# Freaking Out About Puppy Weight



## Alicia Mertz (Mar 28, 2006)

Okay, now I'm having a heart attack...

I knew when I picked up Dom from the breeder that he was thin - very thin. In fact, at 9 weeks, he was just _under_ 10 pounds.

Now, at 11 weeks, he's put on quite a bit of weight (although he still looks too lean to me, which is why we're pumping him full of calories) and is almost 20lbs.

However, I've been reading posts on some other forums, and he still seems a LOT smaller than not only the average, but everyone else's puppies as well!! Someone posted an \"average weight by age\" chart, and according to it, this Saturday, he should weigh about 31 pounds... Ain't gonna happen!!!

He looks quite tall to me and he's definitely got some large bones. Does anyone else have, like, a shoulder measurement or another barometer for their similarly aged puppy so that I know whether he's just still thin or whether he's actually small? With my luck, the breeder's idea of the \"pick\" was the freaking RUNT because she hates me so much...

Alicia


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## Guest (Mar 28, 2006)

Ok, relax  . Caleb weighed 15lbs at his puppy exam at just under 9 weeks. He was not skinny, and had no worms. He is also very heavy-boned. Even now, he looks smaller than he is; he's just a heavy dog. He did not grow very fast at all until about 14 wks. I did not keep track, but 31 lbs, he was not! And he's about 93lbs now  . So, I don't think you have much to worry about, unless you need Dom to weigh about 189lbs at maturity :lol: . Different lines mature at different rates, and getting upset b/c your dog doesn't fit some ridiculous chart's ideal. These dogs mature SLOWLY. I see lots of dogs who look much older at 6 weeks than Caleb looked at 8. (see pic). On the flipside, he looked like an adult (to the common beholder) at 7mos. RELAX! :wink: Skinny is better than fat-you don't need 2 dogs w/HD, and he's far less likely to get it staying thin and growing slowly. What's the hurry?  

9 weeks









15? weeks-AWKWARD PHASE! :lol: 









Hope these pics help you gauge a little...


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## Alicia Mertz (Mar 28, 2006)

::breathes a sigh of relief:: Do you think I could marry you, Jenni? :wink: Just kidding, just kidding... Although, if everyone else is drumming you off the board, it might be a welcome alternative! :lol:

Thanks for the post. That does make me feel better. Sounds like maybe his bloodlines are to blame. I guess I just figured that since Dargo and Cak are both monsterous, he should be, too. Never occurred to me that they could have been scrawny puppies.  

So with these dumb ass questions, how long before I get drummed off the board? LMAO


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Alicia Mertz said:


> ::.......So with these dumb ass questions, how long before I get drummed off the board? LMAO


Never. The only stupid question is a question you already know the answer to.*

Besides everything Jenni said, don't forget that the smaller the dog, the less vulnerability to joint problems and (later on) heart-related problems.

I would go by what your vet says. Every vet I have met agrees that thin is better than chubby, and that slow growth is better than spurts.

*Although I guess it's possible Mike will go nuts, heady with power, and start banning people left and right. :lol:


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

I too, think skinny is weigh (haha) better. I don't think there is any proof that overweight = HD, but I do believe that perhaps if the dogs hips aren't good, being an overweight puppy might make them turn out worse. Personally, I'm keeping mine pretty skinny (although he is not too skinny as far as working dog people are concerned, I have heard the comment from some rolly polly type believers that he is too thin) :lol:


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

susan tuck said:


> I too, think skinny is weigh (haha) better. I don't think there is any proof that overweight = HD, but I do believe that perhaps if the dogs hips aren't good, being an overweight puppy might make them turn out worse.......


Oh, right........I actually meant degenerative joint disease like osteoarthritis, but HD is a good point. I can't believe overweight would *help* any if there was HD present.

Ho ho ho to your pun, which took me a minute!!! :lol:


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

OMG, you are so right. I didn't even think about OA. There are just so many good reasons to keep dogs slim.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

susan tuck said:


> OMG, you are so right. I didn't even think about OA. There are just so many good reasons to keep dogs slim.


Just like us! I do better with my dogs..........


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## Guest (Mar 28, 2006)

Sorry for the giant pics; I just couldn't quite describe what I meant, and as the saying goes...a picture's worth a thousand words. Caleb was not fast-growing by any means, had strange, humorous phases, and turned out pretty damned handsome, if you ask his unbiased Mom! According to the ortho specialist, is STILL growing at 28mos! He was only about 80lbs at 15mos, and is 93lbs now, with slightly visible ribs. I'm glad Connie and Susan agree w/me on weight as it relates to health, and Connie, I know, has tons of health info that I'm hoping she continues to be generous with  . 

About marrying you; let me know how the weather in NC is right now, and I'll get back to you :lol: . I'm not a huge fan of marriage, though-too many rules! :lol:


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## Alicia Mertz (Mar 28, 2006)

So far, EVERYONE has been very generous with their knowledge on this board. I'm really quite pleased you asked me to join, Jenni.  Thanks again!

