Chihuahua Puppy Growth Chart
If you're the proud owner of a Chihuahua puppy, you may wonder how big your furry friend will get.
Holding claim to the world's smallest dog breed, Chihuahuas typically weigh between two and six pounds when fully grown. Of course, that's a pretty wide range, leaving many owners pondering the following question: how big, or small, will by Chihuahua puppy get?
While you can look at the size of your pup's paws and parents to help predict his future weight, this isn't the most accurate method. Just because a puppy has small paws and small parents doesn't necessarily mean he will be small when fully grown. Assuming he's a pure-bred Chihuahua, however, you can typically predict a puppy's adult weight by referring to the growth chart below.
Chihuahua Puppy Growth: What to Expect
Emerging into this world without the sense of sight, smell or hearing, Chihuahua puppies are completely dependent on their mother for nourishment. For the next few weeks, they'll spend 90% of their time sleeping and the remaining 10% nursing, allowing for substantial growth in a very short period of time.
- Birth to 2 Weeks: With an average weight of just 2½ to 5½ ounces and length of 3 to 4 inches, newborn Chihuahua puppies are small enough to fit inside the palm of your hand. They'll grow rapidly during their first few weeks, however, often doubling in size while adding 5-10% of their body weight daily.
- 11 to 15 Weeks: Your Chihuahua puppy will likely experience a growth spurt during this period, adding considerable weight in just a couple weeks.
- 3 Months: By the end of three months, your Chihuahua puppy will reach about 30% of his adult weight.
- 6 to 9 Months: Growth begins to slow down, with most Chihuahuas reaching their adult height of approximately 5.9 to 9.1 inches within 9 months. Your Chihuahua may still "fill out," but he shouldn't gain any significant amount of weight beyond this point.
- 10 to 12 Months: Like most toy breeds, Chihuahuas typically reach maturity and stop growing by 10 to 12 months. However, you can still expect your Chihuahua's weight to fluctuate depending on his diet, health and physical activity levels.