Poodle (Standard) growth chart

The AKC standard gives 27.2 to 31.8 kg for males and 18.1 to 22.7 kg for females, and 38.1 cm and up at the shoulder for the standard. That places the Poodle (Standard) in the large size category, so its growth follows that curve, scaled to this breed’s own published weight rather than to a category average.

What the breed standard says

AKC published figures for the Poodle (Standard)
MeasureMetricAs the source states it
Weight, male27.2 to 31.8 kg60-70 pounds (male standard), 40-50 pounds (female standard)
Weight, female18.1 to 22.7 kg60-70 pounds (male standard), 40-50 pounds (female standard)
Height, standard38.1 cm and upover 15 inches (standard)
Life expectancy10 to 18 years10-18 years
AKC popularityRanks 7 of 210AKC breed registration statistics

Figures are from the AKC breed standard for the Poodle (Standard). Its pounds and inches are converted to metric above. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the AKC.

Poodle (Standard) weight by age

Percentages are the large category curve. Weights are those percentages applied to this breed’s published adult range, so the middle column is a Poodle (Standard) at the centre of its standard.

Expected weight by age for a male Poodle (Standard)
AgePercent grownExpected weightRange across the standard
12 weeks (2.8 months)31%9.2 kg (20 lb)8.5 to 10 kg
16 weeks (3.7 months)41%12.2 kg (27 lb)11.2 to 13.1 kg
20 weeks (4.6 months)53%15.6 kg (35 lb)14.4 to 16.9 kg
26 weeks (6.0 months)69%20.4 kg (45 lb)18.9 to 22 kg
34 weeks (7.8 months)84%24.8 kg (55 lb)22.9 to 26.7 kg
43 weeks (9.9 months)91%26.8 kg (59 lb)24.7 to 28.9 kg
52 weeks (12.0 months)93%27.4 kg (60 lb)25.3 to 29.6 kg
78 weeks (1.5 years)98%28.9 kg (64 lb)26.6 to 31.2 kg
104 weeks (2.0 years)100%29.5 kg (65 lb)27.2 to 31.8 kg
Expected weight by age for a female Poodle (Standard)
AgePercent grownExpected weightRange across the standard
12 weeks33%6.8 kg (15 lb)6 to 7.6 kg
16 weeks43%8.9 kg (20 lb)7.9 to 9.9 kg
20 weeks55%11.3 kg (25 lb)10 to 12.6 kg
26 weeks71%14.4 kg (32 lb)12.8 to 16 kg
34 weeks84%17.1 kg (38 lb)15.2 to 19 kg
43 weeks91%18.6 kg (41 lb)16.5 to 20.7 kg
52 weeks93%19 kg (42 lb)16.9 to 21.2 kg
78 weeks97%19.8 kg (44 lb)17.6 to 22.1 kg
104 weeks100%20.4 kg (45 lb)18.1 to 22.7 kg

When a Poodle (Standard) finishes growing

  • Half adult weight at around 5 months.
  • 90% of adult weight at around 10 months.
  • Essentially finished by around 24 months.
  • Senior from about 7 years, following AAHA life stage guidance, which sets senior status by proportion of expected lifespan rather than a fixed birthday.

Height finishes before weight. A Poodle (Standard) that has stopped getting taller will still be filling out through the chest and shoulders for months afterwards, which is why an apparently full-grown dog can carry on gaining.

Feeding a Poodle (Standard) puppy

At six months a male at the middle of the standard weighs about 20.4 kg and needs roughly 1,346 kcal a day. A grown one at 29.5 kg needs about 1,772 kcal. Both come from Merck’s resting energy formula with the growth multiplier applied.

Large breed growth formula, and no calcium supplement. Puppies absorb calcium passively until around six months and cannot down-regulate when intake is high. AAFCO caps large breed growth formulas at about 4.5 g per 1,000 kcal, with concerns reported above roughly 3.6. Feed a complete large breed puppy food and leave the calcium alone.

