How big will this puppy be?
July 22, 2018 2:55 PM Subscribe
My partner and I went to an adopt-a-thon yesterday, fell in love, and put in an application on a puppy. After sleeping on it, however, we are a little worried about how big this dog might be. Anyone want to try to size a puppy? (pictures inside)
We were told that the dog is ~13 weeks old and the rescue volunteer guessed that the dog was 9 pounds. We think the dog might be a little heavier, somewhere in the range of 10-15 pounds. We were also told that the dog might be a Bernese Mountain Dog/Golden Retriever mix, but we are pretty skeptical.
The photos are here: https://imgur.com/a/9kks0jd
So the real questions are:
1. Do you have any authoritative weight charts for how big puppies should be at different points in their development? All the ones I can find online look pretty sketchy.
2. Any guesses as to what breed(s) this puppy might be?
3. And how big do you think this dog will be as an adult?
Thanks all!
We were told that the dog is ~13 weeks old and the rescue volunteer guessed that the dog was 9 pounds. We think the dog might be a little heavier, somewhere in the range of 10-15 pounds. We were also told that the dog might be a Bernese Mountain Dog/Golden Retriever mix, but we are pretty skeptical.
The photos are here: https://imgur.com/a/9kks0jd
So the real questions are:
1. Do you have any authoritative weight charts for how big puppies should be at different points in their development? All the ones I can find online look pretty sketchy.
2. Any guesses as to what breed(s) this puppy might be?
3. And how big do you think this dog will be as an adult?
Thanks all!
It looks to me like a border collie crossed with a golden retriever or yellow lab. I’d guess about 70 or 80 pounds which I think is a nice medium size. Most of that growing will be in the first year. The feet are on the big side but I'm not getting a Bernese mountain dog feel from them.
posted by bonobothegreat at 3:13 PM on July 22, 2018 [7 favorites]
posted by bonobothegreat at 3:13 PM on July 22, 2018 [7 favorites]
A. He is ADORABLE
B. If he is even part Bernese Mountain Dog... he will be big. His paws are a good indicator, and they look largeish to me. But I agree that he looks more like a Lab mix.
C. He IS ADORABLE
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 3:16 PM on July 22, 2018 [24 favorites]
B. If he is even part Bernese Mountain Dog... he will be big. His paws are a good indicator, and they look largeish to me. But I agree that he looks more like a Lab mix.
C. He IS ADORABLE
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 3:16 PM on July 22, 2018 [24 favorites]
Comparing/contrasting with large breed puppies of the same age might be helpful. For example, your puppy looks somewhat smaller than a similar age lab, and those end up being 70-80 lbs. Per this site, a lab puppy would be in the 20-25 lb range at that age.
posted by Wavelet at 3:21 PM on July 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Wavelet at 3:21 PM on July 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
When I got my puppy from the humane society, they estimated her weight to be 50-60 pounds when full grown but said it is only a very rough estimate based on her weight and age. She's a real mutt, so no way to guess.
If it truly has Bernese mountain dog, it is going to be big (even just as a mix), and 70-80 pounds is not medium to me.
It's difficult to guess the older they are, as smaller dogs reach their adult size and mature quite a bit faster.
posted by Aranquis at 3:43 PM on July 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
If it truly has Bernese mountain dog, it is going to be big (even just as a mix), and 70-80 pounds is not medium to me.
It's difficult to guess the older they are, as smaller dogs reach their adult size and mature quite a bit faster.
posted by Aranquis at 3:43 PM on July 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
His feet look big as do his joints, he's going to be a sort of average dog sized dog, lab/shepherd sized.
He is adorable, on the plus size if you get a big dog as a puppy it sort of sneaks up on you how big they end up.
Practically. Divide his current weight by his age in weeks then times it by 52, that's a rough guide to how big he'll be at 1 year. Larger breeds keep growing longer so it's only a rough guide, but if the 1 year weight seems to large for you, chances are he'll get bigger than that. The hard part is that he's a rescue of mixed parentage & inexact age so again this will only give you a rough idea.
posted by wwax at 3:49 PM on July 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
He is adorable, on the plus size if you get a big dog as a puppy it sort of sneaks up on you how big they end up.
