The most accurate answer to how big your dog will get lies in its breed and its parents. If you know both, you can usually get fairly close to the adult size. If your dog is a mix, or you don't know its origins, you'll have to read the signs along the way: paw size, the growth curve, and when growth begins to level off. Below, we go through the reference points you have - from the most reliable to the more approximate - and what you can do yourself to give your dog the best conditions for reaching its natural size.
The breed is the strongest reference point
A dog's breed tells you more about the adult size than any other single characteristic. A chihuahua ends up somewhere entirely different from a great dane, and within each breed standard there's an expected range for both shoulder height and weight. If you have a pedigree dog, you can look up the standard with the breed's specialist club and get a realistic range to work with.
Size is also linked to when the dog finishes growing. Small breeds typically reach their adult size faster, while large and especially giant breeds grow for longer and aren't fully grown until well into their second year of life. If you want to dig into what that means for choices and everyday life, we've gathered it all in our guide to large dog breeds - how to choose the right one.
Look at the parents, if you can
The next best reference point is the dog's parents. Size is largely hereditary, and a puppy most often ends up somewhere between its mother and father. If you have the opportunity to see both parent animals at the breeder's - or at least to be given their measurements and weight - you have a concrete starting point that is more individual than the breed standard alone.
If your dog is a mix, the parents become even more important, because there's no breed standard to lean on. If you know both parents, you can still make a fairly good estimate. If you only know one of them, or neither, you'll have to read the puppy's own signs as it grows.
Paw size and body as a guide
When you don't know the origins, the puppy's body can give an indication. Large, sturdy paws and thick legs on a young puppy often point to a dog that still has a good deal of growth ahead of it. If the puppy seems a little "too big in the paws" relative to the rest of its body, it's a well-known sign that it hasn't yet grown into its proportions.
It's only an indication, though, not a definitive answer. Some dogs have relatively large paws throughout their lives, and the sign says more about there being growth left than exactly how much. Use it together with the other reference points rather than on its own.
How to read the growth curve along the way
The most tangible method is to track the puppy's weight over time. Weigh your puppy regularly and note the numbers, so you can see how quickly it's gaining and when the curve begins to level off. When the weekly weight gain noticeably slows, the dog is approaching its adult size.
As a rule of thumb, small breeds finish growing fastest, medium breeds a little later, and large breeds take the longest. If you want clarity on when your dog can be considered fully grown, we go into depth on it in the article on when is a dog an adult. If you're unsure whether your puppy's weight is following a healthy curve, you can always contact ESSENTIAL FOODS' nutrition advisors, who are ready by phone, chat or email and can advise on feeding during the growth phase.
Why you can't control the final size - but you can support it
Your dog's adult size is fundamentally determined by genetics. You can neither feed a small breed into being large nor keep a large breed small without compromising its wellbeing. What you do have influence over, on the other hand, is whether the dog is allowed to grow at its own pace and reach its natural size in a healthy way.
Here, feeding during the growth phase is absolutely central. Too much energy can cause especially large breeds to grow too quickly, which strains the young joints and bones, while too little can slow down healthy development. The balance in the meal - not the quantity alone - is what carries the puppy well through its growth. You can read more about how long your dog needs puppy meals in the guide how long should a dog have puppy food
Meals that follow your puppy through its growth
A growing puppy has different needs than an adult dog, and the meal must be composed so that it supports bones, joints and steady development towards the adult size. The BEGINNING range is created for the finest start with luxurious, grain-free puppy meals of fresh raw ingredients, human-grade ingredients and carefully selected local and regional delicacies - entirely free of grain and unnecessary fillers.
Because large and small breeds grow at different rates, it's worth choosing meals that suit your particular puppy's expected size. If you have a dog on its way to becoming large, you can try out a BEGINNING LARGE BREED SAMPLE, while for the smaller puppy you'll find a corresponding one in BEGINNING SMALL BREED SAMPLE. The entire selection for the first life stage is gathered under puppy & junior.
If you're in the middle of puppy life with questions about everything from feeding to development, our Puppy universe is a well-considered place to start, where the advice comes directly from ESSENTIAL FOODS. In puppy you'll find relevant products and meals gathered with the young dog's needs in mind.
When the dog is fully grown, its needs change
Once your dog has reached its adult size, it's no longer about growth, but about maintaining a healthy weight for the rest of its life. A large dog takes up more space, but still needs to be in balance - neither too thin nor too heavy. If you're unsure of where your dog stands, you can use the guide does your dog have a healthy weight to assess it.
Size also affects which meals suit best. Meals composed with large breeds in mind can be found in for large dogs, while the small dog, with its smaller appetite and need for smaller pieces, is catered for in for small dogs. No matter how large your dog ends up being, the point is the same: you can't determine the final size, but you can give your dog the best conditions for reaching it healthily and thriving there.