puppy weight

[Rosalyn Ancrum]

I know we aren't experts and I can kick myself for not asking this question on Friday at the vets.  Koda is 4 months old and weighs 14 pounds and 14 ounces.  Is she underweight?  She gained 3 pounds since her last vet visit  3 weeks ago.   The breeder said she is a small/medium labradoodle.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It is a shame you didn't ask the vet, because they are best at assessing body condition. However, vets generally will tell you if they think a dog is too heavy or too thin.

Because doodles are all different, there is no set "size". You can't know what size they will be as adults. There is no standard height or weight for a "small-medium" labradoodle, and what one breeder calls a "medium" might be different from what another considers "medium". Even within the same litter, you can have significant variations. 

If you can feel but not see her ribs and spine, she's probably the right weight for her. 

She's tracking to be about 30-35 lbs as an adult.

[Rosalyn Ancrum]

    Thanks for replying.  I called the vet and they checked her chart.  The doctor didn't note anything abnormal and indicates she is healthy and nothing wrong with her growth rate.  I was just a little concerned because someone said to me that  Koda's weight is underweight for a labradoodle at 4 months.    Thanks Karen, the weight size you estimated is along the lines that our breeder stated as well.

  I told this person that Koda is not a standard size labradoodle and besides doodles are not pure breed so more unpredictable. Perhaps the person she knows has a standard labradoodle versus a small/medium. 

   Since my daughter is a first time pet parent I just want to make sure she is doing things correctly . I just  wanted sure she is not underfeeding Koda.  

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

My labradoodle averaged 85 lbs as an adult. I'm pretty sure he weighed a lot more than 14 or 15 lbs at 4 months, lol. I'm pretty sure he also weighed a lot more than the standard labradoodles who ended up at 65 lbs.

People can be so silly sometimes. 

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

They probably would have said something if they felt she was too big/small for sure.  It seems to be the one thing they always comment on :p

I find those "body condition" pictures pretty useless with a fluffy doodle because you really can't see their shape unless they were so obese that they had no abdominal tuck.

For the ribs my guesstimate is that if you can feel them but it feels like there's a light layer of fat over them (you can feel the individual ribs but they aren't "sticking out") then that's a healthy weight.  

If you have to push a bit to feel the individual ribs then they are overweight.  Luna found herself in that position sometimes in the middle of winter when she was getting less exercise :/  Also when our daughter reached toddlerhood and there were snacks on the floor everywhere... 

[Rosalyn Ancrum]

Thanks.  Sometimes people just want to have something to say that is not positive. This person also felt it's wrong for young people to have pets although my daughter is 24 years old and works. I had to quiet her down by telling her no worries Koda won't be neglected if my daughter needs support financially or whatever, I'll do my best to help her.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I wonder why some people feel compelled to say everything that comes into their heads. 

It sounds to me like this person might be a tiny bit jealous, lol.

[Rosalyn Ancrum]

I agree. However, she is always a little negative about most thing.  I think she is a little disappointed because she commented earlier that a labradoodle would be too huge to live in an  apartment.  Now she can't say that Koda is too huge for apartment living now she's underweight (lol)!  Whatever Koda is , isn't or will be, the bottom line is she loved by our entire family especially her mama.  My daughter loves her and takes great care of her.

[Stacy]

I always get Katie's growth chart out when people ask this. She was advertised to be a mini. At 16 weeks she was exactly 12 pounds. As an adult she is 29 give or take a pound. 

I do think the terminology changes with doodles. Her mom was a standard doodle who was about 65 pounds and her dad was a toy poodle. They were saying this was a litter of mini doodles who should mature between 25-35 pounds. Now they have minis they say will mature at 15-25 pounds. And they also sell minis that they say will mature between 25-35 pounds. There is a big difference between 15 and 35 pounds but they are calling them both minis. Honestly, there is a big difference between Katie at 29 and Willow, currently at 40. Willow looks huge next to Katie. There can also be significant difference between dogs in the same litter. Looking at the pictures from their past litter they range from 45 pounds to 75 pounds. That's a big difference!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

As soon as I saw your post, I was sure it was your negative co-worker again.  :-}    If the vet was concerned about weight, he/she would have brought it up.  I see that you already called to check and that all is fine.  There is a general guide that says to double the weight at 16 weeks give or take a few pounds.  It seems to work better for standards than smaller doodles, but it gives you a 'sort of' size prediction.

[Rosalyn Ancrum]

You are correct Nancy.  It's the same person. I told her repeatedly that Koda is not a standard labradoodle but considered a small/medium.  How much does Ned weigh?

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Ned weighs 28-29 pounds. He slowed down at about 7 months and was totally done growing by 9 1/2 months.   I can’t remember exactly but I think Ned doubled his 4 month weight give or take a couple pounds,

[Rosalyn Ancrum]

Thanks Nancy,  I think Koda will end up around that size.  If not it doesn't matter.