Practically. Divide his current weight by his age in weeks then times it by 52, that's a rough guide to how big he'll be at 1 year. Larger breeds keep growing longer so it's only a rough guide, but if the 1 year weight seems to large for you, chances are he'll get bigger than that. The hard part is that he's a rescue of mixed parentage & inexact age so again this will only give you a rough idea.
posted by wwax at 3:49 PM on July 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
Anecdotally I think the estimators online always say dogs will be bigger than they really end up. Also people are terrible at determining what kind of mutt a dog is.
I say if it was love at first sight, go with your gut. No matter the size they end up you won't regret it for a minute.
posted by KMoney at 4:09 PM on July 22, 2018 [23 favorites]
I say if it was love at first sight, go with your gut. No matter the size they end up you won't regret it for a minute.
posted by KMoney at 4:09 PM on July 22, 2018 [23 favorites]
No practical information but it feels like the right place to share a recent NY Times opinion piece - "Get yourself a giant dog"
posted by cessair at 4:46 PM on July 22, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by cessair at 4:46 PM on July 22, 2018 [5 favorites]
The rule of thumb I’ve heard from my vet is to take the weight at 4 months and double it. I’m going to guess 25 lbs adult weight.
posted by JoeZydeco at 4:48 PM on July 22, 2018
posted by JoeZydeco at 4:48 PM on July 22, 2018
Honestly, there is no sure-fire way to estimate if you don't know exact age and ancestry. Weight will be particularly hard to guess at, because weight varies so much from build to build and because many heavier breeds take longer to fill out than lighter dogs.
The thing is, many larger dogs grow larger because their growth periods last longer as well as simply growing faster. Small dogs just stop growing early on; larger dogs keep going for a while, over a year in the case of some of the giant breeds. (Most dogs will have their approximate adult height by around six months.) So the size at any given age is not going to be the best barometer of adult size, especially if you are off on the age at all--and thirteen weeks is about when you start beginning to hit some rapid growth phases and exact age gets important.
I am a little curious as to why the rescue has no history on such a young puppy, although it's possible that that particular volunteer didn't have much and it's also possible the puppy has been transported a long way from where he was born. Still, breed identification is very difficult, and on a puppy that young it's particularly hard to tell: you're right to be skeptical there. I can tell you right now that Bernese Mountain Dog / Golden Retriever cross is highly unlikely--that puppy's tan is clearly creeping as he ages, and he will probably mature to have a pattern rather like a German Shepherd's or Beagle's, except with brindling where those dogs have tan. More pointedly, he has quite a bit of white, which is not usual for this particular cross.
How important is adult size to you? What will you do if he does turn out to be a very large dog? Do you have any constraints on the absolute size of dog you can have, like with a landlord? Bear in mind that his size won't necessarily mean much for his overall exercise requirements and energetic needs; think about the range of dog sizes that your household can easily accommodate. If you need a very particular size range or you have a strict cutoff, you should probably look at either a puppy of known ancestry or an older dog--either an adult or a puppy of at least six months.
posted by sciatrix at 4:49 PM on July 22, 2018 [4 favorites]
The thing is, many larger dogs grow larger because their growth periods last longer as well as simply growing faster. Small dogs just stop growing early on; larger dogs keep going for a while, over a year in the case of some of the giant breeds. (Most dogs will have their approximate adult height by around six months.) So the size at any given age is not going to be the best barometer of adult size, especially if you are off on the age at all--and thirteen weeks is about when you start beginning to hit some rapid growth phases and exact age gets important.
I am a little curious as to why the rescue has no history on such a young puppy, although it's possible that that particular volunteer didn't have much and it's also possible the puppy has been transported a long way from where he was born. Still, breed identification is very difficult, and on a puppy that young it's particularly hard to tell: you're right to be skeptical there. I can tell you right now that Bernese Mountain Dog / Golden Retriever cross is highly unlikely--that puppy's tan is clearly creeping as he ages, and he will probably mature to have a pattern rather like a German Shepherd's or Beagle's, except with brindling where those dogs have tan. More pointedly, he has quite a bit of white, which is not usual for this particular cross.
