# 8 week old puppy 4 pounds



## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

Hi everyone,
I just got a golden retriever puppy. She is supposed to be around 8 weeks old but she is only 4.2 lbs which is concerning to me. The guy I got her from stopped replying to me after we got her. He sent me a picture of her shot records and they seemed pretty sketchy. They were done in Mexico, I got the dog in Phoenix AZ. Also the date on the shot records were 4-2-2022. She would have only been 4 weeks old, what i've seen online is that puppies are not supposed to get their shots until 6-8 weeks old. I was wondering if anyone could tell me how old she might actually be and if she's a purebred as this is my first puppy. I took her to the vet a couple days ago, they said she seems very healthy and that it is possible that she could be 8 weeks old but they were unsure.


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

Sounds pretty sketchy. If the vet says she's healthy then that's the best news possible in all of this. I wish you and your new puppy a long happy and healthy life! Let us know how she does moving forward!


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## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

If I had an 8 wk old puppy weighing 4 pounds I would assume there was a shunt somewhere. .. and yes- shots are not given that early.


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## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> I just got a golden retriever puppy. She is supposed to be around 8 weeks old but she is only 4.2 lbs which is concerning to me. The guy I got her from stopped replying to me after we got her. He sent me a picture of her shot records and they seemed pretty sketchy. They were done in Mexico


I hope your pup stays very healthy.
I have to ask would you have bought a car, a watch, jewelry....... Anything other than a puppy from this guy?


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## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

I drove 6 hours to get the puppy and was starstruck when I saw her. I thought she seemed small but I’ve also never seen a baby golden retriever before so wasn’t sure. He didn’t seem sketchy until after I had left with her and actually looked at what he gave me in detail which is my fault for sure. The good thing is that she is healthy. I’m already in love with her, I don’t mind if she’s purebred or not it doesn’t change anything. I just wanted to see if anyone could tell me what age she may actually be and if she’s actually a purebred since this is a golden retriever forum. Thank you for your comment though.


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## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> The good thing is that she is healthy.


Absolutely 
Just use better judgement next time you get a puppy. 
We don't need "breeders" like that.


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## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

I appreciate your advice. I will be more careful next time. She is healthy though and that’s what I care about the most. Would you have a guess on her age or if she is purebred? That’s my main question now.


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## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> Would you have a guess on her age or if she is purebred?


Older than a 4 pound Golden pup would typically be is my only guess.


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## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

Okay, I’m not sure what that means. I didn’t come on this site looking for judgement. I took my puppy to the vet, she is healthy and well taken care of. I was just asking for peoples opinions on her age and whether they think she is purebred. I’m not sure why you felt the need to comment and make me feel worse without providing any progressive information to the questions I asked. Obviously I know I need to be more careful next time. Thank you.


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## GoldenDude (Nov 5, 2016)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> Okay, I’m not sure what that means. I didn’t come on this site looking for judgement. I took my puppy to the vet, she is healthy and well taken care of. I was just asking for peoples opinions on her age and whether they think she is purebred. I’m not sure why you felt the need to comment and make me feel worse without providing any progressive information to the questions I asked. Obviously I know I need to be more careful next time. Thank you.


Very often you’ll find new people are not treated very nicely on this forum. It’s a real problem. My apologies. 

She looks very cute and all that matters is that you love her. I hope you’ll stick around and continue to post pics as she grows up!


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## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> Okay, I’m not sure what that means. I didn’t come on this site looking for judgement.


There was no judgement, you asked me to guess her age and if she is purebred. I have no idea except for the fact that 4 pound is very small for a healthy Golden pup.


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## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

GoldenDude said:


> Very often you’ll find new people are not treated very nicely on this forum. It’s a real problem. My apologies.


I suppose, perhaps questions should be posted with multiple choices of acceptable non-hurtful answers.


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## pawsnpaca (Nov 11, 2014)

FWIW 4 lbs is about half of what an average 8 week old Golden Retriever puppy should weigh. That said, from your picture I would not have guessed she was so small. She looks purebred to me (not well-bred, but purebred), and too “mature” looking to be a much younger pup. I’d say she either has a health issue (hopefully your vet is correct that that is NOT the case),, or she’s mixed with something. Only a DNA test can tell you for sure…


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## GoldenDude (Nov 5, 2016)

SRW said:


> I suppose, perhaps questions should be posted with multiple choices of acceptable non-hurtful answers.


