About PawScale

Our Mission

PawScale helps dog owners track their pet's weight and nutrition with data-driven tools. We believe every dog owner deserves access to accurate, verifiable breed-specific weight and calorie data — not guesswork.

Our goal is to make veterinary-grade reference data freely available, clearly sourced, and easy to understand for every pet parent.

Where Our Data Comes From

Every piece of data on PawScale is sourced from verifiable, authoritative references. We don't make up numbers.

• AKC Breed Standards

  Breed weight ranges and size categories from the American Kennel Club’s official breed standards.

• WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines

  Veterinary nutrition frameworks from the World Small Animal Veterinary Association.

• FCI Breed Standards

  International breed standards from the Fédération Cynologique Internationale for breeds not recognized by AKC.

• RER/DER Formulas

  Calorie calculations based on the Resting Energy Requirement formula: RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)⁰·⁷⁵, with activity and life-stage multipliers from veterinary nutrition literature.

• Body Condition Score

  9-point BCS system based on the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) guidelines.

• Puppy Growth Data

  Growth milestones compiled from AKC puppy growth guidelines and breed-specific veterinary studies.

How We Maintain Accuracy

We follow a structured editorial process to ensure data accuracy:

1. 1

   Source Selection

   We only use data from recognized veterinary organizations, kennel clubs, and peer-reviewed nutrition research. We do not use user-submitted data or unverified sources.

2. 2

   Cross-Referencing

   Each breed’s weight range is cross-referenced between at least two sources (e.g., AKC + FCI). When sources disagree, we note the range and explain the discrepancy.

3. 3

   Male/Female Differentiation

   Where breed standards specify different weight ranges for males and females, we display both separately.

4. 4

   Regular Review

   Data is reviewed quarterly. The “Last reviewed” date at the bottom of each breed page indicates when the data was last verified against current standards.

5. 5

   Community Feedback

   If you believe data on a specific breed page is inaccurate, please contact us. We review every correction request.

What We're Transparent About

• PawScale is an informational resource, not a veterinary service. Our data should not replace professional veterinary advice.

• Weight ranges represent breed standards, not individual dogs. Mixed breeds, dogs with health conditions, and working dogs may fall outside standard ranges.

• Calorie calculations are estimates based on established formulas. Individual calorie needs vary based on metabolism, health status, and activity level.

• We do not have a veterinary advisor on staff. Instead, we build trust through source transparency — every number is traceable to its origin.