Doberman puppy owners - track your weight gain here

[Kiwipokesyou]

I've talked to a few different vets, I live in las Vegas nv. There is an extremely high pit bull population here and I don't want a vet who does pit ears at all. Pit ears are just cut off, dobermans are sculpted, literally, but I'm having trouble finding a vet who does only dobie, great Dane etc. Ears that has a lot of good references.

 

[JanS]

My new puppy, Rooster (like rooster cogburn played by John Wayne) is 6 weeks and 9.6 lbs. He was approx. An inch taller and much stockier than his litter mates and has European blood. How much (approx.) should he be growing per week? And my science diet bag says he should eat 2 cups a day but it seems like he should be eating at least 3..?

Welcome to Doberman-Chat from Minnesota! I agree, that's extremely young to send them home so he'll take a bit of extra care, but if you have any questions, feel free to ask.
I also agree, that 16 weeks is pretty old to crop, so I'd do the research and try to get them done between 8 and 12 weeks.

Make yourself at home and we'd love to see some photos of your pup!

 

[Kiwipokesyou]

I'm on an iPad right now to I can't post pictures but I'll get some up ASAP! I might end up going to either CA or AZ to get them done. What do you guys think about the post op calcium supplements such as plain jello?

 

[Marinegeekswife]

Kiwipokesyou - You'll likely get more answers if you start a separate thread for your questions. Also, please take a minute and post an intro thread so everyone can get to know you. Thanks!

 

[Denissov43]

I'm on an iPad right now to I can't post pictures but I'll get some up ASAP! I might end up going to either CA or AZ to get them done. What do you guys think about the post op calcium supplements such as plain jello?

There is a Doberman Specialist for ears in Phoenix.... Dr. Saltero... he does all of the show dogs in teh valley and there are ALOT... so he does Danes and Dobermans and he does a crop based on the size and shape of the dogs head and ears and he know Dobermans. Doberman ear crops are very expensive... be advised you will be paying around $700 for ears done with after care and Dr. Saltero wont do them till the puppy is around 10 weeks of age. At 6-8 weeks they are still too small and too undeveloped. He is going to recommend a crop for your dog based on what he sees not necessarily what you want. He will recommend a beautiful crop for your dog.
Good luck and 6 weeeks is very very young and should not be out and about away from home exposed to god knows what till he is around 9-10 weeks. I would not recommend taking him anywhere to socialize at this early age, since you cannot control the environment for them away from home. Thats just me...
I would not ever take my puppy to a place where I did not know the dogs, people and what may or may not happen there till he/she was at least 12-16 weeks. No way no how... also I would make sure you have your little guy on some colostrum and or some goats milk and some pro-biotics for infants till he/she is around 16-20 weeks since he was taken away from his pack far too early.. if the breeder let the puppy go to a new home at 6 weeks they clearly were not very knowledgeable about what they were doing. That is far too young to go to a new home. I wont even let mine go at 8 weeks... I might let one go to a knowledgable home at 9 weeks, but usually wont let mine go till they are 10 weeks at the very earliest and prefer 11 weeks if possible... but I am over protective and I am very concerned about avoiding letting them leave their safe comfort zone in the fear imprint period of 8-10 weeks.. which is why I prefer 11 weeks!

 

[Marinegeekswife]

Good luck and 6 weeeks is very very young and should not be out and about away from home exposed to god knows what till he is around 9-10 weeks. I would not recommend taking him anywhere to socialize at this early age, since you cannot control the environment for them away from home. Thats just me...
I would not ever take my puppy to a place where I did not know the dogs, people and what may or may not happen there till he/she was at least 12-16 weeks.

Let me clarify. We started taking our guys to Puppy Playtime when they were 10 weeks old. At this point they had already had one round of shots and had some protection.

 

[Denissov43]

Jess: I was not referring to 'immunity' protection... but protection from idiots in an environment like that... crazy people who know zero about dog behavior and or dog anything, are found in places like that. Puppies have a fear imprint period at 8-10 weeks. Its imperative that they are not exposed to scary things that can be 'imprinted' on them for life. A foreign place with strangers and their dogs in a place like that is a recipe for potential disaster.
Just would not do it till my puppy was at least 4 months old or older... thats just me..
I am a grandma too, so I err on the side of over caution, with my grand kids and My pets!

 

[JanS]

He is going to recommend a crop for your dog based on what he sees not necessarily what you want. He will recommend a beautiful crop for your dog.

Many of the better crop vets will do just that, and when they know what they're doing they will give beautiful crop that fits your particular dog.

 

[4Dobies]

I've talked to a few different vets, I live in las Vegas nv. There is an extremely high pit bull population here and I don't want a vet who does pit ears at all. Pit ears are just cut off, dobermans are sculpted, literally, but I'm having trouble finding a vet who does only dobie, great Dane etc. Ears that has a lot of good references.

We had both our dogs ears done at La Bounty in Los Angeles, he will ask what length you want but he will also recommend what he thinks your dog would look best with. There was a whole litter of Dobermans that came in from Las Vegas the day we had Ranger done.

