growth has suddenly fallen off

AngieW · 12-27-2012, 07:54 PM

Kylie was gaining 2-2.5 pounds each week up until about 3 weeks ago. She has gained only 3.5 pounds over the past 3 weeks (just 1-1.5 pounds each week when I check her weight). She is nearly 6 months old now. Her estimated date of birth from the shelter was 7/1/2012. She was supposedly 8 weeks old when the shelter got her and 10.5 weeks old when we got her.

Is that a normal time for her growth to drop off so suddenly? I figured it wouldn't slow down that much for at least another month.

She lost her last puppy tooth about 3 weeks ago and has had all of her adult teeth for about 2 weeks now. She is 40 pounds now.

We are pretty sure that she isn't purebred since we got her at the shelter, but it's possible.

1sttimeforgsd · 12-27-2012, 08:06 PM

Could just be a stage that she is going through, most puppies do not quit growing at that early of an age. Is she still eating good and just as playful as ever?

KZoppa · 12-27-2012, 08:12 PM

usually around 6 months old, growing slows down some. Its hard growing! Our male is GSD/border collie. his growth slowed down a good amount when he was between 6 and 7 months old. keep in mind, if she's genetically going to be a larger dog, growing too fast can cause physical damage so nature slows it down after a point.

AngieW · 12-27-2012, 09:19 PM

The vet had estimated her maximum adult weight to be 60 pounds and she is 40 pounds now. She seems pretty perfectly in proportion. It just seemed kind of sudden for her growth to slow down so much. I weigh her every week and she was consistently 2-2.5 pounds every week except for the last three weeks when she has been 1-1.5 pounds (for a total of 3.5 pounds over 3 weeks).

She seems to be pretty much the same as she had been except that she isn't nearly as mouthy now that she is done teething and she can handle being alone for longer. We did have to have somebody downstairs with her all the time she wasn't in her crate and now we can leave her alone downstairs for as long as an hour at a time once or twice during the day. I attribute that to maturity though. She is eating just as much as she had been.

Doc · 12-27-2012, 09:32 PM

As a general rule, at 6 months the pup is 2/3rds grown.

12-27-2012, 07:54 PM	#1 (permalink)
AngieW Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 107	growth has suddenly fallen off Kylie was gaining 2-2.5 pounds each week up until about 3 weeks ago. She has gained only 3.5 pounds over the past 3 weeks (just 1-1.5 pounds each week when I check her weight). She is nearly 6 months old now. Her estimated date of birth from the shelter was 7/1/2012. She was supposedly 8 weeks old when the shelter got her and 10.5 weeks old when we got her. Is that a normal time for her growth to drop off so suddenly? I figured it wouldn't slow down that much for at least another month. She lost her last puppy tooth about 3 weeks ago and has had all of her adult teeth for about 2 weeks now. She is 40 pounds now. We are pretty sure that she isn't purebred since we got her at the shelter, but it's possible.

12-27-2012, 08:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
1sttimeforgsd Crowned Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: West Virginia Posts: 6,821	Could just be a stage that she is going through, most puppies do not quit growing at that early of an age. Is she still eating good and just as playful as ever? __________________ karen, mom to: ace-gsd (bi-color) 6/14/2010 mandy-yellow lab 1/31/2009 baby-terrier mix 11/25/2000

12-27-2012, 08:12 PM	#3 (permalink)
KZoppa Crowned Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 16,249	usually around 6 months old, growing slows down some. Its hard growing! Our male is GSD/border collie. his growth slowed down a good amount when he was between 6 and 7 months old. keep in mind, if she's genetically going to be a larger dog, growing too fast can cause physical damage so nature slows it down after a point. __________________ The more people I meet and talk to,the more I love my dogs and their intelligence. Zena GSD 6/1/03 Shasta GSD 5/5/10 "Dax" Thor z vom Weberhaus GSD 3/18/2013 Riley GSD/BC 1/10/05-2/1/2013

12-27-2012, 09:19 PM	#4 (permalink)
AngieW Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 107	The vet had estimated her maximum adult weight to be 60 pounds and she is 40 pounds now. She seems pretty perfectly in proportion. It just seemed kind of sudden for her growth to slow down so much. I weigh her every week and she was consistently 2-2.5 pounds every week except for the last three weeks when she has been 1-1.5 pounds (for a total of 3.5 pounds over 3 weeks). She seems to be pretty much the same as she had been except that she isn't nearly as mouthy now that she is done teething and she can handle being alone for longer. We did have to have somebody downstairs with her all the time she wasn't in her crate and now we can leave her alone downstairs for as long as an hour at a time once or twice during the day. I attribute that to maturity though. She is eating just as much as she had been.

12-27-2012, 09:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
Doc Elite Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,776	As a general rule, at 6 months the pup is 2/3rds grown.

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