How important is adult size to you? What will you do if he does turn out to be a very large dog? Do you have any constraints on the absolute size of dog you can have, like with a landlord? Bear in mind that his size won't necessarily mean much for his overall exercise requirements and energetic needs; think about the range of dog sizes that your household can easily accommodate. If you need a very particular size range or you have a strict cutoff, you should probably look at either a puppy of known ancestry or an older dog--either an adult or a puppy of at least six months.
posted by sciatrix at 4:49 PM on July 22, 2018 [4 favorites]
My golden retrievers and yellow labs have all been roughly 10lbs at 8wks; my females have all been roughly 70-80lbs, and the one male I had was 100lbs. Fwiw, a dog that size will go through 40lbs of dry food in a month.
People love to say a dog is a retriever mix. Retrievers have lovely temperaments so it's a good selling point when you're trying to get a dog adopted out. Based on my own experience of having dogs in that breed family for 30+ years, I do not see retriever in this dog. I do understand the comments about Bernese and Border Collie. In my limited experience with both, I would lean toward Bernese for this dog.
Retrievers are nuts for about the first three years and then mellow out; not sure about the Bernese. Border Collies are nuts their whole lives. So even if they're smaller weight-wise, they're more of a handful energy-wise. Size is important, but it's most important to match temperament to your tolerance and lifestyle. It's easier to deal with a high energy dog if you have a yard that you can let them into, as opposed to keeping them in an apartment and relying on walks to relieve their energy (mentioning because you didn't say if you have a yard or not).
I agree with sciatrix, I think you should dig a little more for info from the rescue before making a decision.
posted by vignettist at 4:55 PM on July 22, 2018 [3 favorites]
People love to say a dog is a retriever mix. Retrievers have lovely temperaments so it's a good selling point when you're trying to get a dog adopted out. Based on my own experience of having dogs in that breed family for 30+ years, I do not see retriever in this dog. I do understand the comments about Bernese and Border Collie. In my limited experience with both, I would lean toward Bernese for this dog.
Retrievers are nuts for about the first three years and then mellow out; not sure about the Bernese. Border Collies are nuts their whole lives. So even if they're smaller weight-wise, they're more of a handful energy-wise. Size is important, but it's most important to match temperament to your tolerance and lifestyle. It's easier to deal with a high energy dog if you have a yard that you can let them into, as opposed to keeping them in an apartment and relying on walks to relieve their energy (mentioning because you didn't say if you have a yard or not).
I agree with sciatrix, I think you should dig a little more for info from the rescue before making a decision.
posted by vignettist at 4:55 PM on July 22, 2018 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Based on dogs with similar markings I've seen at the dog park, which is not at all a scientific method, and on the size of his paws and the length of his legs, I would guess he'll end up around 60-75 pounds.
If you can accomodate a dog that is this size or larger, go for it. I find big dogs tend to have mellower personalities than littler ones (provided they haven't been hurt or abused.)
What a cutie!
posted by Armed Only With Hubris at 5:02 PM on July 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
If you can accomodate a dog that is this size or larger, go for it. I find big dogs tend to have mellower personalities than littler ones (provided they haven't been hurt or abused.)
What a cutie!
posted by Armed Only With Hubris at 5:02 PM on July 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
That puppy is heart-stoppingly adorable. If you're having reservations about them due to future possibilities, I strongly encourage you to adopt an adult dog. Adult dogs are much less adoptable than puppies but they're known quantities - you know how big they are, have an idea of their temperament and energy levels, the type of coat they have, and even sometimes health issues to look out for. You'd be doing a mitzvah adopting a rescue mutt regardless, but the chances of that flipping precious pup making another couple's heart melt is quite high. Meanwhile, a dog with all your future preferred qualities might be waiting in a kennel nearby.
posted by Mizu at 5:07 PM on July 22, 2018 [24 favorites]
posted by Mizu at 5:07 PM on July 22, 2018 [24 favorites]
My family has a dog who is half Bernese Mountain Dog. He looked a whole lot like that when he was little. He weighs 123 lbs.
