Pitbull Growth Chart: At What Rate Should Your Puppy Grow?

Types Of Pitbull

There are five different breeds that are all considered to fall into the Pitbull breed category. They are all medium height dogs, with a stocky, muscular build. These are the American Pitbull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bull Terrier, and Miniature Bull Terrier. However, despite these distinct breeds, most people still only use the term ‘Pitbull’.

Most often, when people say Pitbull, they mean the American Pitbull Terrier. So, this is the main Pitbull breed we will be looking at in this guide.

Pitbull Development Stages

Pitbull growth charts can be interesting and useful. But, it’s also great to learn about the development stages your Pitbull puppy will go through. Here’s an average Pitbull weight chart from birth to 1 year old.

Pitbull Growth Chart

Here’s a Pitbull growth chart example for medium sized dog breeds, taking you through each week and month of their development.

1 Week old Pitbull puppy

The weight of a newborn Pitbull puppy depends upon the size of their mom, and how many siblings are in the litter, among other factors. But anywhere between 7 and 10 oz is in the normal range.

In their first week, newborn Pitbull puppies won’t have their eyes or ears open. But, they have enough strength in their front paws to pull themselves to mom. One week old Pitbull puppies can’t regulate their own temperature, so need their mother. They’ll spend pretty much all of their time eating or sleeping.

2 Week old Pitbull puppy

At two weeks old, baby Pitbull puppies will start to open their eyes. And, they will start to grow quickly. In fact, a Pitbull puppy will add around 5 to 10% of his body weight by the end of this week.

3 Week old Pitbull puppy

At three weeks, Pitbull puppies will start to stand and sit properly by themselves. Ears and eyes are fully open, and tails start to wag! Pitbull puppies at 3 weeks will be continuing to grow quickly.

4 Week old Pitbull puppy

By this stage, Pitbull puppies are stronger, and can move around more easily. At this age, puppies start to look more like proper dogs than tiny puppies.

5 Week old Pitbull puppy

Five week old Pitbull puppies will start to move and play a lot more. This is a key stage for puppies to learn behavioral habits like bite inhibition. They’ll be eating plenty, and continuing to grow quickly.

6 Week old Pitbull puppy

As your puppy nears the end of his sixth week, he will be either fully or mostly weaned from his mother. Instead of milk, he now eats five or six very small meals of puppy food. Your puppy will start gaining weight very rapidly from this stage onwards.

7 to 8 Week old Pitbull puppy

Pitbull puppies now will be completely eating puppy food. They will also be preparing to leave their mother and go to new homes. It’s important not to bring a Pitty puppy home any earlier than this. Your 2 month old Pitbull puppy will still be eating its food in at least 4 meals a day.

3 Month old Pitbull puppy

At 12 weeks, or 3 months, you can divide your puppy’s food allowance into three meal times, rather than 4. Although, this transition won’t necessarily happen straight away. If your puppy gets an upset stomach when you change to 3 meals, stick with 4 for a little longer.

4 Month old Pitbull puppy

To get a rough idea of your Pitbull’s adult weight at this time, divide his current weight in pounds by his age in weeks. Then, multiply this number by 52. This is the best time to do this for a medium-sized breed like the American Pitbull Terrier, but take the result with a pinch of salt – it’s not always 100% accurate!

By 4 months old, your Pitbull puppy will look much more adult than when you brought him home. At the end of this month, your puppy will be around half of his adult height.

6 Month old Pitbull puppy

You can reduce your 6 month old Pitbull’s meals from 3 times a day to 2. But, like before, if there are any stomach upsets, just wait a while longer. Your puppy will likely be around two thirds of his adult weight now.

6 Months to 1 Year old Pitbull

During this period, your Pitbull puppy will reach his adult size and weight. At 1 year of age, you may start to transition from puppy food to adult food. But, make sure to follow your vet’s advice on the perfect time to do this for your puppy. Not every adult Pitbull will weigh the exact same, or be the exact same height. So, make sure to take online Pitbull growth charts with a pinch of salt.

When Do Pitbulls Stop Growing?

As a general rule, American Pitbull Terriers are fully grown by a year old. At 4 months, he will be about half of his adult height. And at 6 months, he will be around 2 thirds of his adult weight. 2 to 6 months is when your Pitbull puppy will grow the fastest.

Remember, Pitbull growth charts can only offer a guide to your Pit puppy’s weight, as every dog is different. Some will weigh much more than 38 pounds as adults, but some might weigh less. The most important thing is that they are healthy.

Remember, a Pitbull mix will have a different final weight and age that they stop growing which will be impacted by the breed they are crossed with. You’d expect a Pitbull Corgi mix to be smaller than a Pitbull Lab mix, for instance.

Factors That Affect Pitbull Growth

There are several possible ways that a Pitbulls growth can be impacted.

• Genetics
• Neutering too soon
• Diet
• Illnesses or injuries

Genetics play a part in every part of our development. If your pup’s parents were bigger, chances are they will be too. Same if they were smaller than average.

A neutered dog will have their growth plates slowed and therefore grow taller than an unneutered dog. But they will also have less testosterone so some people feel that male dogs that are neutered have a less masculine appearance if they are neutered before puberty.

