QuestionHello again. I recently asked you a question about my sheltie (mickey) and his behavior. You helped me out so much with your answer. Thanks! Now I have another question about Mickey's size. He is 14 weeks old, 15 inches tall at the shoulder, and 16 pounds. Does this seem to be large? Also he does not appear overweight. I actually hear comments that he is too thin, although his vet told me he is in fine condition. I have never seen another sheltie in person before and I dont know how big they are supposed to get, but I have read that the standards are between 13 and 16 inches. I don't care about him getting too big because I never intended to show him. I am curious, though, if he might be a little on the big side. Also, do you think he will grow more? About when is the age when they stop growing taller? Is there anyway to estimate how big he will grow to? I purposely chose the largest in the litter because I prefer larger dogs. I know thats a lot of questions! sorry. I just love my puppy so much and I want to know as much about him as possible.
Once again, thanks for any help,
Monica
AnswerMonica,
You're welcome!
14 weeks old? He definitely is not finished growing and I would expect him to be large for a Sheltie. I think most dogs finish growing "UP" by a year and continue to fill out until about age 2. I'm curious if he has a continuous slant from his head across the bridge of the nose to the end of his snout (collie trait) or if there is a definite dip and change of angle at the bridge of the nose (Sheltie trait).
"Too thin" comments? Ignore them. First, most people over feed their dogs and make them grossly fat and miserable. Second, your Mickey will develop an unbelievable amount of fur by his second birthday. Don't worry about a pup Sheltie being too thin looking as long as his skin is a little loose on his bones he should be fine.
Your vet might be able to help with the growth expectations, but I don't have that kind of training.
'sneezes
Dave
