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Trustability of Online Puppy Calculators (projected Adult Dog size)

Chauncy

Active member
I was wondering if any of you owners or breeders out there know of any good ways to determine a puppy's projected adult dog size. I have read quite a bit on quite a few sites that have said, "Take the puppy's weight at 6 weeks (1 lb 8 ozs) then double that. (1 lb 8 ozs + 1 lb 8 ozs)= 3 lbs. Then you are to take that total and multiply by 2 (3 lbs x 2= 6 lbs). This is your puppy's projected adult weight.

How reliable are those Online Puppy Calculators in determining projected adult dog size?

Chauncy's parents are average in size, nothing remarkable, in that their weights fall within the average range. True Chauncy's brother is about 2 sizes larger than he is. I am quite sure there is no such thing as a Cavalier of 6 lbs... or is there? I do not mind if Chauncy stays small at all, I'm just curious to know if anyone out there has ever seen a Cavalier this petite before. MRIs for both parents are fine. Both parents have cardiologist heart certs. Eye tests for both parents are good. The parents are quite healthy otherwise. I looked for a breeder that was stringent on health aspects of the Cavaliers that they breed, thus having led me to Chauncy. For me, the health of a dog is first and foremost.

Does anyone have any reliable sources specifically that projects a Cavalier's projected weight as an adult? Any and all resources and advice is much appreciated. Thank you in advance to all who reply.
 
I've never looked into the calculators you mentioned, but I certainly hope our Bentley has reached his full growth. He'll be one year old on Nov 26 and weighed 25 lbs this week when microchipped! That's just too big...bigger than I want for a snuggly lap dog. He has gained about 3 lbs in recent weeks that we can get rid of before long. First he was on prednisone for flea bite allergy - this caused him to want to over eat, then our daughter is battling a brain tumor and has spent most of her time at our house in the past 6 weeks, bringing her Bishon with her. The Bishon is normally a light eater but he & Bentley are in competition for the food bowl so both are eating more than usual.
 
I asked the same question the other day here as well. My little guy is 15 weeks and weighs 5.2kgs (or 11 pounds) and
wondered the same. Found it: http://www.cavaliertalk.com/forums/showthread.php?39945-Puppy-Weight
How old is Chauncy? When Jessie was 7 weeks when we first brought him home, he was tiny. He tends to have a big growth spurt
every second week and I've already had to buy a new collar, as his puppy collar is getting a little too small, having a 30cm neck now.

As long as he's healthy and he's getting all the nutrition and puppy goodness he needs. He's adorable :l*v: so precious.
 
Cute name... Bentley :)

First of all, I must say how much I love the name Bentley. I was debating between Chauncy and Bentely and my daughter picked Chauncy.

Regarding Bentley's weight, I think you just hit it... Prednisone. I wonder if dogs are anything like humans, if they are, then I would say that the Prednisone is the reason for the weight gain. I used to specialize in pediatric endocrinology and we always warned the parents that out of necessity, sometimes babies or children under the age of 5 years of age are given steroids, but if steroids/corticosteroids are administered aggressively, the patient will eventually be overweight as adults-- it is not due to overeating, it is just simply that steroids given to babies/children during early stages in life cause them to be overweight. Maybe there are some Veterinarians in the house who would be able to verify if dogs react to steroids/corticosteroids the way humans do?

At 25# that is a real live teddy bear you got there :eek: It must be nice to hug him at that size! I'm quite sure that maybe he may not be lapdog size, but in his heart and in his actions, he still is in all ways a lapdog :eek:

I've never looked into the calculators you mentioned, but I certainly hope our Bentley has reached his full growth. He'll be one year old on Nov 26 and weighed 25 lbs this week when microchipped! That's just too big...bigger than I want for a snuggly lap dog. He has gained about 3 lbs in recent weeks that we can get rid of before long. First he was on prednisone for flea bite allergy - this caused him to want to over eat, then our daughter is battling a brain tumor and has spent most of her time at our house in the past 6 weeks, bringing her Bishon with her. The Bishon is normally a light eater but he & Bentley are in competition for the food bowl so both are eating more than usual.
 
