How big will Willow get?

[Stacy]

I know we all ask the same question. But the suspense is killing me! Willow was 27 pounds and 17 weeks when I got her and tomorrow she'll be 21 weeks and she's 32 pounds. Part of me feels like she hasn't grown, but then I look at her next to Katie and she's significantly taller. She's stockier built than Maggie, and Maggie's almost 52 pounds. I want to know if she's going to get to 65. I feel like 65 is the magic number, but she doesn't seem to be gaining weight very fast. She's eating everything so that's not it. I don't want to rush her being a puppy, I just want to see how big she's going to get! Maybe she needs some vitamins!

[Stacy]

Oh my gosh, the small dogs were so much less expensive to own! Not only did they not require grooming, they basically ate nothing. And you're right about everything else being less expensive for them. But they were also so small that I was always afraid something would eat them or hurt them. The big guys are more robust. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Well, JD weighed 80-85 lbs most of his life and he got attacked by a smilarly sized dog who got out of her yard and bit him in two places. So being big doesn't always protect them, lol.

On the other hand, the other day I was walking Jasper with a friend who has a 60 lb dog, and another dog got out of his house and came charging at us. I picked Jasper up and kept him out of reach. My friend (who is my age) could only stand there screaming while her dog did his best to fight off this dog, until the stupid owner finally got him.
My point of course is that there all kinds of pros and cons to both big dogs and small dogs. 
I do prefer bigger dogs, but sometimes you have to go with what fits your life style and life stage. :)

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

I mean I'm still fairly young and I'm unsure I will be able to pick Riley up if she does top out at 75-80 pounds.  It's a struggle right now at 60 lbs and  I could basically just lift her into and out of a car.  My emergency plan is to roll her onto a blanket or something and drag her... not glamorous but it would work.

DH has been forewarned next dog may be smaller, somewhere between Luna and Riley :p

[Stacy]

I guess I worry about it a little. I picked Ava up a lot the last few months of her life. In and out of the car, on and off the bed. She could always walk, but she couldn't jump. I pick Maggie up and carry her across the room sometimes - she doesn't like it when I go to work. But I wouldn't want to carry her miles down a trail. But if I acted on everything that worried me I would never leave the house. I worry about everything! I hope that it never becomes an issue, but we will take it as it comes. I'm pretty strong!

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Well, I finally got some time at my computer (instead of my tablet) and here are Riley's stats for the last few months I was keeping track:

16w  31 lbs

18w  37 lbs

20w  41 lbs

22w  46 lbs

Now (9 months) ~60 lbs

Based on that I would guess Willow to be smaller than Riley fully grown.  We're expecting Riley to top out around 65-70 lbs once she's done being a string bean and fills out :p

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm going to say closer to 75 lbs. But maybe not until she's about 18 months old.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

DH would be pleased that's for sure ;)

She is very skinny right now so I wouldn't be surprised.  She's about the size of a neighbor's golden who is about 80 lbs.

[Stacy]

I agree that Riley will be bigger than Willow unless she has a major growth spurt or I feed her miracle grow or something. I also agree with Karen that Riley will probably be closer to 75 - maybe because I'm just hoping that Willow makes it close to 65! 

Maggie is almost 52 pounds. She's tall and thin and I think that's how she's going to stay. When she first got here I thought I could get her up to 60, or at least 55 but I think she's too fine boned for that. Willow is heavier boned. I put my hand around her leg and she's got some solidness to her. I know she'll be perfect no matter what her size is. I am just hoping for a big dog. It's funny that I'm so resistant to getting a male, and that's where the big dogs are! 

[Stacy]

You just don't see it happening when you're with them every day. I'm really crazy about that little teddy bear face.