Does the pup have rear dewclaws? That's a Bernese Mountain Dog breed characteristic.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 5:22 PM on July 22, 2018
Does the pup have rear dewclaws? That's a Bernese Mountain Dog breed characteristic.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 5:22 PM on July 22, 2018
As big as your heart!
Also, definitely not a small dog, but safe to guess a medium to large size. (My unprofessional guess is a healthy medium). So then the question becomes how will the size matter to you? Will that change how you interact with the dog (do you need to pick it up, is cost of food an issue, etc.)? Do you have a specific size need? Will 20 pounds (or more) one way or the other change the situation for you?
posted by MountainDaisy at 5:32 PM on July 22, 2018
Also, definitely not a small dog, but safe to guess a medium to large size. (My unprofessional guess is a healthy medium). So then the question becomes how will the size matter to you? Will that change how you interact with the dog (do you need to pick it up, is cost of food an issue, etc.)? Do you have a specific size need? Will 20 pounds (or more) one way or the other change the situation for you?
posted by MountainDaisy at 5:32 PM on July 22, 2018
Our ~135lb Newfoundland was well over twenty pounds by that age, which was about average for his litter. I do in fact have a weekly growth log from his puppyhood if you'd like further confirmation (reassurance?) that your buddy isn't a giant.
posted by teremala at 7:31 PM on July 22, 2018
posted by teremala at 7:31 PM on July 22, 2018
Oh good grief make that "was almost forty pounds by that age". (The vet's scale measured in grams; I doubt the bigger numbers are quite as accurate as they look but it gets the point across.)
days old | mass (g)
1 595
4 964
9 1446
14 1843
21 2381
29 3657
37 4961
49 8505
58 10342
64 10886
70 12247
77 13789
82 14969
86 15876
91 16964
98 18869
105 20412
113 22680
119 23800
147 27669
160 29846
175 31661
196 34655
204 35834
210 36378
218 37467
224 38193
233 39916
238 41096
245 42003
252 42638
259 44225
266 45087
273 45994
280 47627
287 46720
294 47627
308 51226
posted by teremala at 7:46 PM on July 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
days old | mass (g)
1 595
4 964
9 1446
14 1843
21 2381
29 3657
37 4961
49 8505
58 10342
64 10886
70 12247
77 13789
82 14969
86 15876
91 16964
98 18869
105 20412
113 22680
119 23800
147 27669
160 29846
175 31661
196 34655
204 35834
210 36378
218 37467
224 38193
233 39916
238 41096
245 42003
252 42638
259 44225
266 45087
273 45994
280 47627
287 46720
294 47627
308 51226
posted by teremala at 7:46 PM on July 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
No one knows. But that puppy is cute as hell!!
posted by latkes at 8:50 PM on July 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by latkes at 8:50 PM on July 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
My dog - a mixed breed - turned out to be much bigger than I expected. I was estimating around 55-60 and he grew to 80 pounds. That's eighty pounds of true love. No regrets at all. He's the very handsome white and merle fellow shown here. Love you Seamus!
posted by mulcahy at 9:00 PM on July 22, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by mulcahy at 9:00 PM on July 22, 2018 [5 favorites]
Best answer: You have a huge range of weights here 15 lbs is almost double 9 lbs. And that age isn't sure. And rescues make up breeds to make puppies more appealing (I used to foster a lot of dogs for rescues so I can say that with confidence). So no one can give you a good estimate unless you improve your data. Garbage in, garbage out and all that.
Having said that: a 9 pound border collie at that age would be a big one and I'd expect it to be closer to 50 lbs than 30 when full grown. 15 lb 3 month old border collies don't exist, they simply aren't that big. Border collies should top out at 50 lbs-ish.