Honestly, this board (with its, what, 20 users?) is more active and the members seem more knowledgable and friendly than the other two much larger boards that I frequent. How is that? I guess we've just got a good group of people here. 8) 

Thanks everyone for the awesome advice and consolation. And yeah, I know deep down from working with warmbloods (horses) for years and years that slow development doesn't necessarily mean small and that too much too fast leads to problems down the road. I guess I should have just applied that to dogs, as well.


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## Anne Jones (Mar 27, 2006)

My female was only barely 16 lbs at 9+ weeks & is 60 lbs at almost 2 1/2 years. She is on the trim side but not thin & is very well muscled. I had to take her to the ER vet a couple of weeks ago (she scratched her throat with a piece of stick that she was chewing on & was bleeding) The vet kept remarking on how fit she was. She kept saying things like: a dog in the quality of condition that she is in.... she is is such great condition....& a dog as fit & muscled as she is.......I guess that they are used to seeing only all the couch potato labs & goldens. She finally asked me what kind of working dog she was & what she did. I thought that she was going to flip when I told her what she did. She then told me that she had had her face almost in her mouth to look down her throat with a light to check her. She also remarked on how well behaved & stable of a temperment she had even in such a stressfull situation. I just said...it's in the genes....good breeding. Anyway, didn't mean to rant...we were talking about weight. My male is almost 3 1/2 & he is only a hair under 80 lbs. He is in goog weight for his conformation & structure. Not ribby thin but trim. I thinkg that if they are well fed, good food...(I feed raw) and exercised that they are healthy. They will find their own weight based on their genetics. They grow in steady increments & sometimes in spirts of growth. I would not panic unless the pup is not eating & playing normally.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Don't stress over the weight. the worst thing you could do is make him a fat, rolly polly puppy.


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## Hil Harrison (Mar 29, 2006)

Bob Scott said:


> Don't stress over the weight. the worst thing you could do is make him a fat, rolly polly puppy.


I agree with Bob. Just watch the weight a bit but dont focus too much on it. I dont weigh my lot at all. Just checking on them with the eye and if the food is going in ok or they need more is more important. Dogs differ in weight anyway. Dont panic :lol: :lol: :lol: stay calm! :lol:


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## Alicia Mertz (Mar 28, 2006)

::chants over and over in head:: I will not stress out. I will not stress out. I will not stress out. I will not....

Okay. ::breathes:: I think maybe I've calmed down a little bit. Although the bugger still looks thin to me!!! :| Patience, grasshopper, right? Okay...


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## Selena van Leeuwen (Mar 29, 2006)

Shepherd puppies usually grow about 1 kg (is that 2 pounds?) a week. So, in average, a 15 week old puppy weighs about 15 kg. If they about 20 wks, they differ in grow pattern...don´t worry.. They better grow very slow and regarly, then fast and with growing pains or hd.


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2006)

Alicia, dear, one can never be too rich or too thin... :wink:


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Arkane went to the vet yesterday for his last series of puppy shots. He is 16wks & weighed 42 lbs, BUT he is thin, well tucked up, not fleshy over the ribs, can still feel backbone & hip bones easily. Vet thought he looked good, not heavy at all. :lol:


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## Stacia Porter (Apr 8, 2006)

*Puppy weight*

My guy's always been on the slim side, and I like it that way! I got him at 9 weeks and he was about 13 lbs (I think, don't quote me LOL).

He's 12 months now and 65 cm at the withers, but only 62 lbs. I was told over and over again that a dog at his proper weight has a defined waist when viewed from above and you can feel his ribs (they should feel like the knuckles of your hands). He'll fill out to 75 lbs or so over the next year, but these dogs are not designed to be massive monsters.

I have found that my dog's more agile than \"fatter\" puppies, as well. I'm not sure about HD, but it does make sense to me that if your dog is already predisposed to the condition, extra weight on teh haunches can only worsen teh problem.

I think you'll find that as your puppy grows, he'll go through some very funny changes. Sometimes his head'll look too big for his body, other times his feet will look huge, or his legs too long, or his ears too big. Just make sure to get picture so you remember it later (and of course this works as black mail when you threaten your dog with pasting these goofy pics all over the internet :wink: )


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

LOL :lol: :lol: Yeah, I most def agree. Skinny is better & thats what I'm doing. I alsways like the look of a skinny, hard dog anyway, to say nothing of how much better it is for his health. Now if someone would just monitor MY intake & portion control, I might be able to fit into those old jeans I was going to make tugs with! Only kidding, at my age, even if I lost the weight, things still wouldn't look the same (gravity has taken a toll). :lol:


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Zorba was my only GSD that ever had weight issues. He could look at kibble & gain wieght. He was built like a frieght train, though! All my GSD's previous to him were easy to keep slim, & I can tell this guy will be easy to keep thin, too.


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