# Small miniature poodle?



## MrsD2008 (May 26, 2014)

We brought home our miniature poodle puppy last Monday so has been with us a full week and he's a total delight. We noticed straight away that he's tiny. Today I came across a puppy growth rate chart on arpeggio website that states that a miniature poodle puppy would be 8.5 inches in height at 8 weeks. Our Bailey is now 9 weeks old and is 6.5 inches tall and was 1.75kg a week ago. Should I be worried? He is eating three times a day 75g of meat based food each time. Is this enough? The vet thinks it's too much. Both his parents were 14 inches to shoulder. Is it possible he will be a small miniature that would become a toy size? Anyone know of this happening please ?


----------



## Newmum (Jan 2, 2014)

Hi, glad to hear your enjoying the new puppy! I think Ember was 8 inches at 8 weeks and 2.2kgs? She's over 16 inches now so I'd think your pup will be somewhere in the middle range for a mini at a guess. That does sound like a lot of food but I'm not sure if you're feeding just meat


----------



## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

I would think it's too early to be able to tell. Why not ask the breeder you bought the pup from, as they would know their breeding and might have some insight for you rather than someone who does not know their line guessing....


----------



## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

He sure is cute!


----------



## Michaddison (Jan 17, 2014)

I don't know if this will help since different lines can vary, but here's my miniature's growth for the first few months. Her sire was a mini, about 14 inches, but the breeder called the dam a "moyen" -- about 18.5 inches. 

My puppy is 7 months now and she's lost that "puppy look," so I think she may be about done growing. Since the beginning she has not had much of an appetite, so I let her free feed throughout the day. If I had to guess, I'd say she ate between 1 cup and 1.5 cups a day in the first few months. 

9 wks -- 10.5" -- 6.3 lbs
12 wks -- 11.75" -- 8.2 lbs
15 wks -- 13" -- 9 lbs
18 wks -- 13.75" -- 10.6 lbs
21 wks -- 14.5" -- 12.4 lbs
24 wks -- 14.6" -- 13.2 lbs
27 wks -- 15.25" -- 13.6 lbs
30 wks -- 15.5" -- 14 lbs

Hope this helps!


----------



## MrsD2008 (May 26, 2014)

Thanks all. However those of you comparing your pups to mine, your dogs both seem to be bigger in height than the AKC and UKKC recommends for a miniature. Both parents dogs are 14 inches and saw them both. It worries me that my Bailey is two inches shorter than the recommended at his age. I am concerned that I am under feeding him. Can anyone remember how much food they fed their pup at 9 weeks. He is being transferred from butchers choice puppy trays ( the breeders choice) onto Wainrights puppy trays which are 71% chicken and chicken liver with rice or turkey with rice or duck with rice. Please see Wainrights website if you are interested. He still seems tiny and would be correct height if he were a toy poodle but with his parents being miniatures he does seem little thanks in advance


----------



## ApricotsRock (Jan 10, 2014)

NOT a math major! Disclaimer!

But...if I do the math your pup is 3.75 lbs at 8 weeks. At 11 weeks my pup was 5.5 lbs. I don't think that is that far off. Puppies grow a lot in those first few weeks.

Now at just over a year he is around 13 lbs. And I think he is a great size.


----------



## MrsD2008 (May 26, 2014)

I weighed him on the kitchen scales today and he weighed 3.5kg. And he is 17cm tall at shoulder. I am hoping that's ok


----------



## Manxcat (May 6, 2013)

Jayne, I think you are maybe worrying unduly at this stage. Pippin is a big chunky toy, top edge on the "official" height scales for a toy at around 10 inches and is about 10lb. Compare that to, say, TinyPoodles' new pup Timi (or her adults Teaka and Tangee) and Pippin is like a giant in comparison! They're just opposite ends of the "toy" size spectrum.

Pushkin is a full grown mini but is not a huge amount heavier than Pippin, even though he is taller by about 4 inches. It's often down to their build, bone structure, heredity, stuff like that. 

