SearchNormal Growth Rates
When we got Dakota, she was teeny tiny, 3 months old and 12 pounds, 13.5 inches tall. (she was not underweight for her size, was a very healty proportion) Just looked like an 8 week old instead of 3 months. Very small, and didn't have a very doberman-like body yet. She was in a shelter for pretty much her whole life, so was never really exercised or fed well. Plus, we're not sure if she's mixed with anything. She has 100% doberman looks, and personality/traits, but with a rescue there's just no real way to know. 3 weeks later, I weighed her at 18 pounds, and 16 inches. The weight seems to be spot on normal, about 2 lbs a week, but is there any kind of normal height growth? I've read a few times that you have to be careful if they grow too fast, so is 2.5 inches in about 3 weeks alot? Is it something I should be watching, or doing differently? When we got her everyone thought she was a min pin, and then she just started blowing up. Her paws got big, her chest filled out, and now she has your typical doberman look instead of a hotdog lol. Thanks guys!
I thought she looked like a mix too, an adorable mix.
The normal growth rate for Doberman puppies is sporadic. Some weeks they put on weight, other weeks they don't. One week their nose outgrows their face, the next week their legs grow or just their big clumsy paws.
The thing to be careful about is over feeding and growth pains. I've seen it mostly in males, but in my experience most Doberman puppies aquire a temporary wandering limp as they mature, meaning they favor on leg for a while, it gets better, then they favor another. I'm not sure if it helps, it seems to, but I cut back their food a pinch when this happens.
The last credible word I read on the food/growth interaction was a summary of a study on free-feeding as opposed to measured feeding. The puppies 'free-fed,' where food is left out for them to eat as they please, suffered more skeletal problems later in life than the puppies kept a little hungry on a schedule of measured meals.
Some people over feed their puppies in an effort to make them grow more, or to avoid hindering their growth, because they want a big dog. I know this isn't you KevinK, of course. But just so it's in the topic: Over feeding puppies is unhealthy even if they don't get chubby.
yep, we'll never know. Whatever she is she's gorgeous! Thanks for the response guys.
KevinK- When we got Athena she was 6 weeks and 10.5 lbs and she consistently put on 3 lbs a week until about 4 months...now it is a little more sporadic some weeks she puts nothing on other weeks she puts on a few pounds. Now she is 5 months and 45 lbs. and right now her legs seem too big for her body but next week I am sure it will be something else ;-P. I agree with Alpha Admin...growing puppies seem to hungry all the time..feed her a good quality puppy food to the guidelines. If she seems to get a little skinny increase the amount and vice versa.
KevinK, Dakota is a beauty and very regal looking. Ginger is a mix, too, and I think she is gorgeous! I really marvel at how beautiful she is and I tell her that, too. They are the most gorgeous dogs. She is predominantly Doberman and has all the wonderful dobie traits, as does Dakota. And you baby is so smart!!! You are doing wonderful things together!
yep, my lil cutie! Steph said to me yesterday, "you know you were never as sappy with me as you are with her" lol.
I KNOW what you mean Steph.. I used be "Sweetie"
All kidding aside.. I love that Mike and Sofia have bonded as tightly.. They make a gorgeous couple!!
I (jokingly of course) told Steph if she obeyed me as well as Dakota did, she's still be sweetie lol... and then the fight started lol
Oh oh.. there goes the tea out my nose again.. KK you ALWAYS make me laugh.. I love that running joke about "that's when the fight started!!"
yea, me too. Most of my jokes are lame and corny, but every now and then I slip in a good one lol
You guys are funny! Sure am glad I stumbled upon this sight! Good old Googlin' pays off again! And anyone have time to explain the running joke to the newcomer?
It's a long list that a stand-up comic does.. cracks me up.. has been going around for a couple of years: Not sure who the comic is.
Here's an example:
My wife sat down on the couch next to me as I was flipping channels.
She asked, 'What's on TV?'
I said, 'Dust.'
And then the fight started...
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My wife was hinting about what she wanted for our upcoming
Anniversary. She said, 'I want something shiny that goes from 0 to 150 In about 3 seconds.'
I bought her a scale.
And then the fight started...
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When I got home last night, my wife demanded that I take her someplace Expensive... So, I took her to a gas station.
And then the fight started...
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I tried to talk my wife into buying a case of Miller Light for $14.95.
Instead, she bought a jar of cold cream for $7.95.
I told her the beer would make her look better at night than the cold
cream.
And then the fight started....
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There's are a lot more of them.. Google "That's when the fight started"
To be honest, when you posted the initial pictures of Dakota, I thought she was a mix. Like you said, with a rescue, you just can't be sure so there's really no way to know what her growth rate should be like. I wouldn't worry about it. If you're feeding her a quality food, she'll grow as she's going to grow and there's not much to be done about it unless she seemed to not be fluorishing or was too heavy for her frame in which case you'd make changes. Coming out of a shelter, I'd expect to see some rapid growth simply due to the better environment and food. If I thought it was too much too soon, I'd switch her to adult food, which I usually do around 6 months anyway.