It’s always great when existing members aren’t rude, but instead are helpful.


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## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

GoldenDude said:


> It’s always great when existing members aren’t rude, but instead are helpful.


I try but often fail to add enough sugar.


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## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

GoldenDude said:


> Very often you’ll find new people are not treated very nicely on this forum. It’s a real problem. My apologies.
> 
> She looks very cute and all that matters is that you love her. I hope you’ll stick around and continue to post pics as she grows up!


Thanks for the positive comments, I appreciate it. Based on your experience with goldens would you have a guess on her age or whether she’s purebred? Thanks for being so kind. I appreciate any information you could give.


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## GoldenDude (Nov 5, 2016)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> Thanks for the positive comments, I appreciate it. Based on your experience with goldens would you have a guess on her age or whether she’s purebred? Thanks for being so kind. I appreciate any information you could give.


I'm not qualified to answer that question, but I would agree with @pawsnpaca


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## chelseah (Dec 8, 2020)

She’s very cute! I don’t have any experience to really guess age, but you could always do an embark test or something like that to see if she is a mixed breed.


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## Jasmyne (Dec 28, 2021)

She is very sweet and she clearly landed in the home she was suppose too!
Obviously 4 pounds for 8 weeks is way too little for a purebred golden. So she is either younger than 8 weeks or mixed breed. 

I looked back at photos of Emmett when he was 5/6 weeks and this age resonates with her look and better fits the size (though still on the small side of things regardless). Healthy for wherever she is at is the best news. If she is just younger than expected be prepared for some extra work with behaviours and social skills that she is missing from mom and littermates. 
There is something about her face eyes/muzzle, ear length that makes me wonder if there is a mix in there… I would definitely do embark to see what shows up just because I would be too curious to not too.


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## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> I appreciate your advice. I will be more careful next time. She is healthy though and that’s what I care about the most. Would you have a guess on her age or if she is purebred? That’s my main question now.


So- she's half the weight of a small Golden puppy @ her age. My own tend to 10+ pounds at 8 wks ,and usually more than 12# so that puts her at a third the size of my puppies. She does (as Lisa said) look Golden, but not well-bred... and my worry at that weight would be that she has a shunt which is why she is so small- so do watch her, health wise, and mention a shunt to your vet on her next round of shots if she hasn't caught up by then. At 12 weeks she should be well over 17# for a small Golden puppy. I would be concerned enough that I would purchase insurance for her before her next shots, so the question of health is not in her records.


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## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

pawsnpaca said:


> FWIW 4 lbs is about half of what an average 8 week old Golden Retriever puppy should weigh. That said, from your picture I would not have guessed she was so small. She looks purebred to me (not well-bred, but purebred), and too “mature” looking to be a much younger pup. I’d say she either has a health issue (hopefully your vet is correct that that is NOT the case),, or she’s mixed with something. Only a DNA test can tell you for sure…





Prism Goldens said:


> So- she's half the weight of a small Golden puppy @ her age. My own tend to 10+ pounds at 8 wks ,and usually more than 12# so that puts her at a third the size of my puppies. She does (as Lisa said) look Golden, but not well-bred... and my worry at that weight would be that she has a shunt which is why she is so small- so do watch her, health wise, and mention a shunt to your vet on her next round of shots if she hasn't caught up by then. At 12 weeks she should be well over 17# for a small Golden puppy. I would be concerned enough that I would purchase insurance for her before her next shots, so the question of health is not in her records.


Thank you for your response. I will ask the vet about that. I want nothing more than her to be okay. Do you think it’s possible that she may just be younger than they told us? Her siblings were all small as well.


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## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

Jasmyne said:


> She is very sweet and she clearly landed in the home she was suppose too!
> Obviously 4 pounds for 8 weeks is way too little for a purebred golden. So she is either younger than 8 weeks or mixed breed.
> 
> I looked back at photos of Emmett when he was 5/6 weeks and this age resonates with her look and better fits the size (though still on the small side of things regardless). Healthy for wherever she is at is the best news. If she is just younger than expected be prepared for some extra work with behaviours and social skills that she is missing from mom and littermates.
> There is something about her face eyes/muzzle, ear length that makes me wonder if there is a mix in there… I would definitely do embark to see what shows up just because I would be too curious to not too.


