Puppy Weight

by **pitbullmamaliz** » May 10th, 2006, 7:59 am

Is there an average # of pounds that pups should be gaining per week? Inara is 6 1/2 months old, and since I switched her to raw I'm going to be keeping a close eye on her weight so she doesn't get fat or skinny. Should she be gaining a pound a week or anything like that? Or is it just kind of random?

by **katiek0417** » May 10th, 2006, 9:45 am

I think it's different for different breeds....

Although, I think my pup had "growth spurts" at 3-4 months, 6 months, 7.5 months, and she's hitting another now (9 months)....so, she might gain 1 or 2 lbs a month, but between 6 months old and 7 months old, she gained 8 lbs...

I've read many places that puppies on raw grow at a slower rate than puppies fed commercial kibble/dog food....I can definitely say that I look at Nisha and think she's tiny for her age, and I have her on raw....

So, that's something to keep in mind....

by **Magnolia618** » May 10th, 2006, 10:19 am

I've read many places that puppies on raw grow at a slower rate than puppies fed commercial kibble/dog food....I can definitely say that I look at Nisha and think she's tiny for her age, and I have her on raw....

I really dont understand this...

by **katiek0417** » May 10th, 2006, 12:41 pm

Magnolia618 wrote:
I've read many places that puppies on raw grow at a slower rate than puppies fed commercial kibble/dog food....I can definitely say that I look at Nisha and think she's tiny for her age, and I have her on raw....

I really dont understand this...

If commercial dog food companies are using filler, then the weight that is being gained is more fat....

Many proponents of raw have noticed this, as well as breeders who have switched from (at one time) using kibble to now using raw....

by **cheekymunkee** » May 10th, 2006, 7:12 pm

I've heard that too. I'm not sure why, I don't have puppies so I haven't looked into it. The fillers in dog food does make sense since the puppies body is going to be actually using more of the raw diet instead of storing it or eliminating it like a kibble fed puppy would.

by **ellie@ny** » May 10th, 2006, 7:51 pm

I was always worried about Maya's weight,height etc when she was a pup ...Specially cause she was a picky eater.When she was 6 mo old and the vet checked her out I asked how much more she will grow....She said because she was already 17 inch tall and around 40#,she might end up 20-21 inch,and 60#.Now my girl is 19 months old and 49-50#,and 18 inch....
Every dog is different,she stopped growing since she was 8 months old.Now she just have to fill ou a little bit more

With Nico he was growing after 8 months old ...

by **katiek0417** » May 10th, 2006, 7:58 pm

ellie@ny wrote:I was always worried about Maya's weight,height etc when she was a pup ...Specially cause she was a picky eater.When she was 6 mo old and the vet checked her out I asked how much more she will grow....She said because she was already 17 inch tall and around 40#,she might end up 20-21 inch,and 60#.Now my girl is 19 months old and 49-50#,and 18 inch....
Every dog is different,she stopped growing since she was 8 months old.Now she just have to fill ou a little bit more With Nico he was growing after 8 months old ...

Exactly....Sacha stopped growing when she was 10 months old....my puppy is 9 months old now....but the breeder I got her from thinks she's going to be about 55-60 lbs (7-12 more lbs)...about 2-3 inches taller...and she'll fill out...

Who knows, this is my first mal...not sure what to expect...

by **Gatsu** » May 11th, 2006, 1:28 am

i wouldnt just say its fat that the pup would gain on cheap food. They use the cheapest ingredients possible, and the most likely contains hormone injected/fed "animal proteins".

Same with humans these days, ever notice how girls are developping at earlier ages? guys are haveing facial hair younger too? ur eating meat that has not known the out doors and been able to wonder aroudn and eat. They sit next to a conveyer belt and it steroids so they grow faster and can be turned into a profit.

btw

im 19 just so i dont look like some 30 yr old pervert hahaha.

by **katiek0417** » May 11th, 2006, 9:51 am

Gatsu wrote:i wouldnt just say its fat that the pup would gain on cheap food. They use the cheapest ingredients possible, and the most likely contains hormone injected/fed "animal proteins".

Same with humans these days, ever notice how girls are developping at earlier ages? guys are haveing facial hair younger too? ur eating meat that has not known the out doors and been able to wonder aroudn and eat. They sit next to a conveyer belt and it steroids so they grow faster and can be turned into a profit.

im 19 just so i dont look like some 30 yr old pervert hahaha.

It's funny you mention injected/fed "animal proteins." Sacha has an awful chicken allergy....My vet wonders if she's allergic to the hormones and antibiotics that chickens on chicken farms are injected with....I wouldn't mind trying free-range chicken...but I have a fear....

by **Gatsu** » May 11th, 2006, 12:31 pm

free range chicken tastes better, has more flavor and isnt so bland. I'm in no way saying its cheap, its actualy quite expensive compared to regular chicken but sometimes the its worth it.

by **Pitcrew** » May 20th, 2006, 1:56 pm

I wouldn't worry about how MUCH a puppy grows on a weekly basis. As long as they are healthy (no fat puppies). I think people tend to overfeed commercial foods (following recommendations on bag, which is usually 30%-50% high) especially when pups go thru a lean stage... not so much so on raw foods.

Sometimes you will get periods where they don't seem to grow at all for a couple of weeks... and then have a NOTICABLE growth spurt. And then when you weigh them it only amounts to 2 pounds.
It does depend on the breed and the ultimate SIZE of the dog though.

Here is a good table a vet gave me (dare I say,15+ years ago?) that I HAVE found to be VERY accurate with the 6 (on 7 now, let you know) dogs I have had from puppy-hood (I keep good records), as well as friends and clients dogs.

It is 90% accurate (for me) in MEDIUM and LARGE breeds (plus 5 pounds)

1. at 12 weeks, multiply weight times 3

2. at 16 weeks, multiply times 2

...both of those numbers (weights) are usually close to the same and have been very accurate for all of my dogs so far.
There isn't a good mathematical age method for small or giant breeds.

My current pup is James, and he will be a good test.
By his 12 wk (he was a little fat, 20 pounds) and 16 wk weight (good condition, 27 pounds). I estimate him to be 55-60 pounds full grown. I know his parents weight and this seems likely.
However his current vet and several friends and acquaintances think he is going to be LARGE (70+).
Haven't weighed him lately (5 mos. 32 lbs.) but he is 6 mos. now, and I am pretty sure he's about 35-40 pounds. Right on track.
I figured Vegas to be 50-55 lbs. and she is 55-60 and muscular for a bitch.
All of my dogs have been accurate +5 pounds. In-condition weight... not super lean, not "winter weight".

This is just a curiosity thing for me... but much more accurate than the "but he has HUGE paws!" thing.
I don't know why people use that as a guide. Collies have tiny paws for their 70 lbs. and cockers have huge paws for their 30 pounds.

Puppy Weight

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