Every dog's joints do the same job, but size changes how much they carry and which problems tend to show up. Small breeds are more prone to kneecaps that slip out of place, while large and giant breeds grow for longer and are the dogs most often affected by hip and elbow dysplasia. At every size, good joint support starts with a lean body and a vet who knows your dog.
If you're weighing up a daily joint chew, size changes the count, not the chew. Everhound Hip & Joint is one chicken-flavor soft chew served by weight, from 1 a day for dogs under 25 lb to 5 a day for dogs over 100 lb. The full table is further down.
What size changes: growth and weight
Two things set big and small dogs apart: how long they grow, and how much weight their joints carry once they're grown.
Growth. According to Canine Arthritis Resources and Education (CARE), smaller dogs' growth plates have usually closed by 12 months of age, while a giant breed's may stay open until 18 months. CARE names three of the biggest risk factors for developmental joint disease: being a large or giant breed, free-choice feeding (especially of very energy-dense food), and too much calcium and vitamin D from food, treats or supplements. It advises against adding supplements for a growing large or giant puppy who already eats a commercial diet.
That's one reason many vets wait until growth is done before adding a joint supplement. Cornell's Riney Canine Health Center notes that some vets suggest starting around 1 year, when most dogs stop growing, while others go by activity level and risk factors. For a giant puppy, "done growing" can come months later. Our guide on when to start a dog joint supplement goes into the timing.
Weight. Cornell also says excess weight contributes to the onset and progression of joint disease. One long-running study shows how much: 48 Labrador Retrievers were split into littermate pairs, and one dog in each pair ate 25% less of the same food for life. In the lifetime results, the leaner dogs showed the first X-ray signs of hip arthritis at a median age of 12 years, compared with 6 years for the dogs fed freely.
Weight counts at the small end too. On a 10 lb dog, one extra pound is 10% of their body weight.
Small dogs (under about 25 lb)
The joint problem small-dog owners hear about most is a kneecap that slips out of its groove, called patellar luxation. The American College of Veterinary Surgeons says it mainly affects small dogs, naming Boston and Yorkshire terriers among the breeds. Many dogs suddenly carry a back leg up for a few steps, seem to skip, or shake and stretch the leg before using it again. Over time, the slipping can wear away cartilage and lead to arthritis. Your vet diagnoses and grades it, and the treatment depends on how severe it is.
Long-backed breeds have a second thing to watch: the spine. The ACVS says breeds such as Dachshunds, Pekingese, Beagles and Lhasa Apsos account for most disc ruptures, with Dachshunds alone behind 45–70% of cases. Back or neck pain, refusing to walk, or a wobbly back end with crossing feet means seeing a vet right away. That's a spine problem, not a hip one, and it needs an exam.
Day to day, small dogs do well with steps or ramps to the couch and car, a lean body, and the 1-chew serving for dogs under 25 lb.
Medium dogs (about 25 to 55 lb)
Medium dogs sit between the small-dog kneecap and the big-dog hip, and for them the knee ligament is the one to know. The ACVS says cranial cruciate ligament disease, the dog version of a torn ACL, can affect dogs of every size and breed. It usually isn't a single sporting accident. The ligament weakens slowly over time, and partial tears almost always progress to full tears. Poor body condition and excess weight are risk factors, so the ACVS recommends consistent conditioning with regular activity and a close eye on food intake.
In practice, that means steady daily exercise rather than weekend bursts, meals measured rather than guessed, and a vet visit for any back-leg limp that doesn't clear up. Medium dogs fall into the 2-chew (25–50 lb) or 3-chew (50–75 lb) serving. If your dog works, hunts or competes, our guide to joint support for active and sport dogs covers conditioning and rest days.
Large breed dogs (about 55 to 100 lb)
Large breeds are where hip and elbow dysplasia come up most:
- Hip dysplasia occurs most commonly in large breed dogs, per the ACVS. Genetics is the biggest single risk factor, and rapid weight gain and growth from overfeeding can make it worse. The loose hip loses cartilage over time, and the ACVS advises keeping dogs with hip dysplasia very slim from puppyhood to old age.
- Elbow dysplasia is most common in large to giant breeds, according to the ACVS, with signs often starting from about 5 months of age. It leads to progressive arthritis in the elbow.
- Cruciate ligament disease is more common in some large breeds, with Labrador Retrievers and Rottweilers among those named by the ACVS.
CARE lists Labradors, Great Danes and German Shepherds as breeds with a higher risk of joint problems. If you share your home with one, our breed guides for Labradors and German Shepherds go deeper. Large dogs take 3 chews at 50–75 lb and 4 chews at 75–100 lb.
Giant breed dogs (over about 100 lb)
CARE calls a dog over 99 lb a giant breed. For these dogs, much of the joint story is written in puppyhood. Their growth plates can stay open until 18 months, so they spend longer in the stage where fast growth, free feeding and extra calcium raise the risk of developmental joint disease. CARE's advice is measured meals rather than a bowl that's always full, and no added supplements on top of a complete commercial puppy food unless your vet says so.
As adults, giants carry the most weight through every joint, so lean body condition and non-slip footing at home matter even more. The serving tops out at 5 chews a day for any dog over 100 lb. There's no sixth chew for a 150 lb dog, and at 5 a day a 120-chew jar lasts 24 days.
Serving is set by weight, not by size
The size groups above are loose, and they don't line up exactly with the serving bands. CARE's "large" starts at 55 lb, for example, while the serving steps up every 25 lb. So go by the scale:
| Dog's current weight | Daily serving, with food |
|---|---|
| Under 25 lb | 1 chew |
| 25–50 lb | 2 chews |
| 50–75 lb | 3 chews |
| 75–100 lb | 4 chews |
| Over 100 lb | 5 chews |
Timing, missed days, how long a jar lasts and storage are all in our guide on how to give joint chews with food.
Everhound Hip & Joint is made for adult and aging dogs of every size. Each chew carries glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, organic turmeric, yucca, egg shell meal and vitamins C and E for daily support of joints, cartilage and mobility. It's made cold in the USA, never cooked, and backed by a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Signs that need a vet now, at any size
Whatever your dog's size, don't wait on a supplement if you see:
- a sudden limp, or a leg your dog won't put weight on
- crying out when touched, picked up or getting up
- wobbly, crossing or dragging back legs
- collapse, or not being able to stand
See your veterinarian right away. Once you know what's going on, your vet can tell you whether a daily chew belongs in the plan. If it does, Everhound Hip & Joint is one jar for every size.
FAQ
Do large and giant dogs need a special large-breed formula?
Not with Everhound. There's one chew for every adult dog, and the count rises with weight: 4 chews at 75–100 lb and 5 chews over 100 lb. A heavier dog simply gets more of the same chew.
Is one chew a day really enough for a small dog?
Yes. One whole chew a day, with food, is the label serving for dogs under 25 lb. If your dog has trouble eating it, ask your vet.
My dog sits right between two sizes. Which serving do I use?
Ignore the size label and use the scale. Find your dog's current weight in the table above and give that serving. Reweigh every few months, especially if your dog is gaining or losing.
When can a giant breed puppy start a joint chew?
Everhound Hip & Joint is for adult dogs, and giant breeds finish growing later than most, sometimes not until 18 months. Talk to your vet about timing, and keep puppy meals measured in the meantime.