Tiny Jessie

Hello and thank you for the reply and the link to your thread, I appreciate it :eek:

Chauncy is currently 7 weeks and he is 27 ozs. You say that Jessie was tiny too, was he about the same weight when you brought him home?

I agree with you completely in that, as long as they are healthy, all is well. I even told the breeder that I wouldn't mind having a petite dog because I myself am petite at 152cm and 45kgs, ha ha ha...

I asked the same question the other day here as well. My little guy is 15 weeks and weighs 5.2kgs (or 11 pounds) and
wondered the same. Found it: http://www.cavaliertalk.com/forums/showthread.php?39945-Puppy-Weight
How old is Chauncy? When Jessie was 7 weeks when we first brought him home, he was tiny. He tends to have a big growth spurt
every second week and I've already had to buy a new collar, as his puppy collar is getting a little too small, having a 30cm neck now.

As long as he's healthy and he's getting all the nutrition and puppy goodness he needs. He's adorable :l*v: so precious.
 
Not sure if it helps much but Flash was 8lbs at 4 months old, 12.5lbs at 6 months old and now 19.5lbs at 1 1/2 years old. He has only recently started to bulk out. He was always really leggy and super thin looking. He is still really muscular and not fat but he looks a little "fuller". His legs seem to be proportioned.

His mom is 12lbs and dad is now a healthy14 lbs. Most of his grandparents are in the 15-20lb range. Flash is considerably larger then his parents but I believe this has a lot to do with environmental conditions they were exposed to.
 
Lucky was 17 lbs at 7 months and held that weight for at least a good 6 months. As he got older he got a but bulkier (chest structure). He's still slim but gained an extra 4 lbs in that time. He's now 5.

I have heard that pups in smaller litters gain their full adult weight faster than pups in larger litters (Lucky was in a litter of 2). Based on that, if true, I don't think you can really go by online puppy calculators. Lucky was over 7.5 lbs at 10 weeks, so if I'd have gone by a calcultor, I'd have probably though he'd be a 30 lb dog. But I think he did just grow faster because of his small litter size. LOL
 
Had to take a peek

It is so helpful for owners like you to share, as it gives me a better idea about what to expect with Chauncy :eek:

I had to take a peek at Flash's pictures and he is too cute! His face is expressive and sweet :eek:

Not sure if it helps much but Flash was 8lbs at 4 months old, 12.5lbs at 6 months old and now 19.5lbs at 1 1/2 years old. He has only recently started to bulk out. He was always really leggy and super thin looking. He is still really muscular and not fat but he looks a little "fuller". His legs seem to be proportioned.

His mom is 12lbs and dad is now a healthy14 lbs. Most of his grandparents are in the 15-20lb range. Flash is considerably larger then his parents but I believe this has a lot to do with environmental conditions they were exposed to.
 
A 30lb Cavalier, oh my!

Hi Lani and thank you for your input regarding those "Puppy Calculators." I really appreciate it. I'm glad to know that those "calculators" are wrong. Lucky for me that Chauncy won't be too small and thank goodness you don't have a 30lb baby on your hands! :lol: Thank you again!

Lucky was 17 lbs at 7 months and held that weight for at least a good 6 months. As he got older he got a but bulkier (chest structure). He's still slim but gained an extra 4 lbs in that time. He's now 5.

I have heard that pups in smaller litters gain their full adult weight faster than pups in larger litters (Lucky was in a litter of 2). Based on that, if true, I don't think you can really go by online puppy calculators. Lucky was over 7.5 lbs at 10 weeks, so if I'd have gone by a calcultor, I'd have probably though he'd be a 30 lb dog. But I think he did just grow faster because of his small litter size. LOL
 
Hi Lani and thank you for your input regarding those "Puppy Calculators." I really appreciate it. I'm glad to know that those "calculators" are wrong. Lucky for me that Chauncy won't be too small and thank goodness you don't have a 30lb baby on your hands! :lol: Thank you again!

There is nothing wrong with a 30 lb cavalier. Though cavaliers are known to be on the small side, there is a large population of cavaliers that are on the larger side. Sydney was 30 lbs, and with illness has lost 3 lbs. His cardiologist is concerned with the weight loss and wants me to make sure he doesn't lose any more and she would be happy if he gained the 3 lbs. back.

