How Big Will the Puppies Be?

The Snack Cake Pups were born November 2, so they were five weeks old on Thursday. They are weighing in at between six to seven pounds. The question everyone asks (right after they ask what kind of puppies they are) is—how big will they be?

The answer to that question depends largely on the answer to the first question. And the only one who has the answer to that question is Krimpet, and she’s not been forthcoming with the information.

My, admittedly usually wrong, guess for dad is Plotthound.

My reasons for that focus on where Krimpet was found (Mount Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia) and the fact that all of the puppies have the same coloring. Here’s my completely uneducated reasoning: because obviously, the puppies all look alike and favor dad so strongly, dad could be a purebred (or mostly purebred) something. Mount Jackson is a rural community where lots of hunters reside close to the mountains where there are bears to hunt. Plotthounds are bear-hunting dogs.

And while I know how big Krimpet is (35 pounds), I have no clue as to what breed she is. Her stumpy tail (if it is short naturally and that’s not necessarily true) makes me guess Mountain Feist (the shelter labeled her Jack Russell). Her chewing prowess, penchant for food, and mischievous personality make me think she’s part Beagle.

Clearly, I could be completely wrong in any/all about all of those assumptions.

So, that said, I’m going to answer question 2 based on the likely erroneous answers to question 1.

So, if we guess these puppies were possibly plotthounds, and possibly beagle (my guess is that Krimpet is at least part beagle) Two puppy growth calculators told me they would grow up to be between 45 and 55 pounds.

Of course, if you take ALL the parts of this equation that could be wrong (pretty much everything except the day they were born and the weight they are now), the possibilities increase to anywhere from 25-75 pounds.

Since I have no real knowledge of the breeds involved, I searched wider and found a formula for figuring out a puppy’s adult weight even if you have no idea about the parents’ heritage.

That formula is: Puppy weight divided by age in weeks multiplied by 52.

If that formula is correct, then the puppies will be between 58 and 64 pounds.

So, basically I have no earthly idea how big these puppies will be.

But if you’d like to adopt one of these cuties, you can apply through the Humane Society of Shenandoah County.

And if you’d like to come meet them, enjoy a little puppy therapy, and help me socialize them, reach out to me (carasueachterberg@gmail.com) and we can find a time for you to do that.

Meanwhile, Gracie Lou has moved to her other foster home in Maryland and is still very much looking for a forever home of her own. If you or someone you know is interested in adopting (foster-to-adopt is available) Gracie Lou, shoot me an email. I’d love to tell you all about her.

And now a public service announcement: Holidays can be a stressful time for dogs. If you have visitors or are hosting a party, consider crating your dog or keeping him in a room away from the chaos. Some dogs do fine, but many can be stressed by disrupted schedules, strangers in the house, and the overexcitement of children. A lot of dogs get lost during the holidays thanks to distracted owners, houseguests who don’t know the dog rules, and new year’s fireworks. As you celebrate, keep your pup/s in mind and manage their world to protect them.

Until Each One Has a Home,

Cara

For information on me, my writing, and books, visit CaraWrites.com.

If you’d like regular updates of all our foster dogs past and present, plus occasional dog care/training tips, and occasional foster cat updates (!) be sure to join the Facebook group, Another Good Dog.

And if you’d like to know where all these dogs come from and how you can help solve the crisis of too many unwanted dogs in our shelters, visit WhoWillLetTheDogsOut.org and subscribe to our blog where we share stories of our travels to shelters, rescues, and dog pounds.

If you can’t get enough foster dog stories, check out my book: Another Good Dog: One Family and Fifty Foster Dogs . Or its follow up that takes you to the shelters in the south One Hundred Dogs & Counting: One Woman, Ten Thousand Miles, and a Journey Into the Heart of Shelters and Rescues.

I love to hear from readers and dog-hearted people! Email me at carasueachterberg@gmail.com.

If you’d like to support the work our family does (and save the rescue and me some money), shop our Amazon wishlist.