My Boy Riley-Too Small?

[ErikaJane]

So I got Riley exactly 3 weeks ago. At 6 weeks (way too young anyway) he weighed 6 lbs. He only weighed 9.1 lbs at 8 weeks. At 9 weeks he probably weighs 10 or 11 now. He finally started eating kibble tho! TOTW and Blue Buffalo puppy food. Before he would only eat meat and veggies which I want to switch back to eventually. Since they told me he was purebred I was concerned that he was unhealthy because he's so small. Plus he doesn't seem as fluffy as my previous Pyr. But his first vet check proved a clean bill of health. Is it ok for him to be so tiny? He seems to eat fine and is playful and loving. I'm just a worried mom!

[Jewel]

Small doesn't mean unhealthy! Pyrs vary greatly in size. When I was at the Great Pyrenees National Specialy Show in April, I saw a few males that were 27" tall and others at 32" tall with weight variance of 85-130 lbs. Breeders also often say that pups that are small at birth do not always stay small at maturity. Thus if your vet thinks the pup is healthy and growing at a reasonable rate, I would think you are doing fine

There is this another possibility that perhaps your pup may have a bit of a smaller breed mixed in him. You had said that he has only single dewclaws and that while the breeder told you he's a purebred, you didn't actually see the parents. I have a male pyr mix that could have passed for a purebred pyr as a little pup. At 8-9 weeks he was about 11 lbs.

[mstricer]

Originally Posted by Jewel

Small doesn't mean unhealthy! Pyrs vary greatly in size. When I was at the Great Pyrenees National Specialy Show in April, I saw a few males that were 27" tall and others at 32" tall with weight variance of 85-130 lbs. Breeders also often say that pups that are small at birth do not always stay small at maturity. Thus if your vet thinks the pup is healthy and growing at a reasonable rate, I would think you are doing fine

There is this another possibility that perhaps your pup may have a bit of a smaller breed mixed in him. You had said that he has only single dewclaws and that while the breeder told you he's a purebred, you didn't actually see the parents. I have a male pyr mix that could have passed for a purebred pyr as a little pup. At 8-9 weeks he was about 11 lbs.

They should have two declaws right? My girl does and I love the way her feet look.

[Espinay]

Forget about his size and definitely don't try to make him grow faster. If you try to 'push' weight and size gain you can do untold damage to growing bones and joints. Keep him lean and growing at a reasonable rate. He will still reach the size he was always meant to be. Sometimes smaller pups can end up to the the largest/tallest so size at this age is really no indicator. As long has he is healthy, lean and still gaining at a nice even rate then all is good.

Purebred Pyrs can at times be born with single dewclaws, just as they can sometimes be bred with triples. Double is the more common though and what is required in the standard as a 'hallmark of the breed'. If your dog is not from a registered breeder though, there is no real guarantee your dog is pure Pyr. It may be or it may not. Either way, don't sweat about the size. He will be what he will be.