At Bailey's age there is still a lot of growing time left, and also I'd be wary of overfeeding him to try and get him bigger. Stick to the recommended feeding dosage for his age. Pippin was on Royal Canin puppy kibble soaked at 9 weeks plus a bit of other stuff thrown in like chicken, pasta, bit of egg and so on in about 4 meals a day as that is what she came from the breeder with, but we later changed her to James Wellbeloved. It never looked enough to keep a flea alive but she did okay!

Bailey may turn out to be a small mini (he'll never be a toy as I understand it as his parents are both minis) but you're not going to love him less are you???


----------



## MrsD2008 (May 26, 2014)

Oh certainly not. I love him dearly already, he's my Darling. I am just concerned that I am under feeding him. Although the vet thinks he's having too much. He's happy healthy, bouncing around and playing very well like a pup should so that gives me some comfort. I think I am just anxious because we only lost our other boy, Harvey not two months ago, I guess I am afraid to loose him. Silly pathetic adult that I am, anxiety disorder aside, I just want to make sure he has the best I can give him. The food trays he is being put onto are a lot larger than the ones he came from the breeder with and he does seem to be growing, it's just that average height charts say a miniature poodle of this age should be taller, and as his parents are 14 inches to the shoulder I expected him to be bigger. But he's a darling, and if he turns out to be a very small miniature, then so be it, I just want to make sure that his slow growth is down to genetics and not something I am doing wrong. So puppy photos, as I know we all love them....





Last one of Bailey with my husband Gareth


----------



## Bizzeemamanj (Apr 14, 2014)

Hi Jayne!

Cooper is a 15 week old mini and weighs 10 lbs and is just about 11 inches at the shoulder. He's gained 4 pounds in 4 weeks and grown significantly. He eats 3 meals a day of 1/4 cup kibble mixed with 1 tablespoon canned food. I feed nature's variety instinct raw boost. 

Coopers parents were both at the largest size for AKC conformity and measured 15 inches at the shoulder. We expect Cooper to end up the same. Given the AKC range for conformity for a miniature is 10 - 15 inches at the shoulder he would be at the large side of the standard for a mini. Conformity standards don't really matter in an individual pet though if you aren't showing. There can be a great deal of variety within the classification of mini. 

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how much your cutie will grow over the next few weeks! It's amazing. Enjoy your puppy!


----------



## kayfabulous6 (Nov 19, 2013)

If your pup was born to mini parents, that would make him a mini as well. Maybe just a petite one. I wouldn't worry too much about the growth chart because minis can vary so much. My mini was probably 8 inches tall around four or five months old, not 8 weeks 

I was in the same situation you are in, I also have a very small miniature poodle. I saw both of her parents, they were around 12 pounds each so I figured she wouldn't be that large to begin with- she was about 3.4 pounds at at her 10 week psychical at the vets office. Everything was healthy and she is still healthy to this day at 8 months old and around 8 pounds and 10 inches tall at the whithers (though my measurements may be off, my scale at home isn't the best.) and I know she will grow some more up to her year birthday. I believe that miniatures have a great range in terms of size spectrum. Mini's are known to be all different sizes, some staying petite and only reaching 10 pounds or so, and then on the other side there can be mini's who are considered "oversized," who can be well up into 20+ pounds I believe. 

Puppies tend to grow like weeds- it is amazing how quickly they will put on weight and how fast they grow taller. It sounds like to me you are doing an excellent job with Bailey and as long as your veterinarian rules out any health problems, then we can just consider him another member of the petite mini club  here are some photos of Ruby's growth process from a young puppy to now. Hope this helps!! 

Here is Ruby at 8 weeks old. Very tiny 









Me holding Ruby~she is 11 weeks in this photo









Ruby at 4 months 









And here is Miss Ruby at 8 months! 










Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Luce (Mar 4, 2013)

Luce is a small mini also!! She was the smallest in her litter, at 8 weeks she was 2.4lbs - that's a bit over 1kg !!! Sorry, don't know the height. Her parents were 13" for Mom and about 15" for Dad. I think she weighed 13lbs. and he was about 15lbs.

11 weeks - 4lbs. 3oz.

15 weeks - 5lbs. 14oz. (almost 6lbs.!!!)