Ooth, 9 pounds is very small for a 3 month+ large breed puppy like a Shepard or Bernese. 15 pounds is reasonable and I'd expect the dog to be 85-100 lbs when full grown.
So he's probably somewhere in the middle. Having said that he looks a bit older than 3 months to me, maybe closer to 4. This sounds weird but did you smell him? They loose that puppy smell around 3 months. So if the volunteer is right and he's 9 lbs and maybe a tad older he might stay at or under 50lbs. If you're right and he closer to 15 lbs and also closer to 12 weeks my guess is 80-100 lbs full grown. Looking at him I'd guess he'll be 60-75 lbs or so.
Finally there is no way that dog is a Bernese/ Golden cross. Where is all the hair? He doesn't even have the right kind of fur, never mind the right length. He's probably a hound cross of some kind and I'd snap him up n a heartbeat because hound crosses are the best and also they fold up very small for big dogs.
posted by fshgrl at 10:59 PM on July 22, 2018 [9 favorites]
Having said that: a 9 pound border collie at that age would be a big one and I'd expect it to be closer to 50 lbs than 30 when full grown. 15 lb 3 month old border collies don't exist, they simply aren't that big. Border collies should top out at 50 lbs-ish.
Ooth, 9 pounds is very small for a 3 month+ large breed puppy like a Shepard or Bernese. 15 pounds is reasonable and I'd expect the dog to be 85-100 lbs when full grown.
So he's probably somewhere in the middle. Having said that he looks a bit older than 3 months to me, maybe closer to 4. This sounds weird but did you smell him? They loose that puppy smell around 3 months. So if the volunteer is right and he's 9 lbs and maybe a tad older he might stay at or under 50lbs. If you're right and he closer to 15 lbs and also closer to 12 weeks my guess is 80-100 lbs full grown. Looking at him I'd guess he'll be 60-75 lbs or so.
Finally there is no way that dog is a Bernese/ Golden cross. Where is all the hair? He doesn't even have the right kind of fur, never mind the right length. He's probably a hound cross of some kind and I'd snap him up n a heartbeat because hound crosses are the best and also they fold up very small for big dogs.
posted by fshgrl at 10:59 PM on July 22, 2018 [9 favorites]
He will be the perfect size.
posted by bongo_x at 1:54 AM on July 23, 2018 [12 favorites]
posted by bongo_x at 1:54 AM on July 23, 2018 [12 favorites]
He won't be if their apartment complex has a 50lb weight limit though. I can almost guarantee he'll be bigger, especially as he's male.
posted by fshgrl at 2:04 AM on July 23, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by fshgrl at 2:04 AM on July 23, 2018 [4 favorites]
It i more about temperament, IMO. TO me, a gentle giant is better than a spring-loaded yapper who never gives you a moment's peace.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 3:17 AM on July 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 3:17 AM on July 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
Pretty impossible to say how big a dog will get without knowing its parentage. We adopted a mix last summer. Mom was "pit shepherd" and dad was unknown. Everyone kinda guessed he'd top out at 40 lbs or so, but now at 13 months he's pushing 60. You may be able to get better information from the rescue directly; volunteers at adoptathons often don't have much to go on.
This dog is an adorable mutt. Could be hound, lab, border collie, golden, beagle. I would eat my hat though if that dog has any Bernese Mountain Dog in it. I see no breed characteristics at all, and Berner puppies have a very distinctive look.
posted by chaoticgood at 5:02 AM on July 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
This dog is an adorable mutt. Could be hound, lab, border collie, golden, beagle. I would eat my hat though if that dog has any Bernese Mountain Dog in it. I see no breed characteristics at all, and Berner puppies have a very distinctive look.
posted by chaoticgood at 5:02 AM on July 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
He looks like Snoopy to me, so I'm gonna vote for beagle mix!
posted by yarly at 5:45 AM on July 23, 2018
posted by yarly at 5:45 AM on July 23, 2018
1. Literally no one can tell you how big that ADORABLE BABY will get without definitive info on his breed makeup.
2. Even if you knew all the breeds that went into making him, you'd still only be guessing, because you'd have no idea which breed's genes would dominate as to size. He could be anything, because mixed breeds can express genes in unexpected ways, especially when a dog has several generations of mixing before his birth. i.e., If you did his DNA profile, you could potentially find breed contributions from some very surprising breeds if there's several generations of genes present.