Across a whole first year that adds up to a real number, and the puppy price calculator works it out month by month for this size of dog.

Work out actual portions with the feeding calculator above, or the daily figure alone with the calorie calculator for a puppy. Both need the energy density from your bag, because two foods of the same weight can differ by hundreds of calories.

How much to trust this chart

  • The curve is the size category, not the breed. Salt et al. grouped dogs by adult bodyweight because that is what predicts growth. There is no Poodle (Standard) dimension in the source data, and any page claiming a breed-specific curve from it is claiming more than it has.
  • The weights are the breed, though. They are the category percentages applied to the AKC published range, so the table ends where this breed actually ends. Our guide to how breed growth charts are actually built works through what that does and does not buy you.
  • A breed standard is a target, not a census. Plenty of healthy dogs sit outside it. Steady progress along one line beats hitting any particular number.
  • Mixes are a different question. If your puppy is part Poodle (Standard), the mixed breed puppy size calculator will do better than this page.

Frequently asked questions

How big will my Poodle (Standard) get?

The AKC standard gives 27.2 to 31.8 kg for males and 18.1 to 22.7 kg for females. The source states it as 60-70 pounds (male standard), 40-50 pounds (female standard).

Height runs 38.1 cm and up at the shoulder for the standard.

Those are the breed standard, not a prediction for your dog. A Poodle (Standard) at the top of the range and one at the bottom are both entirely normal, and the puppy adult weight calculator will narrow it down from your puppy's current weight.

When does a Poodle (Standard) stop growing?

Around 24 months for practical purposes, with the curve passing 90% of adult weight at about 10 months.

That is the large category curve rather than a measurement on this breed specifically. Bigger dogs finish later: filling out in the chest and shoulders carries on for months after height has stopped, so a dog that looks finished may still be gaining.

What should a Poodle (Standard) puppy weigh at 6 months?

About 20.4 kg (45 lb) for a male at the middle of the breed standard, and about 14.4 kg (32 lb) for a female. That is 69% of adult weight.

The full table above gives the rest of the first two years. Treat the figures as the centre of a range, not a target: a puppy tracking steadily along its own line matters far more than hitting a number on a given week.

How much should a Poodle (Standard) eat?

At six months, roughly 1,346 kcal a day, using the Merck resting energy formula with the growth multiplier. A grown one at 29.5 kg needs about 1,772 kcal.

Turn that into portions with the how much should I feed my puppy calculator, which needs the energy density printed on your bag, because two foods at the same weight can differ by hundreds of calories.

Does a Poodle (Standard) puppy need large breed food?

It needs food formulated for large breed growth, yes, and the reason is calcium rather than protein. Puppies absorb calcium passively until around six months and cannot down-regulate when intake is high, so excess goes somewhere.

AAFCO caps large breed growth formulas at about 4.5 g of calcium per 1,000 kcal, with concerns reported above roughly 3.6. The practical rule is simple: feed a complete large breed puppy food and do not supplement it with calcium.

Is this chart specific to the Poodle (Standard)?

Half of it is, and it is worth knowing which half. The percentages come from the large size category in Salt et al. 2017, which has no breed dimension in it at all. Any breed in this category shares that curve.

The weights are this breed's, scaled to the AKC published adult range. That is a more modest claim than a breed-specific curve, and it is the one the data actually supports.

References

Every figure on this page comes from one of these. Full details, including what each source is used for, are on our sources page.

  1. American Kennel Club. Official Breed Standards.
  2. Salt C, Morris PJ, German AJ, Wilson D, Lund EM, Cole TJ, Butterwick RF. Growth standard charts for monitoring bodyweight in dogs of different sizes. PLOS ONE. 2017;12(9):e0182064. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0182064
  3. Merck Veterinary Manual. Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals. Management and Nutrition.
  4. American Animal Hospital Association. AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines.