New here and have puppy question!

**erin1965** · 12-14-2011, 02:26 PM

We are about to choose a puppy from a large litter - and I am in love with the little guy. He is 7.5 lbs at 7 weeks, but is catching up to his littermates. The mom is an average size and she had 9 puppies - two passed early on. Little Guy is engaging and has a great personality, but my husband is concerned about his size. We bring our new boy home next week so we need to make a decision. We are buying from a reputable breeder whose dogs win Championships and I think she knows her stuff. But the boy we lost earlier this year at 12 1/2 was 85 pounds and my husband is used to a Big Guy. I think that out of a litter of 9 there was bound to be a smaller guy and that his size is not a negative health indicator. Any opinions out there? Thanks!

**LuvBrown** · 12-14-2011, 05:00 PM

A small pup doesn't mean a small adult.

**deidra** · 12-14-2011, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by LuvBrown

A small pup doesn't mean a small adult.

Yup,My aunt got the runt of the litter and now he is huge!

**Sophiesmama** · 12-14-2011, 05:10 PM

Our puppy weighed twice that at the same age, yet at 8 months she is 67lbs, so she's not huge or anything. I was told by our vet that a lab pup should weigh about 2 lbs per week of age, sometimes a little more for males. Did you ask the breeder if the mother has had smaller puppies before? I have seen other members on here with pups that were smaller than the "norm" and theirs seem fine. What kind of guarantee does the breeder give you? You will be taking your puppy to the vet that first week, and you should find out then if the puppy is healthy. Is he eating well on his own?

**erin1965** · 12-14-2011, 05:31 PM

Thanks to you all - you are confirming what I think and what our breeder has said.

This particular mom hasn't had a litter before, and the breeder has told me these pups are the smallest she's seen in all her years (several decades) of working with the breed. I think this little guy will be great and will grow just fine. He is eating well and the real point here is that when we visited for the first time, he essentially chose us.

I'll consult with hubby and pass your wisdom along. I do appreciate your input and will report back!

**morla** · 12-14-2011, 06:42 PM

Hi! Welcome to the forum! I hope you like it here!

**tammyhuffman** · 12-14-2011, 06:51 PM

Good luck in your decision and congrats on your future addition!

**erin1965** · 12-15-2011, 11:01 AM

Thanks again! We made our decision last night and will in factbring the little guy home next week. I hope to post photos soon.

I am so happy to have this little guy come into our lives. We lived and breathed for the fine boy we lost too soon. I want that feeling again.

Everyone be well until I can post photos!

**Sophiesmama** · 12-15-2011, 02:46 PM

We lost our 12 yr old in May. We were devastated. We got our Sophie, and she has helped so much! We still miss our sweet Maggiemay, but Sophie is a handfull and a joy all rolled into one. Your new baby will help you so much with your loss.

**Campfire_Dog** · 12-15-2011, 11:13 PM

Jack's mom was called Maggie Mae. I did not think that name was that common for a lab. She is a very sweet girl with a wonderful personality. It is so hard to loose your friends and they are never old enough. Our Choco was almost 11 and I was devestated. I know how you felt.
Judy and Jack