What do you do when you want to know the adult size of your puppy? Some people believe the answer is in the paws…

…is it?

Your dogs paw size might “suggest” that you could possibly have a large one on your hands, but it’s by far a foolproof indicator of the adult dog he/she will eventually become.

Yet we’ve all done it.

We’ve all looked at a puppy’s paw at least once in our lives and said –

now he’s gonna be a big one!

But is it more of a fun way to play a guessing game about how big he’ll get?

Keep in mind –  just because your pup has “disproportionately sized feet” that’s not always the indicator of his adult size…

There are certain breeds who dispel that myth.

Take the –

• Collie – their feet are small yet they’re large dogs
• Bulldogs – their feet are larger than other dogs their size

IS BREED A FACTOR? –

Detecting the size of your dog by looking at his paws is easier with pure and cross breeds. It’s a tad harder when you’ve got a mixed breed (unless you know the parents).

Extrapolating adult size based on paw size also is far more accurate for purebred dogs than for mixed breeds. Source: Cuteness

With a purebred you can get a more concise estimate by looking at the parents and familiarizing yourself with breed standards found on the AKC website.

Online you can also find various puppy charts (for purebreds) that ask for –

• breed
• date of birth
• weight from a specific date

Then it calculates a good faith estimate on your dogs adult weight.

Depending on the mixed breed and/or cross bred pup, you might find growth charts online to assist you with an estimate. Consider it a plus if you know what breeds went into the mix to help you get some sense of size.

For the Goldendoodle – this formula worked well for me with all three Doods –

At 4 months of age, multiple the puppy’s weight by 2 and add 10 pounds.

Jaxson weighed about 30 lbs at 4 months old…

…using that same formula, it predicted him to weigh approx. 70 lbs as an adult dog.

70 lbs is also what both his breeder and Doodle Doc estimated him to be.

Today, at 4 years old, he weighs 69 lbs…

PAW SIZE IS A HELPFUL TOOL –

but it is not 100% reliable. Your best bet is to look at your puppy’s height and weight between 14 to 16 weeks – then double it. Since there’s no exact science – this will give you a better size prediction than just looking at his paws.

Veterinarians are known to give excellent experienced estimates.

Doodle Doc was spot on with Harley, Leo and Jaxson. I remember how terrified I was when she told me Leo would grow to exceed 90 lbs. He was 98 lbs by the age of two!

WHAT’S THE VERDICT? –

When it comes to determining the size of an adult dog – is the answer in the paws?

I’m going with “yes” and “no.” Paws are proportionate to their size at that time. But by 16 weeks, you will know. #fursure

ONE MORE THING –

Congratulations to Staci & Randy Mefford! They won the Let’s Go Fido Bag give-away. The have four rescues – here is a photo of Lollie and Jaxx – two of their pack…

Due to the enormous participation in the give-away, Let’s Go Fido is extending its 25% discount for another two weeks! #doodletastic

Just order using the code “GROOVY” at checkout. then YOU TOO will have the pawfect bag to stuff full of all your necessities when traveling with your pups!

Wednesday – it’s almost, sorta, kinda, close to, just about, nearly, the weekend ❤

Cathy C. Bennett is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.