Poor diet and illness also play a part in healthy development, as they can prevent the body from putting it’s resources into growth.

How big do blue nose Pitbulls get?

The size of your dog shouldn’t be impacted by their coat color. The average blue nose Pitbull’s full grown height and weight should be the same as the average full grown red nose Pitbull.

Pitbull Height

Adult Pitbull height varies quite a bit. Female Pitbill size is usually smaller, and males are larger. The average Pitbull grows to between 17 and 21 inches tall.

How Much Should A Pitbull weigh?

An adult American Pitbull Terrier usually weighs from 30 to 60 pounds. Females are usually smaller than males. If you’re worried about whether your Pitbull is a healthy weight for their age, check out the expected development stages here to see whether they match up.

Can Pitbulls Weigh 100lbs?

A big Pitbull might weigh up to 60lbs, possibly slightly more. But even a giant Pitbull is not going to be a lot more than that, unless there is something wrong. It’s not just your average fat Pitbull.

Have you seen someone bragging on social media about the massive size of their Pitbul? Although it’s technically possible for a full grown adult Pitbull to weigh 100lbs, it is not possible for them to do so and be healthy. A fit and well dog of this breed can never grow that big without help from an incredibly poor diet.

Is My Pitbull A Healthy Weight?

Some Pitbulls will naturally weigh more than others. So, it’s hard to say exactly what weight your individual Pitbull should be. The best person to tell you this is your vet, because they can look at your dog in person. They will also know a lot more about your lifestyle and your dog’s health.

Generally, American Pitbull Terriers grow between 17 and 21 inches tall. They usually weigh between 30 and 60 pounds. Females are often smaller than males. This breed is medium-sized, but muscular and can look a little stocky. And there is a difference between a standard stocky Pitbull and an overweight Pitbull.

You can see that these stats leave quite a lot of room for individual differences in size. Growth charts are a good way to check off milestones, and to see your Pitbull puppy growth is going in the right direction. But only ever use them as a guide.

Visual Checks

You should not be able to see a little Pitbull puppy’s ribs in the first 6 months. But, you should be able to easily feel them. If you can see your puppy’s ribs, check with the vet that your dog is not too skinny. But, if you are unable to even feel your dog’s ribs, check with the vet that he isn’t too plump.

This can be used when your dog is over 6 months old too. You can also look for a visible waist and tuck – where your dog’s stomach slopes upwards from his ribs to his hind legs. If you’re not sure that your Pitbull is a healthy size or weight, check with your vet.

Best Pitbull Diet

If you’re looking for a Pitbull growth chart, you might also be wondering if your Pitbull is eating the right food, and the right amount of food. We’ve briefly touched on meal frequencies. From 2 to 3 months, puppies tend to eat 4 meals a day. At 3 months, this reduces to 3 meals, and at 6 months, it reduces again to 2 meals a day.

At a year old, you will likely make a transition to adult food. From this point onwards their food will stay the same until they are into their senior years. So a 3 year old Pitbull will have the same diet as a 1 or 5 year old Pitbull.

Puppies need a specific puppy food because they have a lot of growing to do. Puppy food has a very different nutritional balance to adult food, which you can read more about here. If you’re unsure about the best puppy food for Pitbulls, speak to your vet. You can also look at our top recommended brands in this guide. the top adult Pitbull foods.

Pitbull Exercise Needs

If you’ve used a Pitbull growth chart and are worried your Pitbull needs to lose weight, you might need to check they’re getting enough exercise. Obesity is a growing problem in pets, but giving your dog the right amount of food and exercise will help you avoid this issue.

Staying a healthy weight will help your Pitbull have the longest lifespan possible. American Pitbull Terriers can be prone to hip dysplasia, which can be made worse by obesity. Pitbulls are active dogs, so they need plenty of exercise every day. They will enjoy having a safe, enclosed space to run around in. They’re intelligent dogs, so will also enjoy dog sports like agility and obedience.

Health, Size and Life Expectancy

It’s no secret that being very overweight is sadly bad for your dog’s health. A skinny Pitbull, who is slim but not emaciated of course, will have a better chance of a long life than a chubby Pitbull.

Working hard to make sure that they have a good diet, and the right amount of exercise, will help your adult Pitbull to stay with you as long as possible.

Pitbull Growth Chart

What development stage is your Pitbull puppy in at the moment? We would love to hear about your experiences with Pitbull puppy growth in the comments. Make sure to share your top tips for keeping Pitbull dogs healthy!

Readers Also Liked

• Staffordshire Bull Terrier
• English Bull Terrier
• American Staffordshire Terrier
• Blue Brindle Pitbull
• What Size Crate for a Pitbull?
• Best Pitbull Toys
• Red Nose Pitbull
• Pitbull Ear Cropping
• Best Dog Ramp For SUV And Large Vehicle Owners

References and Resources

• Witte, P. ‘Hip Dysplasia: Understanding the Options (Conservative Management)’, Companion Animal (2019)
• German, A. ‘The Growing Problem of Obesity in Dogs and Cats’, The Journal of Nutrition (2006)
• Munoz-Prieto, A. (et al), ‘European Dog Owner Perceptions of Obesity and Factors Associated with Human and Canine Obesity’, Scientific Reports (2018)