 

[Kiwipokesyou]

Thanks Every one so much for your input.. I agree that 6 weeks was way too young but if she's willing to give them up that young it makes me glad I got him because who knows what else she thought was okay. I have been fostering abandoned and sick puppies for a long time and I'm fully prepared to take care of him. I got my miniature pinscher at 3.5 weeks which was, needless to say, nerve wracking. I currently have rooster taking nutrical and he is eating/drinking and going to the bathroom perfectly normally, plus my border collie blue heeler mix has an extremely strong maturnal instinct (I'm actually worried she may start producing milk from being around rooster) and he has had plenty of rough-housing. He has not left my house except for the vet and he won't until he's at least 12 weeks old. He is currently 9.8 lbs (I'm weighing him every day) and at just over 6 weeks he's definitely not underweight.

 

[LoisFiander]

Hi there,

my puppy is 11 weeks old and currently weight 10.8 Kilograms. Natural ears and complte tail. All vaccinations and treatment done. One question I have though is about dew claws. My Zeke still has his and the fet clipped them. Does anyone else still have theirs??

Lois & Zeke

 

[Kiwipokesyou]

Mine still has his. I asked that they not be done because my friend lost her puppy (turned out to have a bleeding disorder) when she got his removed, plus unless they are 'detached' it's just cosmetic.

Rooster is 10.4 lbs =D he is no longer the lightest dog in the house (my chi-weenie weighs 10 even)
I'm worried he may be too tall for aka standards when he's full grown though. How much did everyone else's dobies weigh at 6 weeks?

 

[michellewallace]

Mine still has his. I asked that they not be done because my friend lost her puppy (turned out to have a bleeding disorder) when she got his removed, plus unless they are 'detached' it's just cosmetic.

Rooster is 10.4 lbs =D he is no longer the lightest dog in the house (my chi-weenie weighs 10 even)
I'm worried he may be too tall for aka standards when he's full grown though. How much did everyone else's dobies weigh at 6 weeks?

Nonnie weighed 10 lbs when she was 6 weeks. She's continued to pretty much gain 2 lbs a week. She's now 2 days shy of being 6 months old and is over 55 lbs and about 23-24 inches tall.

 

[Marko1962]

Hi there,

my puppy is 11 weeks old and currently weight 10.8 Kilograms. Natural ears and complte tail. All vaccinations and treatment done. One question I have though is about dew claws. My Zeke still has his and the fet clipped them. Does anyone else still have theirs??

Lois & Zeke

10.8 kg? yikes he's heavy , my Zach also has his dew claws, it seems very common now in the UK... didn't used to be...

Rooster is 10.4 lbs =D he is no longer the lightest dog in the house (my chi-weenie weighs 10 even)
I'm worried he may be too tall for aka standards when he's full grown though. How much did everyone else's dobies weigh at 6 weeks?

I didn't have Ozzy at that age however at 7 weeks he weighed 13 Ibs and in those first few weeks was gaining 2-3 Ibs per week, so Rooster looks comparable to the average to heavy hitters that lurk this forum

 

[JanS]

Our old Sheltie still has her dew claws as well, but in her case I'm not fond of them because I'm not used to them and with her long hair I forget to clip them.

 

[Kiwipokesyou]

Rooster suddenly decided that the scale is his mortal enemy.. He full on attacked it then tried to drag it into his kennel after he "killed" it lmao



He's also infatuated with my iPad..

Rooster- " ./83!7;4)!$))!:? Ioiq QSJJ waezkbhezjd ja?:$jj j."

 

[JanS]

Albert's weekly.

Newborn - 1.00 (6/3/11)
1 week - 1.5
2 weeks - 2.10
3 weeks - 3.14
4 weeks - 4.06
5 weeks - 6.20
6 weeks - 7.6
7 weeks - 8.1
8/19/11 (11 weeks) 18.5#
8/26/11 (12 weeks) 21.0#
9/2/11 (13 weeks/3 months) 25.0#
9/9/11 (14 weeks) 28#
9/16/11 (15 weeks) 31.6#
9/23 (16 weeks) 35.0#
9/30 (17 weeks) 38.2# I was finally to get a measurement on him and he's 20" tall at present.
10/7/11 (18 weeks or 4+ months) 42.6#

 

[Marko1962]

So going on what ppl say here about weight at 4 months (4 months or 16 weeks?) how you double it and add a bit, Alberts going to weigh in a @90 Ib

Heavvvyyyy...

 

[4Dobies]

Ranger 14 weeks 32.5 lbs.

 

[Marko1962]

Ozzys weigh in

7 weeks - 13 lbs/5.9 kg & 12 inches to top of withers
8 weeks - 15.2 Ibs/6.9 kg & 12.5 inches - Ozzy started with squirty diarrhea
9 weeks - 17.6 Ibs/8 kg & 14 inches - Diarrhea much better
10 weeks - 22.4 Ibs/10.18 kg & 15.25 inches - Nice n firm now
11 weeks - 26 lbs/11.8 kg & 16.75 inches
12 weeks - 31.6 Ilbs/14.3 kg & 17.75 inches - recently eaten so knock a pound or so off for a more realistic weigh-in.. (2 months & 3 weeks in old money)
13 weeks - 34 Ilbs/15.45 kg & 19 inches
Disclaimer - A squirmy pup does not make for an accurate measure, take height as a rough guide