3. He doesn't carry any coloring or fur similar to a Bernese puppy or a Golden puppy. That coloring over his adorable little eyes looks to me like the "badger" color you sometimes see on Great Pyrenees (who are considered a giant breed, weighing 100+. But Pyrenees are never the dark color on the rest of his body. With that coloring, he could be a mix of lots of things: an Aussie, a border collie, a pit bull/bully breed, a German shepherd, a beagle, an Anatolian shepherd. His coloring is just not distinctive enough to point to any one breed, or even a mix of just two. He even bears a resemblance to one of my mutts, who's likely a coonhound/basset/foxhound mix.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 6:47 AM on July 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
2. Even if you knew all the breeds that went into making him, you'd still only be guessing, because you'd have no idea which breed's genes would dominate as to size. He could be anything, because mixed breeds can express genes in unexpected ways, especially when a dog has several generations of mixing before his birth. i.e., If you did his DNA profile, you could potentially find breed contributions from some very surprising breeds if there's several generations of genes present.
3. He doesn't carry any coloring or fur similar to a Bernese puppy or a Golden puppy. That coloring over his adorable little eyes looks to me like the "badger" color you sometimes see on Great Pyrenees (who are considered a giant breed, weighing 100+. But Pyrenees are never the dark color on the rest of his body. With that coloring, he could be a mix of lots of things: an Aussie, a border collie, a pit bull/bully breed, a German shepherd, a beagle, an Anatolian shepherd. His coloring is just not distinctive enough to point to any one breed, or even a mix of just two. He even bears a resemblance to one of my mutts, who's likely a coonhound/basset/foxhound mix.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 6:47 AM on July 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
so hard to tell how large they will be but our shepherd/boxer mix was 25 pounds at the age and is 70 at a year and a half. Our other mutt (some kind of terrier/golden mix) was around 9 pounds at that age and is now about 30 pounds. I will say this - you don't realize that a 30 pound dog isn't that big until you have a 70 pound dog, especially if the 70 pounds is rangy with a super super long tail.
That is one super cute puppy, i would go for it unless you are worried about future housing issues.
posted by domino at 7:06 AM on July 23, 2018
That is one super cute puppy, i would go for it unless you are worried about future housing issues.
posted by domino at 7:06 AM on July 23, 2018
Response by poster: Thanks for all your comments! Just to correct one assumption lots of people are making: the dog is female.
posted by crazy with stars at 8:06 AM on July 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by crazy with stars at 8:06 AM on July 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
Bear in mind that a) I would about guarantee that that puppy will not be that exact color as an adult as she looks like she is what this page calls a saddle or creeping tan and b) color is often surprising in crosses. Golden Retrievers, for example, are all ee recessive yellow/red dogs, so it is often surprising to folks that they frequently carry brindle that isn't expressed because their black pigment never gets deposited in hairs. (See these known Golden/Bernese Mountain Dog puppies for examples: note how almost all of the puppies with tan points are brindled.) When Goldens are routinely crossed to dogs with varying amounts of tan, the brindle modifier can appear in pups and change the tan markings to brindle--which can create crossbred dogs with quite startling color patterns! Folks often think that brindle has to come from purebred dogs who show brindle, like pit bulls and mastiffs, but it's actually considerably more common than folks think in breeds of dog that never have the chance to express it. This is also true of Labradors, incidentally, which makes sense given their similar early roots.