And just think, at this size, there is more to love and cuddle with. :l*v:
 
My Belle is about 18 pounds, she's got a small frame, and we struggle with her plumpiness all the time. Cavaliers tend to be a little obese, unfortunately. My Bobby is around 25 pounds, and when we saw his dad, I literally joked he was a St. Bernard, he was soooo big!!! lol. Bobby is a good size and despite his wonky knee, is really healthy (pray to God it continues).

Bless them, some of the bigger cavaliers do take up a lot of the lap. If mine are positioned on me the wrong way, I actually start to ache (have a touch of arthritis anyway).
 
My Belle is about 18 pounds, she's got a small frame, and we struggle with her plumpiness all the time. Cavaliers tend to be a little obese, unfortunately. My Bobby is around 25 pounds, and when we saw his dad, I literally joked he was a St. Bernard, he was soooo big!!! lol. Bobby is a good size and despite his wonky knee, is really healthy (pray to God it continues).

Bless them, some of the bigger cavaliers do take up a lot of the lap. If mine are positioned on me the wrong way, I actually start to ache (have a touch of arthritis anyway).

Several years ago, we ran into some very nice people who thought Sydney was a St. Bernard puppy! Plus, it doesn't help that he happens to have an extremely thick coat which makes him look even bigger. It's too bad that cavaliers get a bad rap if they are larger than the "norm". Sydney was always a big boy and except for hypothyroidism, he was healthy. He was heart clear at 8 1/2 yrs is now 11 1/2 yrs and only started on his heart meds this year. That's why, for him to lost 3 lbs in less than a year was a concern. But he is a trooper and is doing really well.
 
I don't trust online calculators either, lol. If your dog came from a reputable breeder, they would be better at estimating the adult size/weight of your puppy because they have info on sire/dam and other ancestors; plus info on littermates.

My Lyra is about 9.5lbs at 6 months old. She was 7lbs at 4 months. We're guessing that she'll be anything between 12 and 15lbs full grown.
 
Chauncy is currently 7 weeks and he is 27 ozs. You say that Jessie was tiny too, was he about the same weight when you brought him home?

Wow, he's only a little poppet :l*v: Bless his cotton socks.
Jessie was a little bigger, but very lean. I worried about how lean he was at the time, as he was only having one meal per day of
puppy food before we brought him home, and two meals of a popular kids wheat cereal at the breeders. We started feeding him the
recommended three puppy meals per day, along with treats occasionally, and he grew rapidly.

Strangely, every Cavalier I've come across in Australia, is quite large. The breed seems to be more of a medium build dog,
so it makes me giggle to hear them being called lapdogs, Jessie doesn't even fit on my lap now! :lol:

Without sounding totally ridiculous, do you think the breed standard also depends on the country and how the breed first
migrated, here especially. I've read websites that have mentioned what the standard is at 15 weeks, and Jessie is like a miniture
horse in comparison.
 
No, the Cavalier breed standards are fairly consistent. Weight range should be 10/12/13 lbs to 18 lbs. (Dogs are generally expected to be heavier than bitches.) US breed standards also include size as well as weight. I believe other countries are based on the UK standard. See here for UK and US information or check out the various Cavalier club websites.

All my Cavaliers except my current "baby" have been on the large side, and they still think they're lap dogs. My heaviest Cavalier was around 30-32lbs but was also very heavy boned. As a little pup he had huge "carthorse" feet; his breeder told me he'd grow into them and he did just that. But I don't believe it matters how much they actually weigh as long as their weight is correct for their size/build (i.e. they're not fat!) We had an interesting thread about how to judge this a month or so back.

Rosemary
 
They're live teddy bears!

Hello :eek: I agree with you that there is just "more to love and cuddle with" when it comes to dogs as loving as Cavaliers. By nature they are just so sweet and loving, it is live having a live teddy bear if they do get to about 30 lbs. If Sydney needs to be back to 30 lbs to get back to a healthier state, then I pray that he be able to gain those pounds very quickly! :eek:

Just reading some of the various posts regarding best size, size, "ideal size," etc. The reason why I told Lani what I did was because I know that when it comes to all aspects, mere preferences cannot be avoided or denied when it comes to practically every aspect of life. When it comes to dogs, the preference of some is to have a Cavalier that can fit onto their lap. For others, it is to have a larger Cavalier that will be a live teddy bear (ideally between 20-40 lbs). For those who have chosen the hobby of Showing their Cavaliers, they prefer for their dogs to fit the "AKC standard." I humble opinion is that it all just comes down to preferences.

