Thanks to thousands of years of evolution and human meddling, qualities like behavior, coloring, and yes, size, vary widely among dog breeds. In fact, traits like size vary so much that the lightest dog ever recorded, Miracle Milly, only weighed about one pound, whereas the heaviest dog ever recorded was an English Mastiff named Aicama Zorba, who weighed a whopping 343 pounds! These outrageous outliers show us just how wide the range in dog sizes can be.
Big or small, we appreciate our dogs and the things that make them unique – but exactly how are dog sizes categorized and where does your perfect pooch fall on the list? Dog sizes aren’t an exact science and there’s no universally agreed upon metric, but weight is often used to determine which category a dog fits into.
Small Dogs
Including both “toy” and “teacup” dogs, the small dog category has several subsections. Some examples of small dogs include Malteses, pugs, chihuahuas, Pomeranians, and so many more.
Weight
- Small dogs: under 22 pounds (this number can vary from 20 to 25 depending on who you ask)
- Toy dogs: 5 to 12 pounds
- Teacup dogs: Under 5 pounds
ALSO READ: Top 10 Small Hybrid Dogs
Medium Dogs
The upper and lower boundaries of this category are not set in stone, and many may claim that medium sized dogs fit in a smaller range. The only thing that’s certain is that if a dog is neither small nor large, it must be medium! Some common medium sized dog breeds include the Australian shepherd, border collie, American Staffordshire terrier, and the basset hound.
Weight
- 23 to 59 pounds
Great products to help you determine your dog’s size:
Large Dogs
Too small to be truly shocking, large dogs are just big enough to take up all of the space on the couch, leaving nothing for you. Alaskan malamutes, bloodhounds, boxers, and lovable Labrador retrievers are all large sized dogs.
Weight
- 60 – 99 pounds
ALSO READ: Top 10 Large Hybrid Dogs
Extra Large or “Giant” Dogs
Just like the smallest of the small, giant dogs will leave a lasting impression. Some breeds that fit in this category are the Saint Bernard, the Great Dane, and the English mastiff.
Weight
- More than 100 pounds
