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How big do you think he'll be?

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big puppy
10K views 40 replies 15 participants last post by  OutWest 
#1 ·
I have a question for the experienced GR breeders and owners out there. Our new little guy Tucker is 14 weeks old and weighs 30 lean pounds. We're feeding him 2.5 to 3 cups of puppy food a day and there is no extra weight on him.

I looked at a GR puppy growth chart on the web and he seems to be about 30% larger than average. His mom and dad were normal sized, but his uncle (on mom's side) is over a hundred pounds.

Any guesses on how large our boy will be? Everyone who lays eyes on him says, "Boy he's going to be big!"

:--crazy:
 
#6 ·
Interesting. I never knew this. So is a male golden that's say 95-100lbs considered overweight and unhealthy?

My little guy has some big paws and a lot of skin to grow into. I always said I believed he was going to be at least 100lbs. Evidently, that wouldn't be a good thing, huh?


OP: Sorry, don't me to hijack your thread. Just trying to learn :)
 
#12 ·
I don't necessarily think all Goldens over 80 pounds are obese. They are just not standard. Our dogs dad was a LEAN 80 pounds. If a dog is taller than standard then he might be heavier than standard too.

I think it IS hard to predict size though. Ozzy was the biggest in his litter and we were constantly told he'd be big but now on the charts he's very average.
 
#14 · (Edited)
trying to upload pictures of Tucker...

New to this site and having troubles! :mad:

Hope this works.

Fyi, his uncle is not obese, just huge. He's about 110 lbs. and very tall, lean and muscular. He pulls boats in from shore with rope in his mouth.

I used the paper clip and attached picture, then uploaded. But it didn't take. Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong?
 
#25 ·
New to this site and having troubles! :mad:

Hope this works.

Fyi, his uncle is not obese, just huge. He's about 110 lbs. and very tall, lean and muscular. He pulls boats in from shore with rope in his mouth.

I used the paper clip and attached picture, then uploaded. But it didn't take. Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong?
Your picture might have been too large. Try resizing it smaller, or uploading your pictures to a photo website like photobucket.com, then copy and paste the image code into your post here.
 
#15 ·
110 pounds for a golden is WAY out of standard. I hope they did not breed him. But as you said, 110 pounds on a dog that is very tall and long may not be obese. On a golden that is within the standard size for golden retrievers, 110 lbs would be morbidly obese.

I love huge dogs (great danes, bullmastiffs, newfies) - it's a shame they don't live very long. :(
 
#18 ·
Do you have the pictures on your computer? If you do, click the "go advanced" button under the message box. Then scroll down and look for a button titled "manage attachments." Click on that and it should be fairly self-explanatory from there. Can't wait to see the little guy! :)
 
#20 ·
picture is on profile

I haven't been able to upload pictures to a message, but I just checked my profile and the picture there is public. He's a gorgeous boy--everyone says so LOL! He has a cowlick/ridge down his nose.
 
#22 · (Edited)
He is sure a good looking little boy! Breed standards are very important if you plan on showing, but honestly for the average pet owner, our dogs need to be compared on a one to one basis I believe. The main thing our standard gives us is a basis to go by. If the dog is large but lean, then this is good, if short, but lean and muscular, then this is right for that particular dog. If a dog is within breed standards, but over 90 lbs, then they can be fat. Our wonderful Fred (passed at 13 yrs 2 mo) was given a huge frame & was skinny at 90 lbs. so though over standard, he was right for his frame. In the winter he would gain, but lose it in the summer heat. What I am trying to say is that each dog is unique, we have a standard for our breed, but you must look at your individual dog for whether he is overweight, thin or just right and use the standard as a guide for excellence. Our first golden was fat at 65 lbs and we constantly battled getting weight off him, but he was of a smaller frame and had a laid back personality. I have learned to keep the weight to what looks right on their frame and doing it with our 2 goldens now. They are fed different amounts because one is of a med. frame and one looks like he is going to be more of a heavy frame. They are both pups now, but I watch them very carefully...want to keep them balanced, but NOT let them get fat. Both are very food motivated and it is hard cause they both think they are starving. Work with your Vet for guidance, but let your eyes tell you the full story. From the picture, I think your little guy looks great!