I didn't right it down, but I remember from 16 weeks or so on, she gained about 1oz. per day for 5 or 6 weeks! Talk about a growth spurt!

After that spurt it slowed down and I remember her weighing 9lbs. or so when she was 8 months old, then reached 11lbs 4oz. at the end of October (10 months)- and that is where she stayed with her weight, give or take a few ounces here and there. However, she did have a height growth spurt in November and grew about an inch or 2. I think she is about 11.5inches.

She is big enough for lots of playing and running and small enough to hold - love her size, it is perfect for me!


----------



## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

OMGosh! Those puppy pictures are heartmeltingly CUTE!!!!

What pretty babies you all have!!


----------



## MrsD2008 (May 26, 2014)

kayfabulous6 said:


> If your pup was born to mini parents, that would make him a mini as well. Maybe just a petite one. I wouldn't worry too much about the growth chart because minis can vary so much. My mini was probably 8 inches tall around four or five months old, not 8 weeks
> 
> I was in the same situation you are in, I also have a very small miniature poodle. I saw both of her parents, they were around 12 pounds each so I figured she wouldn't be that large to begin with- she was about 3.4 pounds at at her 10 week psychical at the vets office. Everything was healthy and she is still healthy to this day at 8 months old and around 8 pounds and 10 inches tall at the whithers (though my measurements may be off, my scale at home isn't the best.) and I know she will grow some more up to her year birthday. I believe that miniatures have a great range in terms of size spectrum. Mini's are known to be all different sizes, some staying petite and only reaching 10 pounds or so, and then on the other side there can be mini's who are considered "oversized," who can be well up into 20+ pounds I believe.
> 
> ...


Fair play, Ruby is one tiny tiny miniature poodle. She is beautiful. Thank you for this post it has helped me a great deal. As Baileys parents are 14 inches to shoulder I assumed he would turn out the same, and maybe he will eventually. By the way love the name you chose for her, will be my choice when I will one day have a little red girl. They are rare where I live, but maybe one day.


----------



## MrsD2008 (May 26, 2014)

Luce said:


> Luce is a small mini also!! She was the smallest in her litter, at 8 weeks she was 2.4lbs - that's a bit over 1kg !!! Sorry, don't know the height. Her parents were 13" for Mom and about 15" for Dad. I think she weighed 13lbs. and he was about 15lbs.
> 
> 11 weeks - 4lbs. 3oz.
> 
> ...


Thank you very much your post has helped alleviate Ny anxiety I have over this. I shall just chill and enjoy his slight growth spurts lol


----------



## Manxcat (May 6, 2013)

Bailey is utterly adorable!!! Absolutely gorgeous!


----------



## kayfabulous6 (Nov 19, 2013)

MrsD2008 said:


> Fair play, Ruby is one tiny tiny miniature poodle. She is beautiful. Thank you for this post it has helped me a great deal. As Baileys parents are 14 inches to shoulder I assumed he would turn out the same, and maybe he will eventually. By the way love the name you chose for her, will be my choice when I will one day have a little red girl. They are rare where I live, but maybe one day.



I have people ask me all the time if she is a toy, but no she is definitely a miniature! I am glad that my post made you feel better. 

From the size she was when we first picked her up, I thought she would be a pipsqueak forever.. But she had grown so much (even though she is still a petite little girl.) Her color is what got me interested, and her personality won me over completely. She was born a deep dark chestnut red color, and lightened up a little bit as the weeks went on and now she is noticeably darker now that she is getting older and we have her cut short for summer. 

thank you for your kind words  I am very excited to see frequent Bailey updates!! He sure is a handsome little guy!!! 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## SusanG (Aug 8, 2009)

He's adorable! When Callie was 16 weeks old, she was about 9 inches tall and weighed 7 pounds. I fed her 1 cup of kibble a day (divided into three meals). She grew in spurts. She is now full grown and is 14" and weighs 16 pounds. I know its a worry when you get a new puppy. I was so afraid I wasn't doing things right too. He looks bright-eyed and healthy so you doing A-ok!


----------

