Mary is so correct. You cannot be sure until they are completly grown -as an adult. The rule of thumb in the old days was to double their weight at 12 weeks of age. But that is no guarantee. You just will not be sure till they have matured. By knowing the parents, grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.. you will have a better idea. I have tried using the chart out there just to see how it would have worked and was not correct. Each pup is unique and you just have to wait. Sometimes you can tell if a pup will run small or run larger based on the look of the head, nose (nostril openings), feet and legs, but still you will not know their adult weight.
Also - from what I know - the sire does not determine the size, since the pups get the genes for this from both parents. I have used smaller studs and had larger females and get them a full range of sizes, also have used parents both the same size getting about the same size in pups, and have bred a little larger male 6.5 pound male to a 5 pound bitch and got small pups (3.5 pounds as adult). |