That being said, I should also have noted that this puppy with probably have a short double coat as an adult, rather more like a German Shepherd than either a Golden or a Bernese Mountain Dog. She will shed, but she won't have long feathery hair. That's another piece of evidence arguing that she's definitely not that particular cross, whatever her genetic makeup actually is.
posted by sciatrix at 8:22 AM on July 23, 2018 [5 favorites]
That being said, I should also have noted that this puppy with probably have a short double coat as an adult, rather more like a German Shepherd than either a Golden or a Bernese Mountain Dog. She will shed, but she won't have long feathery hair. That's another piece of evidence arguing that she's definitely not that particular cross, whatever her genetic makeup actually is.
posted by sciatrix at 8:22 AM on July 23, 2018 [5 favorites]
The real question isn't, "how big will this dog be?" With definitive answers about age and a better guess about breed, you could maybe find an estimate, but that doesn't matter.
The real question is, "will this dog be too big for us?" The answer depends on why size is an issue.
Do you have a size limit on dog in your home? Or are you concerned about having enough space for a larger dog to be comfortable and healthy? Are you worried about managing a large dog, one that you can't carry into the vet if it's sick or injured?
What difference does that potential extra 20-30 lbs make?
posted by ErisLordFreedom at 11:01 AM on July 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
The real question is, "will this dog be too big for us?" The answer depends on why size is an issue.
Do you have a size limit on dog in your home? Or are you concerned about having enough space for a larger dog to be comfortable and healthy? Are you worried about managing a large dog, one that you can't carry into the vet if it's sick or injured?
What difference does that potential extra 20-30 lbs make?
posted by ErisLordFreedom at 11:01 AM on July 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
That’s going to be a med-lg dog. There’s nothing smalldog about her features, no terrier or chi/dox, she’s got a big round head, and those paws are proportionally huge. My guess - and I have many years of foster guessing under my belt - would be 55 minimum, probably 75+.
posted by Lyn Never at 1:13 PM on July 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Lyn Never at 1:13 PM on July 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I'd guess that dog would top out in the 60 to 70 LB range and I think I'd say maybe Catahoula/GreatPyrenees. I dont see any Burnese in her. Burnese seems to be a go to dog that the adoption people throw out there as a more "favorable" breed when they want to explain some traits like head/paw size and black tan coloration that could come from breeds people notoriously try to avoid (Rotties and Pits).
posted by WalkerWestridge at 1:56 PM on July 23, 2018
posted by WalkerWestridge at 1:56 PM on July 23, 2018
Even if you knew all the breeds that went into making him, you'd still only be guessing, because you'd have no idea which breed's genes would dominate as to size
That's not really true. There are lots and lots of growth charts available for dogs developed form actual measured data. A dog that is not a toy or giant breed that is X pounds at 3 months can reasonably be expected to be Y+/- 10-20% at 18 months.
The problem here is really that the OP is not sure of either the current age or weight and has provided a particularly large range for the weight. If they were sure of age and current weight you can make a pretty good prediction.
posted by fshgrl at 2:14 PM on July 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
That's not really true. There are lots and lots of growth charts available for dogs developed form actual measured data. A dog that is not a toy or giant breed that is X pounds at 3 months can reasonably be expected to be Y+/- 10-20% at 18 months.
The problem here is really that the OP is not sure of either the current age or weight and has provided a particularly large range for the weight. If they were sure of age and current weight you can make a pretty good prediction.
posted by fshgrl at 2:14 PM on July 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
That's not really true. There are lots and lots of growth charts available for dogs developed form actual measured data. A dog that is not a toy or giant breed that is X pounds at 3 months can reasonably be expected to be Y+/- 10-20% at 18 months.
This dog could be in part a giant breed or a toy breed. If it has giant or toy breed makeup, say Great Pyrenees or whippet, the predictive reliability of growth charts is out the window.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 4:55 AM on July 24, 2018
This dog could be in part a giant breed or a toy breed. If it has giant or toy breed makeup, say Great Pyrenees or whippet, the predictive reliability of growth charts is out the window.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 4:55 AM on July 24, 2018
Whippets are in no way a toy breed. Are you perhaps thinking of Italian Greyhounds?
