Puppy growth

Colleen · 02-20-2013, 04:35 PM

My shepherd puppy is almost 16 weeks old and is very small for his age. When we got him we were told that he had gotten very sick from an infection and was pretty close to dying when the breeder discovered that Klaus wasn't eating. After being fed via syringe he was able to come home with us about a month ago. At 14 weeks he weighed 7 lbs and the following week he weighed about 10. He is now a happy and healthy boy. I know that he is very small for his age (when it comes to averages for the breed) but will he catch up?

The breeder says that he should get to 70-75 lbs like the rest of his litter-mates, but can he still reach his potential if he's still so small?

Mary Beth · 02-20-2013, 09:34 PM

Yes - your pup has been thru a lot, but he is only 14 weeks - so now that he is healthy, he will start to catch up. GSDs don't fully mature until they are 2 years old - so he has lots of time to grow up.

Capone22 · 02-20-2013, 11:00 PM

My dog was 7 pounds at 12 weeks. She was sick also. She was tiny! Short and bony. But now she is 7.5 months, 40 pounds and beautiful! She's on the small side but should end up on the low end of standard. How tall is your dog at the withers? That tells a lot more, I think.

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Colleen · 02-20-2013, 11:36 PM

He's about 16 weeks old and 15 inches to his withers. I can tell that he has grown a lot in the past week and a half but haven't gotten a weight on him since his last vet visit.

Movin64 · 02-21-2013, 08:29 PM

they will catch up some just take longer then others , my female was small, when she was that age , and now she is almost a 100 . but her parents were large also my male is 10 months old and 94.3 lbs

DixieGSD · 02-21-2013, 08:45 PM

Yes I agree he should catch up. Mine was the runt of the litter and so she was really small and at just 8 months old she is over 70 pounds and lean. She had a huge growth spurt at about 5 months, and has been growing steadily ever since lol

sjackson310 · 02-22-2013, 12:45 PM

Not to be pessimistic, but it does stunt them a lot of the time. My 2 year old was very sick when I got him and he maxed out at 68 lbs. His brothers were between 88-100 lbs. He is the best dog ever though and I wouldn't trade him for the world.

My vet saw him for the first time in a long time and said he was shocked he reached over 40 lbs... He was 2.6 lbs when I got him at about a month old. At 14 weeks, he was 14 lbs though. But I had more time to rehabilitate him at an earlier age than you do. But anyways, good luck and I am super happy your boy found a good home!

02-20-2013, 04:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
Colleen New Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Florida Posts: 8	Puppy growth My shepherd puppy is almost 16 weeks old and is very small for his age. When we got him we were told that he had gotten very sick from an infection and was pretty close to dying when the breeder discovered that Klaus wasn't eating. After being fed via syringe he was able to come home with us about a month ago. At 14 weeks he weighed 7 lbs and the following week he weighed about 10. He is now a happy and healthy boy. I know that he is very small for his age (when it comes to averages for the breed) but will he catch up? The breeder says that he should get to 70-75 lbs like the rest of his litter-mates, but can he still reach his potential if he's still so small?

02-20-2013, 09:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mary Beth Elite Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Pierre, South Dakota Posts: 1,287	Yes - your pup has been thru a lot, but he is only 14 weeks - so now that he is healthy, he will start to catch up. GSDs don't fully mature until they are 2 years old - so he has lots of time to grow up. __________________ Sting Chance von Gaard AKC GSD 2/8/2006

02-20-2013, 11:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
Capone22 Master Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Southern California Posts: 931	Puppy growth My dog was 7 pounds at 12 weeks. She was sick also. She was tiny! Short and bony. But now she is 7.5 months, 40 pounds and beautiful! She's on the small side but should end up on the low end of standard. How tall is your dog at the withers? That tells a lot more, I think. Sent from Petguide.com Free App

02-21-2013, 08:29 PM	#5 (permalink)
Movin64 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Washington state Posts: 45	they will catch up some just take longer then others , my female was small, when she was that age , and now she is almost a 100 . but her parents were large also my male is 10 months old and 94.3 lbs __________________ My pack Cadie Belle Von female GSD Maximus Shadow von Male GSD

02-21-2013, 08:45 PM	#6 (permalink)
DixieGSD Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Idaho Posts: 192	Yes I agree he should catch up. Mine was the runt of the litter and so she was really small and at just 8 months old she is over 70 pounds and lean. She had a huge growth spurt at about 5 months, and has been growing steadily ever since lol __________________ Bree Dixie-Born 06-04-12

02-20-2013, 11:36 PM	#4 (permalink)
Colleen New Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Florida Posts: 8	He's about 16 weeks old and 15 inches to his withers. I can tell that he has grown a lot in the past week and a half but haven't gotten a weight on him since his last vet visit.

02-22-2013, 12:45 PM	#7 (permalink)
sjackson310 Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 94	Not to be pessimistic, but it does stunt them a lot of the time. My 2 year old was very sick when I got him and he maxed out at 68 lbs. His brothers were between 88-100 lbs. He is the best dog ever though and I wouldn't trade him for the world. My vet saw him for the first time in a long time and said he was shocked he reached over 40 lbs... He was 2.6 lbs when I got him at about a month old. At 14 weeks, he was 14 lbs though. But I had more time to rehabilitate him at an earlier age than you do. But anyways, good luck and I am super happy your boy found a good home!

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