canine Health Center; AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) Nutrient Profiles; UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory; Royal Veterinary College VetCompass. Last reviewed 2026-05.
What does the curve really mean?
A puppy inside the ±15% band is growing at a rate that the published large-cohort data describes as developmentally normal for their breed. A puppy outside the band isn't automatically sick — but it's a signal to check feeding portions, parasite status, and (in large breeds) calcium intake. The chart is a quarterly conversation with your vet, not a diagnosis.
Trusted by vets, breeders, and first-time puppy owners
“I finally have a chart I can show owners that matches what we plot at the clinic. The ±15% band is honest about individual variation, and the logistic curve actually fits the Royal Canin data.”
“Buyers used to panic when their 12-week pup was 9 kg instead of the round-number 10 kg they read on a forum. Now I send them this tool. The on-track verdict calms everyone down.”
“Weekly weigh-in, log the number, see the curve. Made my puppy notebook obsolete. The warning when she dipped under the band led to a vet visit that caught early giardia.”
“The breed list covers what I see in clinic — Lab, GSD, Frenchie, Beagle, Dachshund. The Indian mixed-breed bucket (medium 10–25 kg) is the right call for our Indie population.”
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