Is 2.8 TOO small?
 

Hi!

We just took Mariah to the vet and she weighs 2.8 at 7 months.

At first the vet seemed a little concerned cuz she was 2.7 at the last visit (so she didn't gain much...lol) but then he examined her.

He said she looks completely healthy - that she lost her "baby fat" and is a very solid puppy and "all muscle". I expressed my concern about how tiny she is, but he said not to worry. When I asked if we should feed her something different to help her grow - he explained that we really don't want her overweight...it's the worse thing for a small dog. He said she is a very healthy dog, just small and the perfect weight for her frame, etc.

I have to admit that it makes me nervous that she's so tiny. I really wanted her to get to be at least 3 lbs. We have a 16 lb bishon who I always thought of as a "small dog" but she looks like a giant next to Mariah. We didn't "plan" to get a Yorkie. My daughter had slept at a friend's house who just had a litter of puppies and she "fell in love" with our baby. Everything I know about her is THANKS to this website!

Mariah is very active, eats and drinks lots, seems very healthy and is incredibley smart and such a joy - so I guess I shouldn't worry.

Does anyone else have a "little one" and is there anything to be concerned about if she seems healthy but doesn't get much bigger? THANKS!

It sounds like you have a wonderful healthy little girl. You most definately don't want her over weight - that adds stress to knees, heart, etc. My Peppy ranges from 3.25 and 3.5 lbs. He is an active, vigorous little boy who eats like a horse. He has had a couple bouts of diarrhea - one that requred hospitalization, so I watch for signs of tummy upsets. Other than that he is a very active and vocal member of our household.

The biggest thing with the tiny ones is to be viligent and take quick action at the first sign of trouble. Watch them eat and be sure they are drinking and of course you have to protect them from a lot of "normal" household activities like people walking, opening doors, etc.

Lots of members have Yorkies your size, and they are very healthy. Some yorkies are small due to health problems of the mother, and complications during pregnancy, some are small due to genetics, and can be quite healthy. It sounds like you have a healthy little girl. The main thing that would concern me is them jumping off beds and furniture, so it's good to have steps. I think also, the tinies are more at risk going under anethesia (spell?). There are even a few clubs for tinies. See social groups for more information.

I was worried my Marcel would not make it past 2.5-3 lbs. according to the growth chart. And, at around 7 mths - he was probably about the same as your baby. I think at 10 mths he was just shy of 3 lbs - and I think right now he hovers around 3.4 and he's about 1.5 yrs old. So, sometimes these tinies do have later growth spurts - so hang in there, she may still grow a bit - probably not a ton, but a little more. And, like Nancy said - they can be just as healthy as any other size dog. They might have other vulnerabilities due to size (like, falling off of a couch etc.) that you have to watch, but they can still be totally healthy. :)

sounds healthy to me...Yoshi was 2.85 lbs for the longest time...until about 11 months...now he is 13 months old and 3.65 lbs...at one point he hit 4.1 lbs but then he went back to 3.65 lbs. Some dogs could stop growing at 6 months to about 18 months. So i wouldn't worry so much about it unless she isn't healthy.

:aimeeyork As long as she is happy, alert, eating and drinking well then it is okay. Like it was said before, just be cautious that she is not going to hurt herself around the house, and people know where she is at all times. My suzi loves to be under foot, and it can be difficult to make sure she is safe all the time:aimeeyork

My Baby Zoey will be one year old next week and she now weighs 2.5 lbs. She is perfectly healthy and a happy little girl who just loves to chase squirrels. I didn't intentionally want a tiny one, but now that I do, I love her to death. Just goes to show you that you really don't know how big they will get.

LuLu, Bosley Beamer, & Baby Zoey

Thanks!
 

Hello!

I really appreciate all the replies! I'm glad to hear she may get a little bit bigger too. It's so very good to hear from those of you who have "little ones" too and that they do so well.

Mariah is VERY active and keeping her out of trouble and safe is our top priority! Thanks to the advice on this website I just taught her the command "Leave It" with lots of success. It helps so much when she attempts to grab something she shouldn't! Now I have to work on "Drop It"...lol cuz once she has something she sure makes a run for it!

I have to admit I am so very protective of her. I worry she's too hot, too cold, could get a draft, etc, etc. She seems so fragile to me cuz she's so tiny...but she sure doesn't act fragile at all. She acts like she's a Great Dane!

I never thought such a tiny little dog would capture my heart so quickly and so much. She is such an amazing puppy and I want to keep her happy, safe and healthy for a long time to come! THANKS!

What a cutie...do you have a bell for her? I put one on Gracie when we first got her just so I could hear where she was. It saved her from getting stepped on many times. I also bought her a harness dress so when we walked her I could quickly rescue her if needed. She now weight over 8 lbs, but I still keep the bell on her.

My Ricky is 2.5 pounds and he is very healthy... thank God.

She will definately get over 3 lbs if she's only 7 months now. My little one took forever to get to 2 lb and was only 2.5 at one year. She's now 14 month old and 2 3/4 and still gaining

My Myah is 6 1/2 months old and is the same size as your's. We also have a 16 lb. Bichon, Chloe'. I don't have any answers, as I'm in the same boat as you, but I was also told she is fine and will just be on the small size. I just thought it was cool that we have the same breed of dogs and that they are the same size.;)

My little guy weighs in at 2lbs 14 oz (on a good day). Vet wanted him to gain another 1/2 lb, but I just don't see it happening. He eats well, but as soon as I think he's going to gain an ounce or two, he goes out and poos, and there it goes!