Is that an English Toy with him? I have an ETS named Millie, who is almost 14 yrs. She holds my heart and that picture looks just like her when she was younger!
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=104081&stc=1&d=1317979222
 

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#24 ·
thanks everyone

I guess he'll just be a little (or large!) surprise package...My philosophy for dogs and humans too is to eat well and play hard, and the body you're left with is the one you were meant to have...

Our little spaniel is a black-and-tan Cavalier King Charles--a very close cousin to English Toys. Very similar in temperament and looks, but a separate breed. Her name is Tess, she's 7.5 and a real gem. She hasn't completely adjust to the large bounding new guy in her life, but she's coming around.
 
#29 ·
Every dog is different. Just because he is out of (or way out of) breed standard does NOT make hime / her obese, or a Saint Bernard. It just means he isn't a show dog and hopefully was not purchased for this purpose. Male dogs that are neutered early can actually get taller than those allowed to fully mature. Your dog's health should be based on his own personal structure to inculded height, weight, bone , muscle, and fat mass. These things can all be verified with your vet. Good luck with your pup.

And as far as Saint Bernards go- most I have seen are considerably larger than 100 lbs!
 
#35 ·
Every dog is different. Just because he is out of (or way out of) breed standard does NOT make hime / her obese, or a Saint Bernard. It just means he isn't a show dog and hopefully was not purchased for this purpose. Male dogs that are neutered early can actually get taller than those allowed to fully mature. Your dog's health should be based on his own personal structure to inculded height, weight, bone , muscle, and fat mass. These things can all be verified with your vet. Good luck with your pup.

And as far as Saint Bernards go- most I have seen are considerably larger than 100 lbs!
LOL! I laughed at the St. Bernard comparison also......what a joke lol!
 
#32 · (Edited)
Male dogs who are neutered (early) may get taller than those allowed to fully mature. <- I've heard of that. And I've seen goldens like that. I saw one while driving out to lunch today. All legs.

They also do not have the same bone and muscle development that dogs left intact may have. So technically, they should weigh less, right? o_O???

The reason why I brought up St. Bernards is there is a good reason why they weigh over 100 lbs. They aren't just taller. Their bones are HUGE compared to goldens. Believe me. There is one in our Rally class. His owner has him in obedience (jumping) and conformation, so this dog is not permitted to become overweight.

My Danny was over the standard heightwise - he was a smidgeon over 25". This was the dog who was frequently mistaken for a Pyr simply because of how tall he was and how excessive his coat was. When he was in the prime of his life, he was at his ideal weight at 75lbs.

Being an inch over the standard doesn't automatically mean that dog can be 20 pounds over.

Danny's weight went up to 89lbs in his last year, but that was mainly all due to him getting less exercise and having ballooning lipomas on his side and neck.

*** and I'll be honest here. The only reason why I'm saying all this is one of our vets indicated that my current guy was at a really good weight at 85lbs. <- This when I was trying to explain why I wanted to have a thyroid test done on my dog. :no: Since being on meds, my guy's weight went back down to a healthier 78lbs.

Even if you aren't into conformation or whatnot, it still is better overall for your dog to be kept at a healthy weight. Besides concerns for the heart and joints, there's also the fact that most of us sign those contracts with the breeders which state that we will not permit the dog to become overweight.
 
#33 ·
I also think alot of people think that if they can feel their dog's ribs, the dog is fine. Well, that is true if you don't have to push IN to feel the ribs. There was a female golden down the street from us that was HUGE - way overweight. Unfortunately, she died at a young age due to health issues associated with her weight.
 
#41 ·
After all my angst, Tucker turned out to be just a bit bigger than normal. He varies from 65-70 lbs. depending on the time of year and how much opportunity to run he's given. And he still thinks he's a lap dog, LOL. :D
 
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