# Puppy Growth and Too Small Crate



## Cunningham GSDs (Sep 21, 2011)

Hi Guys,
I provide lifetime breeder support with all my pups and this weekend, I had one of my year old pups come back home because her family is going through a break up. Very sad, but I have my "grandpup" back.

That said, they brought all of her stuff of course and her crate which is too small for her in my opinion. I immediately put her stuff into one of my XXL crates as I begin to introduce her to my pack. The crate that they were using was much too small and I have no idea how much time she was spending in it but she is very small compared to the other pups from the same litter.
I need to measure her and see where she is and also weigh her, but she is quite a bit smaller than her mother and sisters.

MY QUESTION IS THIS: do you think that it's possible for a dog's growth to be stunted in their first year of life if they were kept in a too small crate?

I am very excited to have her back because she has the coolest temperament and I think she will be a dog we will be able to start doing some training/titling with which we hadn't done before. She has incredible focus and lots of drive, much like our male (unrelated). This will be the next step for us.....doing some kind of sport with our dogs...maybe agility, or Schutzund, or SAR........

Anyhoo, would love to hear what you guys think about the possible stunted growth issue as well as maybe any suppliments I could give her to help her grow. My other dogs get so much exercise that they all have well developed muscles....this new girl looks like she maybe has been in this cramped little crate and not much muscle tone. 

Lastly, I don't know what they were feeding her. I have started her on the grain free large pup lamb and rice food that we use and giving her as much as she wants the last day and 1/2 I have had her. 

Thoughts, suggestions? Thanks for reading.


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

Lucky day for that pup that she was returned to you! I would think growth could be stunted by a poor diet. For supplements, I would give omega-3 that would help with the skin, bones, digestion. Now that she is on a good diet and will get proper exercise, she should catch up, unless she was the smallest in the litter.


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## Cheyanna (Aug 18, 2012)

I would suggest you add glucosamine chondroitin to help her joints in case she grows quickly.


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## Cunningham GSDs (Sep 21, 2011)

Thank you Marybeth and Cheyanna. Okay, Omega 3s and glucosimine Condtroiten......I will find some. And no, she was not the smallest in the litter. She was right in the middle. I actually kept the smallest in the litter because she had trouble when she was a few days old (long story) she is much bigger than this little girl. 

She is a sweetheart though! I feel so glad to have her back. The folks who purchased her were so nice, and I have no idea what kind of struggles they have been going through this past year, but I am glad she came back. I will do everything in my power to see she reaches her full potential.

She is super smart and focused. Kind of a ball of energy but comes on a dime when she is called and sits. She jumps up, so I will have to work on that right away....none of mine jump up. I have a small child, so that is something we always work on first so we don't have dogs knocking her down all the time. It is a beautiful site to see my little 6 year old out in the back yard playing with 4 shepherds who love her so much. 

She has now been introduced to everyone in the pack and we only had trouble with one of my girls. Turns out, she is one I am trying to re-home right now anyway, because of some pack issues. I will keep them seperated until I find her a new home.

Thanks for the suggestions. I hope she grows some more, but if she doesn' t she will just be my little schutzund coyote! lol.


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