[doginthedesert]

So I have read the weight chart thread, but my girl is not standard and we only know her age to probably about +-10 days, and when you are talking about a 12 week old dog that makes a big difference.

Me, my husband, the vet, the neighbor, work friends, my in laws (one is a vet LOL) all get into these heated discussions about how big they think she is going to get. I really don't care, but it comes up so much that I thought I might as well bring it up to the world of chi people. Here is my bullet-ed list of information.

-Someone who works at the shelter sent me info on what we think is the rest of her litter and momma. Sad really, but this litter and momma was what was left after the rest were sold on craigslist and the owners dumped the babies and mom once they got too old to sell easily . If this is her litter (they are the right age AND all puppies have her body type, 2 of the 3 look just like her) that means she was one of the Craigslist sales. Momma weighs 6lbs but daddy had to be very different from her because momma looks very standard for a chi other than being big, and my baby has long legs.

-She weighed 3.8 lbs when we got her at 10.5-13 weeks. She was a little skinny so the vet told us his estimate would be double her weight- 7.6 plus a little more because she should not really be that skinny, so 8lbs.

-In the first 4 weeks she gained 1 lb exactly. In the last 3 weeks since then she gained a half pound. Now she weighs 5.3lbs at 4 months 3 weeks +- a week or so. Some of that first pound was not growing, but going from visible ribs to a more healthy weight.

-This probably means very little but she eats 6oz of food a day (we feed raw) that would be 3.5% of the body weight of a 10lb dog or 7% of the body weight of a 6lb dog. She is go go go go go all day, so I can't believe she would be staying a healthy weight trying to get over 8lbs with only this much food.

So what do you think? I think 7lbs, my husband thinks she is tapering off and will only get to 6. We have a co worker whose yorkie mix was about her size and gained one lb a month until 8 months, then just stopped, she used that formula to say she will end up at 8lbs. Neighbors concur at the 8lb estimate.

What do you guys think? I know it is all total guesses.

Edited to add some cute to an otherwise not very cure thread-

 

[jesuschick]

She is darling. Her coloring is so pretty!

I think her adult size is going to be like a gift you have to wait to open. Not knowing about daddy is the wild card that makes it hard to even guess. That said, even knowing, my two oldest are smaller than either of their parents. It is so variable. They are each so different.

I would just tell people something like "well, she is not done growing so we will have to wait to see where she ends up" or "we hope that she will be healthy and the best weight for her frame" or "she will stay small". All of those things are true and it will take the pressure off expecting you to be a psychic.

 

[GingerSnap's mom]

She's sooo cute! I love that coat!

I don't know much about size of our little ones, or bigger ones, for that matter, but I had a golden retriever/St Bernard mix, once, that was 8 lbs at 8 weeks, and stopped growing at 9 months and 90 pounds. I expected him to grow until he was around 18 months, and fill out even more after that. I guess they're all individuals...

I think between 6 and 7 pounds is perfect, but then that's what my little girl is, (6.5 lbs) and of course I think she's perfect! Your little girl will be, too, no matter what her exact weight, but it's a curiosity thing, I know...

 

[doginthedesert]

I would just tell people something like "well, she is not done growing so we will have to wait to see where she ends up" or "we hope that she will be healthy and the best weight for her frame" or "she will stay small". All of those things are true and it will take the pressure off expecting you to be a psychic.

Oh, I think you took this post a little serious, we are all having fun in spirited guessing of how big she will be! No one asked me to be psychic, they all just think they are (JK on the psychic thing, everyone I talked about are experienced dog people, just most not with one this small, so it is funny they all have taken up this as a topic of discussion).

And GingerSnaps Mom- I would never have guessed a saint mix would have reached adult weight at 9 months! I guess anything is possible with these not so purebred guys. I tell people I don't get dogs from a breeder cause I like a little mystery in my life.

 

[jesuschick]

Oh, I think you took this post a little serious, we are all having fun in spirited guessing of how big she will be! No one asked me to be psychic, they all just think they are (JK on the psychic thing, everyone I talked about are experienced dog people, just most not with one this small, so it is funny they all have taken up this as a topic of discussion).

I was just going off of this:

Me, my husband, the vet, the neighbor, work friends, my in laws (one is a vet LOL) all get into these heated discussions about how big they think she is going to get. I really don't care, but it comes up so much that I thought I might as well bring it up to the world of chi people.

I just know that I get asked some of the same questions over and over so I have come up with standard answers that I give everyone because I got tired of repeating myself or saying "I do not really know" to the same things like, "is this as big as they will get"? "will their coloring ever change"?, etc.

I misunderstood. You just were asking what people here think she might weigh. I still go with it will remain a mystery until she is finished growing.

 

[MChis]

I'll "GUESS" 7-8lbs. But I have to add even breeders have to "GUESS" on adult weights on their puppies unless they know their lines inside & out & even then there is no sure way to know 100% exactly where they will end up. So going to a breeder doesn't mean they're going to know exactly how big a pup will be when it's grown. For example...I know someone who got 2 AKC reg puppies from a decent breeder. One pup was tiny...smallest in the litter, etc--suppose to be no more than 4lbs grown. The other pup was bigger & more solid. Was thought to end up a bigger Chi...8ish pounds or so. At 2yo tiny puppy is over 8lbs (and at a healthy weight too) & bigger/more solid puppy is in the 7lb range. They appear the same general size to the eye. But just shows that even breeders are left to guess as well.

Your pup is adorable, there is no doubt about that. Very neat coloring!