Puppy Weights at Birth
Some Interesting Comparisons
Mrs. Barbara Cassels has compiled some very interesting information on the weights of puppies at birth and at weekly intervals up to the age of several weeks.
This table is given below. Particular attention is drawn to Litters 5 and 6. In the latter, only one puppy survived and the dam was incapacitated with a Caesarian operation, and was in fact very distressed at finding herself with only one puppy left alive.
Another bitch, the dam of Litter 5, had six, so Mrs. Cassels took two of these and put them on to the bereaved bitch who took to them at once. It is rather strange to relate that the two who were fostered developed rather better than their brothers and sisters with the true mother, and some rather minor faults which were evident in Litter 5 did not show themselves in the pair which, although born to Litter 5, were fostered with the solitary pup of Litter 6.
Mrs. Cassels believes that much comes from environment of a puppy, and those who have bred a number of litters will doubtless agree with her.
| Birth | Week1 | Week2 | Week3 | Week4 | Week5 | Week6 | Week7 | |
| Litter 1 | oz. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. |
| Dog | 11 | 1.9 | 2.11 | 3.12 | 4.8 | 5.1 | 6.12 | 7.1 |
| Dog | 12 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 3.5 | 4.6 | 5.6 | 6.12 | 7.8 |
| Bitch | 10 | 1.6 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 5.4 | 6.2 |
| Litter 2 | oz. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. |
| Dog | 12 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 3.12 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 7.6 |
| Dog | 11 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 3.12 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 7.2 |
| Dog | 10 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 2.12 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 5.8 | 6.6 |
| Bitch | 11 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 5.2 | 6.0 | 7.6 |
| Bitch | 11 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 4.12 | 5.12 | 6.1 |
| Bitch | 10 | 1.5 | 1.13 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 5.4 | 6.4 |
| Litter 3 | 12 | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. |
| Dog | 11 | 1.11 | 2.7 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 5.2 | 6.12 | 8.8 |
| Dog | 12 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 3.12 | 4.14 | 6.6 | 8.4 |
| Dog | 12 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 3.12 | 5.0 | 6.8 | 8.8 |
| Bitch | 12 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 4.12 | 6.4 | 8.4 |
| Bitch | 13 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 5.2 | 6.12 | 8.12 |
| Bitch | 10 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 4.12 | 5.14 | 6.14 |
| Bitch | 10 | 1.3 | 1.12 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 4.4 | 5.8 | 6.8 |
| Litter 4 | oz. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. |
| Dog | 11 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 5.8 | 6.4 | 7.8 |
| Bitch | 11 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 3.12 | 4.12 | 5.8 | 7.0 |
| Dog (1) | 9 | 1.3 | 1.8 | |||||
| Litter 5 | oz. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. |
| Dog | 11 | 1.6 | 1.15 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.14 | 5.0 | 6.2 |
| Dog | 11 | 1.6 | 1.13 | 2.5 | 2.14 | 4.0 | 5.4 | 6.13 |
| Dog | 8 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 2.12 | 3.1 | 4.12 | 6.0 |
| Bitch | 11 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 5.4 | 6.4 |
| Litter 5 | oz. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. |
| Bitch | 9 | 1.0 | 1.12 | 2.1 | 3.2 | 3.12 | 4.14 | 6.0 |
| Bitch | 9 | 1.4 | 1.15 | 2.13 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 5.2 | 6.0 |
| Bitch (2) | 8 | 1.0 | 1.13 | 2.6 | 2.12 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| Dog (3) | 10 | 1.3 | 1.14 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 3.12 | 4.1 | 5.8 |
| Dog (3) | 10 | 1.8 | 2.9 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 5.12 | 7.0 | 8.0 |
| Dog (3) | 9 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 5.2 | 6.12 | 7.14 |
| Litter 6 | oz. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. |
| Bitch (3) | 12 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 6.8 | 7.8 |
Notes:
- (1) Deformed shoulder (culled).
- (2) Very small because broke a leg in the nest.
- (3) Fed by same bitch.