When Do Dogs Stop Growing?

[karen15]

I got my cocker as a rehome last year at 2yrs 9 months old. Being winter, I bought her a dog coat. It wasn't as long as I like but fitted pretty well.

This winter the coat has been reassigned to the 1yo westie and fits him well.

I've changed her diet from a porridge type thing to royal canin skinny dog biscuits (she's tubby), raw mince and beef neck bones.

When I look at before and after photos she looks totally different. Possibly even puppy like in the before.

The coat in question is 16" and the rugs I've bought her this year are 20".

I thought dogs stopped growing around 2yo, so now I am curious! When I'd met her I would have said she was small. Now I don't think that but it could be because I'm accustomed to her size or she's actually gotten bigger. I can't figure which.

[Little Gifts]

I am no expert but think it could depend on the breed, and of course their diet and exercise regime (particularly if they were a poorly cared for rescue). I have a rescue pei and she has been here since she was about 5 months old. She is now 3 and every single winter (including this one) I've had to make her new coats. It is all over growth too - not just taller or longer. She looks like she is wearing an older siblings hand me downs! I don't recall having this same issue with the staffords I've also owned - after they were a year old the adult coats lasted for years.

[karen15]

Funny you say that Littlegifts. My last dog was a staffy and at about 18months he'd grown height wise, then filled in bulk. He was definitely full size by 3.

My understanding is the smaller the dog, the quicker they reach grown up size. So cockers, being smaller than staffies, I expected to be full size by 3, but she just seems to have grown.

I don't see her as a rescue. I got her from someone at work who really cared for her. That said, I was her 4th home before she'd turned 3.....

[Little Gifts]

I didn't mean to imply yours wasn't cared for just that I think it is possible some poorly fed dogs who end up in rescue could have a growth spurt or fill out once getting adequate nourishment.

[Dogsfevr]

I think you will find the coat you originally brought was always to small,that size wouldn't even fit our dogs that are similar size ,The coat size you now how have would fit a good weight Cocker & the coat style & shape also determines how well it fits a dog some are very tight at the front others aren't

A Cocker shouldn't be smaller than a Staffy they both have the same height size

[Scottsmum]

I think you will find the coat you originally brought was always to small,that size wouldn't even fit our dogs that are similar size ,The coat size you now how have would fit a good weight Cocker & the coat style & shape also determines how well it fits a dog some are very tight at the front others aren't

Quite possible. My 11 kilo foxie wears a 45 cm which is aporox 17 inch.

[*kirty*]

A cocker spaniel would be well and truly full grown at 2yrs 9mths. :)

[karen15]

An interesting update on this - we had our annual vet visit today and the vet is certain that the cocker is bigger all over. Longer, taller, overall looking more mature.

She's heavier than when I got her but trimmer. She's lost the fat pad at the base of her tail. Vet thinks she looks quite fit. So perhaps she has grown a bit.

[tdierikx]

I'm of the opinion that "growth" is a combination of factors - height and length and that sort of thing - and then there is filling out and maturing.

I would expect this to be over a shorter timespan for the smaller breeds, and takes longer for the larger breeds.

I would have thought that at 2 years 9 months, a Cocker would have been fully grown in all respects, but other factors can come into play if the upbringing of said dog is suspect in some way... and now is getting the proper care and maintenance she requires to mature properly.

T.