Generally speaking, mixed breed puppies in rescue are not crosses of uncommon purebred dogs. The specific types of dogs who contribute to unwanted litters in a given area are typically fairly region specific--Pyrenees and Anatolian crosses aren't uncommon in my area because those dogs are commonly kept intact as flock guards, for example, and pit and Chihuahua types are common more or less nationwide. Where I live now, cattle dogs frequently contribute to local crosses; in my old city, they were very uncommon indeed in the shelters. We saw a lot more coonhounds and cur types out there, less stock types, because those were the sorts of dogs that were likely to be around and left intact.
Unfortunately, not knowing the exact region this puppy was born in makes it particularly difficult to guess at what her heritage is actually likely to be.
posted by sciatrix at 5:31 AM on July 24, 2018
Generally speaking, mixed breed puppies in rescue are not crosses of uncommon purebred dogs. The specific types of dogs who contribute to unwanted litters in a given area are typically fairly region specific--Pyrenees and Anatolian crosses aren't uncommon in my area because those dogs are commonly kept intact as flock guards, for example, and pit and Chihuahua types are common more or less nationwide. Where I live now, cattle dogs frequently contribute to local crosses; in my old city, they were very uncommon indeed in the shelters. We saw a lot more coonhounds and cur types out there, less stock types, because those were the sorts of dogs that were likely to be around and left intact.
Unfortunately, not knowing the exact region this puppy was born in makes it particularly difficult to guess at what her heritage is actually likely to be.
posted by sciatrix at 5:31 AM on July 24, 2018
She is a vv good puppers and looks like foxhound lab mix to me. Verdict medium large bundle of love.
posted by donut_princess at 5:38 AM on July 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by donut_princess at 5:38 AM on July 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
Whippets are in no way a toy breed. Are you perhaps thinking of Italian Greyhounds?
Sorry, yes I was thinking IG not whippet.
Unfortunately, not knowing the exact region this puppy was born in makes it particularly difficult to guess at what her heritage is actually likely to be.
Yes.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 7:40 AM on July 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
Sorry, yes I was thinking IG not whippet.
Unfortunately, not knowing the exact region this puppy was born in makes it particularly difficult to guess at what her heritage is actually likely to be.
Yes.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 7:40 AM on July 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: A little more info if it helps: we saw the dog in Oakland, CA, and the volunteer implied the dog was from the region (though no promises of course).
posted by crazy with stars at 10:03 AM on July 24, 2018
posted by crazy with stars at 10:03 AM on July 24, 2018
Response by poster: We did in fact adopt the dog. Her shelter paperwork says that she was 11 lb on July 18th, when she was 2 months old (though I am skeptical the shelter had accurate information on her age). When we took her to our vet on July 28th she was 13.8 lb. She is today 16.5 lb, according to our home scale. So getting bigger! I'll give another update once she's fully grown.
posted by crazy with stars at 3:23 PM on August 5, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by crazy with stars at 3:23 PM on August 5, 2018 [5 favorites]
Response by poster: The dog is now about 10 months old and more-or-less full grown, I think, at just a little less than 60 pounds. I've marked as best answer the people who guessed about 60 or a bit more.
Here are some photos of her I just took: https://imgur.com/a/r1PJhoI. Her coloration has not changed very much since she was a (real) puppy, and she still has wonderfully floppy ears. We are pleased with her.
posted by crazy with stars at 4:07 PM on February 23, 2019 [4 favorites]
Here are some photos of her I just took: https://imgur.com/a/r1PJhoI. Her coloration has not changed very much since she was a (real) puppy, and she still has wonderfully floppy ears. We are pleased with her.
posted by crazy with stars at 4:07 PM on February 23, 2019 [4 favorites]
Lovely dog. I see a lot of my own lab when I look at her (the feet shape and general stance).
posted by bonobothegreat at 8:59 PM on February 23, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by bonobothegreat at 8:59 PM on February 23, 2019 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
This could be whatever is the nicer way to say an old wives tale.
posted by k8t at 3:10 PM on July 22, 2018 [4 favorites]