Size/birth Weight Of New Born Pups, How Did They End Up As Adults

[Tesa]

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I am interested in knowing how other forum members pups turned out as adults (size wise). Did anyone have very pups that were either a small or large birth weight and still yet grew within (or outside) the standard as adults? Also how many pups in the litter. Did the number of pups affect the size?

Thanks in advance to anyone that takes the time to go back to their records

 

[seaspot_run]

I am interested in knowing how other forum members pups turned out as adults (size wise). Did anyone have very pups that were either a small or large birth weight and still yet grew within (or outside) the standard as adults? Also how many pups in the litter. Did the number of pups affect the size?
Thanks in advance to anyone that takes the time to go back to their records

No relationship whatsoever between birthweight and adult size. Birth weight depends on so many factors, and the genetic potential of adult size is really not one of them. Males tend to be about a half-ounce larger than females at birth but that's often not true, either.

I've had puppies born at 1 pound who ended up being 28 pound adults who were 19 1/2" tall, and a few little guys weighing in at 6 ounces which grew to be at the top of the US standard.

Number of puppies in the litter--absolutely no relationship with adult size. My smallest champion male was a singleton who was born at over a pound in birthweight.

 

[Seraphina]

Yes, I second that. The genetic part is the most important. Birth size does often depend on the size of the litter. I had once litter of 15 Great Danes and also once only one pup. The 15 were tiny at birth, the single one was so huge she had to be delivered with forceps. At maturity the 8 girls from the large litter were 33"-35", the single one was 34". The dams were mother and daughter and the sire was the same.

In Whippets my Stella was the biggest puppy from her litter at birth, bigger than the boys, but they soon overtook her. The smallest girl from that litter ended up the tallest.

As long as they are all getting enough food and are all nice and fat, I am not concerned about their size

 

[aslan]

agree with all of the above and have witnessed some similar examples in litters of my own and of others.

 

[stonegrace]

Hi Karen

I went back to look at my past litter records - here are the weights in comparison to adult size, of the whippets ive kept or still know and are in the ring.

Birth weigh bitch:390grams / adult size: 12kg and 18 3/4 " tall.

Birth weight bitch:340grams / adult size 11.5kg and 18 3/4 " tall.

Birth weight dog: 400grams / adult size 14kg and 20" tall.

Birth weight dog: 380grams / adult size 13kg and 19 3/4" tall.

Birth weight bitch: 300grams / adults size 12kg and 18 1/2" tall.

They are the ones i know of the definate adult size. Not sure if there is any correlation or not but hope it helps somewhat.

I agree a lot is in the genetics though. Ive also had 2 bitches in the same litter turn out very different as adults, both get very different results in the ring!

Edited to say the above whippets were from 3 different litters, litter size ranging from 5-7

 

[stonegrace]

As long as they are all getting enough food and are all nice and fat, I am not concerned about their size

I think Tesa is more curious about whether big chunky babies end up as big adults over the standard size. Size is also something i am concerned about as my babies grow as i dont want huge whippets over the standard, so it would be interesting if there was some sort of correlation between birth size and adult size.

 

[Tesa]

As long as they are all getting enough food and are all nice and fat, I am not concerned about their size

I think Tesa is more curious about whether big chunky babies end up as big adults over the standard size. Size is also something i am concerned about as my babies grow as i dont want huge whippets over the standard, so it would be interesting if there was some sort of correlation between birth size and adult size.

That's right Cath, I am just more curious than worried. Babies are doing fine.

 

[Claire]

Hi Karen

I guess you have a basket full of Buttery Fat puppies !! Just what you want at this stage. Once they are up on their feet and running about they will change so much and "fine down" into their real whippet shape.

Hope all is well.

Love from all the family here in Ireland

Claire

 

[Tesa]

Hi Karen
I guess you have a basket full of Buttery Fat puppies !! Just what you want at this stage. Once they are up on their feet and running about they will change so much and "fine down" into their real whippet shape.

Hope all is well.

Love from all the family here in Ireland

Claire

I do Claire, they are just beautiful, lovely healthy little bubs and I am very pleased with their condition and steady growth rate, but my opening question is really about birth weights in general, and how it affects the final outcome. Being my first litter, I have no records of my own to go back to, so I am asking other forum members. Looking at Phoebe and Spencer I can see no reason why they would produce over the standard, but I have been told that the birth weight of their pups was heavy.

Birth weights: Boys = 390g & 365g Girls = 315g & 325g

karen

 

[stonegrace]

but I have been told that the birth weight of their pups was heavy.

Those weights are normal average whippet puppy weights. All my pups in the litters ive had have been between 300-400 grams. You will probably find that most peoples pups are around the same