Puppy too small for his age

Pogo01
Pogo01 Icon representing the flag French
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Evening everyone,

I adopted my little Pogo three months ago now. Everything is going really well; he's settled in quickly to his new environment and has found his place within our family. He’s a very energetic 5-month-old puppy, and I take him out for walks for between 2 and 3 hours a day.

This afternoon, I took him to the vet for his booster jabs. All is well—he’s in excellent health, which is perfect.

However, my vet thinks he's 'small' for his age and told me he's likely a Miniature American Shepherd. At 5 months old, he only weighs 10kg (about 22 lbs) and isn't very tall at all. When I bought him from the breeder, she told me he'd reach about 35kg (around 5 and a half stone) as an adult... So, I’m a bit confused... Can a dog just have a massive growth spurt? Could the breeder have lied to me?!

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give 🐶

Translated from French
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21 answers
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    • L
    Lacurieuse Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi there, I agree with the others, that’s a very small puppy... even for the runt of the litter. Is he Kennel Club registered? Quite a few male Aussies weigh between 51-53 lbs and 66 lbs. To give you an idea, my girl, who finished growing at 53 lbs, was 33 lbs at 5 months and 37 lbs at 6 months. He's certainly going to be a very small build, maybe around 31-33 lbs.
    Translated from French
    Doudou229
    Doudou229 Icon representing the flag French
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    Yes, the puppy is very small...

    Worth checking the food as well...

    As for breeders, I’ve been let down three times by different ones, and it was such a shame for my family and my girls (out of the four I’ve had)... I might be being a bit harsh, but finding a good, reputable one has become really, really difficult... Just like with vets...

    An Australian Shepherd estimated to be 35kg (around 77lbs) once fully grown is at the very top end of the growth chart...

    Yeah, looking at him now, he’s not going to reach that weight later on...

    Translated from French
    C
    Caroline-eg Icon representing the flag French
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    @Doudou229, yeah, but you did notice that rabbit was clearly smaller than average. How on earth can you expect a puppy to end up weighing 77 lbs (about 5 and a half stone) when it clearly didn't even weigh 7.7 lbs at two months old? There’s clearly something wrong. I reckon these "clueless" breeders are becoming far too common, and we’re only talking about size here – I’ve actually had a pup with a terminal illness. If we noticed it quickly without being pros ourselves, I really wonder how a breeder who’s supposedly been a pro for 20 years missed it, especially as she kept the pup until it was three months old (and charged an extra fee!).

    The pup is clearly very, very small. Either the whole litter is like that – in which case the father definitely doesn't weigh 77 lbs – or it’s the only one and you should tell the owner. This dog won’t even reach the weight of a small-framed female.

    Translated from French
    Doudou229
    Doudou229 Icon representing the flag French
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    This is a bit off-topic

    For years I kept dwarf rabbits, and we had litters from the same mum and dad

    Among the kits born at our place... there was one tiny little thing with the smallest ears, a real featherweight compared to its siblings. Even when it was nearly full-grown, it could almost fit inside a chicken egg... it stayed tiny as an adult, smaller than its parents... nature works in mysterious ways...

    Translated from French
    Doudou229
    Doudou229 Icon representing the flag French
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    Maybe the dad was a mini... or he's just the runt of the litter..
    Translated from French
    Tania28
    Tania28 Icon representing the flag French
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    Yeah, you’re absolutely right about that.

    Translated from French
    Doudou229
    Doudou229 Icon representing the flag French
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    While we wait for their reply 🙂

    But the most important thing is that he's fit and well, playful, and looks super cute in his avatar,

    he’s got such a lovely face!

    Translated from French
    C
    Caroline-eg Icon representing the flag French
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    Usually, minis sell for more. That’s why I reckon it’s a crossbreed, which would definitely drive the price down. You can’t lie about the puppy’s mother, but you can always lie about the father—and as mad as it sounds, you can even do it with Kennel Club registered pedigrees. Claiming a mating happened with one dog when it was actually another... nobody’s going to DNA test every puppy, and it’s not even that rare.
    Translated from French
    Tania28
    Tania28 Icon representing the flag French
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    We're not sure if he's KC registered...

    Translated from French
    Doudou229
    Doudou229 Icon representing the flag French
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    Wouldn't the breeder have charged more for him if he'd been a Mini? Or am I just talking rubbish?
    Translated from French

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