When Do Chihuahuas Stop Growing? - Growth And Development

As with all dogs, the Chihuahua's development is most noticeable during their puppy stage. There is a correlation between size and sexual maturity. Some larger dog breeds may take over a year for females to reach sexual maturity, but the average is between 8 to 12 months[1]. Since Chihuahuas reach sexual maturity from as little as 4 months of age, they are typical of smaller dog breeds.

The gestation period of a dog is usually between 60 and 63 days, but Chihuahuas are known to suffer from complications and are more likely than some breeds to require a cesarean section. However, even if this is the case, healthy puppies should develop well. Due to the small size of the breed, charting the growth of Chihuahua development can seem difficult. This is why we need to know when the Chihuahua will stop growing.

Since the greatest growth of a Chihuahua occurs during their puppy stage, they will generally have stopped growing when they reach adulthood. This means they should reach a standard weight, as detailed above. However, even in the adult stage muscle development can mean their weight is still subject to change, even if they are technically adult dogs.

The duration of a dog's puppy stage will vary depending on the size of the dog. In the case of a small dog like the Chihuahua, the transition to the adult stage should be complete between the ages of 9 and 12 months.

The majority of a Chihuahua's growth and development will occur before the age of 8 months, but they will still be developing after this time. A lot of this has to do with the structure of the body which can differ according to sex:

• Male: as the dog grows, they will continue to develop muscle mass and their torso will broaden.
• Female: muscle mass will also continue to develop, but the female's hips will broaden more than males.

Since there are so many variables in the Chihuahua's development, it is best to lay out a Chihuahua's growth chart. This, generally, goes as follows:

• Birth: at birth, the weight of a newborn Chihuahua ranges between 2.5 and 6.5 ounces. However, growth is very fast and they can double in size in only a few days.
• Puppies: as we state above, the main growth will occur up to 8 months of age, but it does not stop there. After 12 months, the dog will reach its adult size, but there will still be some development to go. During this time, it is important to visit the veterinarian for check ups, but also to weigh the puppy at home to ensure their development is going well.
• After 1 year: after the first year of life, musculature and body shape will still develop. After the age of 18 months, the Chihuahua will be considered fully grown.

Although Chihuahuas are small dogs and have some health problems, they are one of the longest living dogs. This is partly because larger dog breeds tend to die younger[2]. The Chihuahua will change over this time as they become an adult and, eventually, a senior dog.