How Long Does It Take for a Dog to Grow up?

Dogs grow up at different rates, depending on the breed and the individual dog. Dogs, like humans, reach life milestones at different ages. For example, a dog may become fully house trained before he has reached his full grownup size. A dog may also reach sexual maturity and have the ability to mate before he is fully grown.

  1. Size

    • Dogs grow at different rates depending on the breed. Smaller, toy breed dogs, such as Chihuahuas, toy poodles and Pomeranians, usually reach their adult size around the age of one. Larger breeds such as golden retrievers or Labrador retrievers, take longer to grow to their adult body weight, generally about two years. Most kinds of dogs reach their adult size and weight by the age of two.

    Temperament

    • Like size, a dog's adult temperament will vary depending on the breed. Puppies usually have much higher energy than adult dogs. They also can behave in "puppy" ways, such chewing on household items, jumping up on guests and not responding to commands. Most dogs reach their adult temperament by the age of two, which is when they begin to calm down, have less trouble with chewing and begin to follow commands with more regularity.

    Potty Training

    • Though it depends on the specific dog and the breed, generally a dog becomes fully potty trained after about one year, which may mean that the dog does its business in the house frequently until, with constant training, it understands that it needs to go outside. It may have an occasional accident because it does not have the bladder control it will have when it becomes an adult.

    Characteristics

    • Sometimes telling how close a dog is to adulthood can be difficult, especially if he is adopted from a pound or shelter. Puppies not only act differently from adults (being hyper, liking to play with toys, jumping up on people), but they also have physical characteristics that are different from adult dogs, which can help you determine whether or not they have reached maturity. Puppies, like humans, have baby teeth and will still lose them until they are about eight months to a year old. A female dog's nipples begin to become larger when she reaches sexual maturity, usually around the age of six months. Male dogs also reach sexual maturity about this age and begin to hump objects such as pillows, toys and even the occasional human leg. Generally, humping indicates that the dog is just reaching sexual maturity and should be spayed or neutered to prevent unwanted litters.