new puppy weight issue

Question
To Whom It May Concern:


We recently purchased an 8-week old chocolate lab. She seemed small to us and when we weigher her, she only weighed 5 pounds. She came from a litter of eight. Is that a normal weight for a puppy that age? Also, will she more than likely be a small dog because she came from such a big litter and is simply a small puppy? Is this a "healthy" puppy? Thank you.


Answer
I agree that is on the small side.  She will likely turn out small for a Lab.  I wouldn't expect any health problems from it. You should be feeding a puppy chow now. Switching to an adult chow for the larger breeds at 4 months, slows growth and helps develop sturdier joints.

Your dog definitely should be narrower at the waist than the hips and chest. You should be able to easily feel the ribs, but not see them. Each dog is different. Standard recommendations are a good place to start, but each dog must have its food and exercise adjusted to its individual needs. Here is a link to a good illustrated guide, http://www.longliveyourdog.com/twoplus/RateYourDog.aspx

Small puppies cam be very strong willed.  They have had to fight the larger littermates for everything they get.  Start obedience now.  The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/ For more on being top dog, see http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm  She is too young for a class.  work at home, keeping sessions short, only a couple of repitions.  The strong willed dogs are difficult, but can be a lot of fun and very successful in competitions such as agility.