How much should my dog weigh? A healthy weight guide

There is no single right weight for every dog: it depends on your dog's size, build and age. Typical adult ranges run from under 10 kg for toy and small dogs to 40 kg and over for giant breeds, but your vet is the best person to tell you what is right for yours.

As a rough guide, the smallest dogs weigh under 10 kg and giant breeds 40 kg or more. But one number on the scales tells you little. The direction it moves over months tells you a lot.

What is a healthy weight for my dog?

A healthy weight is the weight your vet is happy with for your particular dog. Two dogs of the same breed can be a few kilos apart and both be in good shape, because every dog's frame and build is a little different.

That is why vets do not judge weight by the number alone. They also look at how your dog's weight has changed since the last visit, and that is where you can help.

Dog weight chart: typical ranges by size

The table below shows the size bands researchers use to group dogs by adult weight. It is a general reference, not a target. These are typical ranges. Ask your vet what is right for your dog.

Source: Dog Aging Project (Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and the University of Washington), Guidelines for Reporting Dog Demographics, accessed 19 October 2026. Pound figures are rounded conversions.

A few things to keep in mind when you read a chart like this:

• Size bands are wide. A dog at the top of a band and one at the bottom can both be healthy.
• Breed is a starting point, not an answer. Mixed breeds, and dogs who are larger or smaller than their breed's usual build, will not fit neatly into one row.

How do vets tell if my dog is a healthy weight?

Alongside the scales, vets also assess body condition: a hands on and visual check of how much fat your dog is carrying. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) publishes body condition score charts so the veterinary team can assess body condition, a measure of fat stores, at every visit.

RSPCA Australia suggests asking your vet to weigh your dog and give a body condition score. It also describes three signs of a healthy weight:

• A waist. Seen from above, there should be a visible waist behind the ribs.
• Ribs you can feel. You should be able to feel the ribs, with some fat covering them.
• A tucked up belly. Seen from the side, the belly should tuck up towards the back legs.

Body condition scoring takes practice, and it is your vet's call. If you are unsure what you are seeing or feeling, ask your vet to show you on your own dog at your next visit. Then you will know what normal looks like for them.

How much will my puppy weigh?

It depends on the size your puppy is heading for: the PDSA notes that most dogs are fully grown by one year of age, while larger breeds such as Labradors and Great Danes can take as long as 18 months to 2 years.

So a puppy's weight is best read as a growth story rather than a single figure. Your vet can weigh your puppy at visits and tell you whether growth looks on track. Keeping your own record of those weights between visits gives you, and them, the full picture.

Why the trend matters more than one number

Imagine your dog weighs 24 kg today. On its own, that number cannot tell you very much. Now imagine you know your dog held 24.5 kg for two years, and has weighed a little less each time for the last three months. The same 24 kg now means something.

That is the difference between a reading and a trend. A slow change over months is easy to miss when you see your dog every day. It is also easy to forget the exact numbers by the time you are sitting with the vet. Written down and dated, the change is plain to see.

To make your readings easy to compare:

• Weigh regularly. Ask your vet how often suits your dog. For many owners, once a month is an easy habit to keep, and puppies change faster.
• Use the same scales where you can, so you are comparing like with like.
• Write it down with the date, even if nothing seems to have changed. A steady line is useful information too.

What to note for your vet

When weight comes up at a visit, these details help your vet see the whole picture:

• Your dog's recent weights, with dates, rather than a best guess.
• When you first noticed a change, if you have.
• Anything else that changed around the same time, such as food, activity or routine, written down as it happened.
• Appetite and energy, in your own words.
• Any questions you want to ask, so they do not slip your mind in the room.

You do not need to work out what any of it means. That is your vet's job. Your part is the noticing.

How My Furly helps you keep track

My Furly is a place to keep your dog's health story, so the trend is there when you need it. Here is what it does for weight.

A weight chart over time. Add your dog's weight whenever you weigh them. Once there are two readings, My Furly shows them on a chart, with a simple label for the last two weights: Increasing, Decreasing or Stable. The label describes your own readings. It is not a judgement about what your dog should weigh. That stays with your vet.

Dated notes alongside the numbers. Changed food, started a new walking routine, had a busy month? Add a dated note to your dog's record. Months later, you can see what changed and when, without relying on memory.

A private link for your vet. When you choose to, you can create a private link with an access code and send it to your vet. They see your dog's weight history alongside the rest of the record, so the conversation starts from the trend instead of a single reading. You stay in control, and you can replace the link at any time.

Ask Furly before a vet visit. Furly, the companion inside My Furly, knows your dog's own record. You can ask what is worth noting before your dog is weighed, or how to put a question to your vet. Furly is not a vet, and is built to point you to one when it matters.

None of this replaces your vet. It means you arrive with the before as well as the now.

Frequently asked questions

How much should my dog weigh?

There is no single right number. It depends on your dog's size, build and age. Typical adult ranges run from under 10 kg for toy and small dogs to 40 kg and over for giant breeds, but your vet is the best person to tell you what is healthy for your dog.

What is a healthy weight for a dog?

A healthy weight is the one your vet is happy with for your particular dog. Vets look at body condition, a hands on and visual check of fat stores, as well as the number on the scales.

Is there a dog weight chart by breed?

Size charts give typical adult ranges and are a useful starting point. They cannot account for your dog's frame, muscle or age, so treat them as a general reference and ask your vet what is right for your dog.

How much will my puppy weigh as an adult?

It depends on the size your puppy is heading for. Most dogs are fully grown by about one year, while larger breeds can take 18 months to 2 years. Your vet can tell you whether growth looks on track.

How often should I weigh my dog?

Your vet can suggest how often suits your dog; for many owners, once a month is an easy habit to keep. What matters most is weighing regularly and writing each reading down with the date, so you can see the trend.

How can I tell if my dog is overweight?

Ask your vet to weigh your dog and assess body condition. They look for a visible waist from above, ribs you can feel with some fat covering them, and a belly that tucks up from the side.

Sources

• Dog Aging Project (Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and the University of Washington). Guidelines for Reporting Dog Demographics. pubs.dogagingproject.org/node/7645. Accessed 19 October 2026.
• World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA). Global Nutrition Guidelines (2011) and body condition score charts. wsava.org/global-guidelines/global-nutrition-guidelines. Accessed 19 October 2026.
• RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase. How do I tell if my dog is overweight? Updated 30 April 2019. kb.rspca.org.au. Accessed 19 October 2026.
• PDSA. Exercising your puppy. pdsa.org.uk. Accessed 19 October 2026.

More on your dog's weight

For why your dog's own normal matters more than any average, see You know your pet best. Furly remembers the rest. For bringing weights, notes and vet records together, see Everything about your pet, in one calm place. For how that history changes a vet visit, see Your vet, already up to speed before you sit down.

Start keeping your dog's weight history at myfurly.ai.

A gentle note

Furly helps you organise and understand your pet's history, and prepares you for the vet. It is not a diagnosis tool and does not replace professional care. If something worries you, or a change in weight is sudden or severe, speak to a licensed vet.