At the end of the day, I think the most important thing is that our beloved Cavaliers are as healthy and happy as can be! Good health and happiness are going to forever be blind to the size of our dogs :eek:

There is nothing wrong with a 30 lb cavalier. Though cavaliers are known to be on the small side, there is a large population of cavaliers that are on the larger side. Sydney was 30 lbs, and with illness has lost 3 lbs. His cardiologist is concerned with the weight loss and wants me to make sure he doesn't lose any more and she would be happy if he gained the 3 lbs. back.

And just think, at this size, there is more to love and cuddle with. :l*v:
 
Was Belle tiny at birth too?

I love how I'm learning so much just by having posted my very first question in the Forum :eek: This is such a great way to learn compared to reading books and such online!

You got me curious, was Belle also very tiny when she was born? Smiles, yes, may God Almighty continue to give Bobby (and Belle) good health!



My Belle is about 18 pounds, she's got a small frame, and we struggle with her plumpiness all the time. Cavaliers tend to be a little obese, unfortunately. My Bobby is around 25 pounds, and when we saw his dad, I literally joked he was a St. Bernard, he was soooo big!!! lol. Bobby is a good size and despite his wonky knee, is really healthy (pray to God it continues).

Bless them, some of the bigger cavaliers do take up a lot of the lap. If mine are positioned on me the wrong way, I actually start to ache (have a touch of arthritis anyway).
 
Poor Sydney :(

I didn't know that Sydney had hypothyroidism :( It is extremely understandable why his doctor wants for him to gain the pounds back too. I bid Sydney the best of health :eek:

Several years ago, we ran into some very nice people who thought Sydney was a St. Bernard puppy! Plus, it doesn't help that he happens to have an extremely thick coat which makes him look even bigger. It's too bad that cavaliers get a bad rap if they are larger than the "norm". Sydney was always a big boy and except for hypothyroidism, he was healthy. He was heart clear at 8 1/2 yrs is now 11 1/2 yrs and only started on his heart meds this year. That's why, for him to lost 3 lbs in less than a year was a concern. But he is a trooper and is doing really well.
 
Thank you lucidity!

Thank you! I just phoned the breeder and she projects that Chauncy will be about 9-10 lbs full grown. Thank you for pointing me in that direction :eek:

I don't trust online calculators either, lol. If your dog came from a reputable breeder, they would be better at estimating the adult size/weight of your puppy because they have info on sire/dam and other ancestors; plus info on littermates.

My Lyra is about 9.5lbs at 6 months old. She was 7lbs at 4 months. We're guessing that she'll be anything between 12 and 15lbs full grown.
 
VERY good point

I think you have a very good point in that you entertained the thought that perhaps per country, the "norms" for Cavalier size vary. Around here, at least for all the places I've lived here in the U.S., whenever I have seen Cavaliers out on walks or in dog parks, I have seen them range from about 11-17 lbs. So I think you may have a point there.

That is so cute that Jessie was on a kids wheat cereal :eek: For a blip there, I had a funny vision of Jessie as a baby sitting properly at a table and having wheat cereal out of a lovely porcelain bowl.

Wow, he's only a little poppet :l*v: Bless his cotton socks.
Jessie was a little bigger, but very lean. I worried about how lean he was at the time, as he was only having one meal per day of
puppy food before we brought him home, and two meals of a popular kids wheat cereal at the breeders. We started feeding him the
recommended three puppy meals per day, along with treats occasionally, and he grew rapidly.

Strangely, every Cavalier I've come across in Australia, is quite large. The breed seems to be more of a medium build dog,
so it makes me giggle to hear them being called lapdogs, Jessie doesn't even fit on my lap now! :lol:

Without sounding totally ridiculous, do you think the breed standard also depends on the country and how the breed first
migrated, here especially. I've read websites that have mentioned what the standard is at 15 weeks, and Jessie is like a miniture
horse in comparison.
 
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