He's 5 yrs old and as healthy (and spoiled) as can be!

my little one is 6 months and 1 week.. she is also 2.8 pounds. The only thing i think is different is that I had to buy a lot of steps for around the house .. the couches chairs, and a huge one for the bed that was very expensive. But it is worth it as she is getting into a "jumping" faze that is scaring me to death. I am worried she will break a leg.

It is weird because everyone else thinks she is sooo tiny and little.. but because i look at her all the time, she doesnt seem so tiny to me. :p she has a sturdy lil frame on her, which is good. she is not a "fragile" underweight/ skinny little boney puppy at all.

I am just worried about anesthesia... the little ones can react badly to it. are you getting your one spayed soon? 7 months is around that time. I set up an appointment today to get pebbles spayed next friday... I am so scared

She may still grow. They grow up until around a year old. Not grow so much as fill out. Lilly was 2 lbs. at 13 weeks old and she's now a year old and just shy of 4 lbs. At 7 months she was just about 3 lbs. I think your little one will probably hit at least the 3 lbs. mark. By the way I have a 17 lb. Yorkie actually we think she is a Yorkie mix and she is very gentle with Lilly. They know not to play too rough. Elaine

Zoey is 2 lbs 13 ozs at 9 months. As long as your girl is healthy then I say don't worry about it. She still has some time to put on some weight. Also after they are spayed they tend to put on a few ounces.

Mochi was 2.75 lbs when we took her home; she was 4 1/2 months old. She had been gaining 1 oz per week, and was so on track when comparing to the Yorkie growth chart. During the past month, she stopped gaining for 3 weeks, and then gain 3 oz in a week. Then for the last 3 weeks, the same thing happened. Now she is 10 months old and weighs 3 lbs 1 oz.

She is a active girl, always running around the house and checking things out. She is not skinny.

I believe your baby will still have a little bit to grow.

As other posters said, the main concern for these little ones are accidents like we stepping on them or falling off furniture.

Maya is 15 months and weighs 2.8 lbs. - I understand I always worry too but Maya is healthy and so is yours so I guess it's just fine !!!!

She might still gain a few ounces since she is still young. I have a yorkie that is 2.8 lbs and is almost 2 yrs. She is really healthy as far as i know, i take her to the vet a lot, she just got spayed and did really well. She is solid, it worries me sometimes too how little she is but they have such fragile knees that they dont need extra weight, it can mess them up.

tell me if your baby girl gains a significant amount of weight after her spay.. i am wondering about this

Idon't know if this makes any sense , It doesn't to me..... when I took my Samson to the Emergency Room Vet he weighed 2.7..... that sort of concerned me..... but I was told... some scales are different.... some are weighed in ozs.... 16 oz in 1 lb ...... and some scales are by 10's ....
Maybe someone else can explain it ..... it made sense to me when I heard it...

Just curious. Did you get a 1 year health guarantee knowing that this baby was going to be really small?

I haven't weighed her yet but so far she seems the same. Her tummy looks a little more full, she did go without exercise for the 2 weeks after the spay to be safe but she wanted none of that. All she wanted to do was run and hump her stuffed animals, yep she didn't lose that urge lol I will let you know if she gains weight

My little Tia was 3 pounds, 2 oz at 2 years old. The vet said she could loose a bit of weight :eek: I was shocked... Took her to the vet the other day and found out her weight dropped to 2 lbs., 5 oz. and I was concerned ( we have a new puppy in the house..warmer weather so more outside adventures!) and he said she is at perfect weight for her bone structure.

So glad
 

Hello!

I'm so glad to hear from so many others who have "little ones".

As I had said I hadn't planned to get such a little breed. My daughter slept at a friend's house who had recently had a litter of Yorkies. Mariah's parents are bigger so we expected her to get bigger - which was just fine with us...but that didn't happen. It's turning out she is the "runt" of the litter had her brothers and sisters are much bigger. I didn't get a "health guarantee" and to be honest I am all new to this and didn't even know this existed. We go to church with the people we got her from and our daughter's are friends.

Julie, It is interesting to know we each have a bichon and a Yorkie. Our bichon took quite a while to get used to the new puppy. She's 7 yrs old and just wasn't interested in "playing" at first - which is all Mariah wanted to do. It took a while but now they get along so well! I love it when they curl up and sleep together because for a long time I wasn't sure it would ever happen!

Baileysmom31, It's so strange because I have a cat named Cosmo and my daughter's name is Tia. I LOVE that name!

I too am very scared to have Mariah go under anethesia and get fixed at her small size. We haven't discussed it yet at all. We never did get our bichon fixed. I was so nervous about her having surgury that we kept putting it off and next thing you know so much time had passed! I always wonder if we made a mistake or not. I just wasn't sure the risk of surgury was worth it. I guess I'll have to do a lot more research before I decide either way.

We are having so much fun with our little Mariah - she is such a blessing!

She still definitely has time to grow. My maltese was 2.9 lbs at 6-7 months, and at almost 2 yrs old, she is now b/w 4-4.5 lbs and not one ounce overweight :)