# Is my puppy a dwarf?



## muneebmukhtar (Jul 4, 2013)

I recently bought a female German Shepherd who is a little more then 7 weeks old. She weighs around 6 to 7lbs and I am worried that she might be a dwarf. I saw both her parents, so I know that she is purebred, the father was a larger then average dog, while the mother was your standard dog (height and weight). I have attached the pictures, so please see and give your opinion.
Thanks.


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## Malachi'sMama (Jun 10, 2013)

She's only 7wks old, I think she looks just fine, personally. What a cute little girl! And she's got a coat on her!! Beautiful. You have to remember that females are smaller than males-I think her weight is OK.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

She's the cutest fluff butt:wub:

Dwarf GSD do exist but your girl is the right weight for her age. My boy was 10 pounds at 8 weeks.

GSD puppies grow fast. Keep her a healthy weight as she grows. It's good for their joints.

Stick around the board, we would like to see her grow!

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/genetic-issues/202738-runt-dwarf.html


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

You don't say what country you are in....

Most pups are 12-15 pounds at this age...the third photo looks a bit suspicious...head and coat are different on a dwarf

There is a blood test that will be able to tell - please take her to a vet and have blood drawn and sent in to tell for sure...I would not be surprised if she is a dwarf - and they are very cute...they will probably start her on a thyroid med if she is...

Lee


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## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

My pup was 14-15 lbs when she came home at 8 weeks, but she's also large for a WL female. That does seem small to me, and she does look a bit like she could be a dwarf.

I agree with wolfstraum, I'd get her in for a blood test.

Good luck!


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## EmeryGSD (Mar 8, 2013)

All puppies are different. Normally they look different as dwarves. I don't really think so but if you feel it's necessary than do blood work.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

How did she look compared to the rest of the puppies in the litter?

She's adorable though.

Here's an 8 month old dwarf GSD.





 
GSDdwarf : This list is for anyone who has or had a dwarf

two dwarf german shepherd dogs


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## BellaLuna (Jan 27, 2013)

OMG she has to be the cutest thing 

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## muneebmukhtar (Jul 4, 2013)

I only saw two of her littermates, and see seemed the biggest and most active. I must admit there is some resemblance between the dwarf GSD in the video and the one I own.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

If there were THREE puppies in the litter and she was the largest and most active, I don't think she's a dwarf. Never heard of an entire litter of dwarfs.

She's just adorable..


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

My boy was 9 1/2 pounds at eight weeks.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

My male was 9lbs at 8 weeks. He's perfectly healthy. Have the blood test done


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Can you post another side view picture of her standing? I think from further away would help.


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## Catterman (Jun 30, 2013)

idk, but the video of that dwarf gsd, i think, is the cutest thing ive ever seen. Me and my wife want one now. Big GSD outside, mini gsd inside!


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

Actually dwarfs usually do come in multiples in a litter....had a litter with 2 of them....it wasn't until they were 8-10 weeks that I really knew there was a problem...

Lee


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

wolfstraum said:


> Actually dwarfs usually do come in multiples in a litter....had a litter with 2 of them....it wasn't until they were 8-10 weeks that I really knew there was a problem...
> 
> Lee


Ah ha- you know first hand! Very interesting. Do you have pics of them?


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## Apple (Jun 21, 2013)

My little girl was small at 7.5 weeks. Only weighing 7.6lb. (3.4kg) we had some trouble with her diet, and she didn't eat for 24 hours when she was 9 weeks old. She's 10.5 weeks old now and weighs 11lb. She's still a bit skinny. Perhaps get your pup to a vet and see if there's anything they can do to help with weight gain? Would be hard to see her actual body condition with all that fluff!!!  here's my girl at 7.5 and at 10 weeks.







7.5







10 


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## muneebmukhtar (Jul 4, 2013)

Here are the pictures from the side.


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## EmeryGSD (Mar 8, 2013)

muneebmukhtar said:


> Here are the pictures from the side.


In all honesty.. I can clearly see dwarfism. But I am no expert. Still a great little pup.


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## Malachi'sMama (Jun 10, 2013)

EmeryGSD said:


> In all honesty.. I can clearly see dwarfism. But I am no expert. Still a great little pup.
> 
> 
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Oh wow. Yeah. With the new pics you posted, I see it, too. But I'm also not an expert. Bring it to the vet to be sure. What an absolutely adorable pup, though!


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## Malachi'sMama (Jun 10, 2013)

I want to add: her legs appear to be in proportion to her body-short legs (like a dachshund-type look) are a tell-tale sign of dwarfism. Or really just retarded growth in general. Believe it or not the wooly coat in and of itself is another sign (but does not mean it is, of course). You won't know for sure for another couple months, but at that time it should be very obvious. I'd say go ahead and bring it to the vet and have an endocrine test done to be sure. You also need to inform the breeder of your findings-if she is in fact a dwarf.! Keep us posted on what you find out!


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

If you have a pedigree link, could you post it or PM it to me....I would really like to see where it has commonality with mine...

BTW - I never bred the female who produced the dwarfs again...there was one normal pup, sold to an AKC home where she is titled in obedience and agility....and spayed. That was the reality that the pups were dwarfs...the difference in size at 3 or 4 months with the normal pup.

Lee


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## Anubis_Star (Jul 25, 2012)

Coat type, head, shape, and general body position - I could see it being POSSIBLE.

Zeke was 8 lbs at 7 weeks old, and now he's healthy at 80-85 lbs. So a small female in general at that age doesn't necessarily mean problems. HOWEVER, I strongly recommended getting in to a vet (as you should be doing anyway), having the blood work done just to be safe.


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