Thanks for you’re response. What about her eyes/muzzle and ear length makes you think she may be mixed? I’m just curious, I don’t know much about golden retriever puppies. I will get the embark to make sure.


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## LJack (Aug 10, 2012)

Yep, as others have said 8 weeks should be at least 10 ponds. My puppies are usually born at around pound. They then put on a pound a week for about the fist 4 weeks and then it start ramping up. Mine are almost always 10 pounds or more at 7 weeks.

So, there is an issue here. There are several reasons this could be the case.

1. She is not purebred. Considering the situation I have zero trust for this person especially knowing the Phoenix area breeders like I do (I live in Tempe). Honestly, I hope this is the case as it is the best reason for her to be so far under weight.

2. She way younger than represented. I don’t think she is 4 weeks old just based on her leg length. (there are other things too but legs are easier to explain) Unless she is a mix-bred with something like Saluki (very long limbed) a 4 week old would still have disproportionately short legs.

3. She has had a poor start to life. That could be malnutrition and/or sickness to the point her growth was impacted. Sadly these issues should they be true could have lasting effects that could become apparent with age.

4. She has an underlying congenital condition that is causing her suppressed development. A shunt as mentioned above could be a real possibility.

So, we can’t know at this point why she is the way she is just based on internet pictures. I would suggest hope for the best, plan for the worst with insurance and love this little darling.
I would recommend a full coverage insurance with no delayed waits for orthopedic or surgical care. Most surgeries are going to be thousands of dollars if she needs it. So, make sure you are good with the deductibles, co-insurance and maximums.


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## FUReverGolden (Nov 24, 2021)

Best of luck to you and your new family member. I agree with most - some of the information about her breeding ( age, shots, the lack of reply from the breeder etc.) is odd if not downright negligent. She could just be a very small female, under estimated of her true age and her lineage is skeptical. I am not trying to insult anyone but the old saying "Let the buyer beware" comes to mind in this case. Having said that I wish you good times and good health ahead. She is a cutie pie and fortunate to have you as her owner. Welcome the forum. Hope to see more pictures as she grows up.


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## Jasmyne (Dec 28, 2021)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> Thanks for you’re response. What about her eyes/muzzle and ear length makes you think she may be mixed? I’m just curious, I don’t know much about golden retriever puppies. I will get the embark to make sure.


It’s just a hunch. I don’t have any other than comparison to my own. 
Here was Emmett at 8.5 weeks when we brought him home and he was 12.5lbs
















ears were longer basically inline with jaw hers look much shorter. Eyes just have a different look and the distance is either a little close together or the distance to muzzle is too short. That will change as she grows or maybe it is just the breeding. I don’t know really just something seems different.


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## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> Thank you for your response. I will ask the vet about that. I want nothing more than her to be okay. Do you think it’s possible that she may just be younger than they told us? Her siblings were all small as well.


Like Laura said, her leg length does not look like a puppy's that is way younger- so assuming they didn't lie about more than a week or two, the issue is her health. I wouldn't imagine she is under 6 weeks old. She may be 8 weeks- no telling. On that insurance- Trupanion, Healthy Paws, both good ones. Def do that before you go to the vet another time, because he will note your concerns and that might get you denied if she has issues downline. Insurance is a good idea anyway, even if she were what looks like a healthy puppy- puppies are stupid and put everything in their mouths. An obstruction is several thousand dollars!


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## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

Jasmyne said:


> It’s just a hunch. I don’t have any other than comparison to my own.
> Here was Emmett at 8.5 weeks when we brought him home and he was 12.5lbs
> View attachment 892091
> 
> ...


Thank you so much for that. She looks a lot like him just so much smaller. I’m hoping she’s just younger and it’s not a health issue, even if she is mixed that’s totally fine. I’m going to make sure she gets tested for everything everyone on here has suggested to make sure she is healthy. I appreciate all the comments and advice. I added a picture that I took just now. Super sweet and full of energy!


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## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

Prism Goldens said:


> Like Laura said, her leg length does not look like a puppy's that is way younger- so assuming they didn't lie about more than a week or two, the issue is her health. I wouldn't imagine she is under 6 weeks old. She may be 8 weeks- no telling. On that insurance- Trupanion, Healthy Paws, both good ones. Def do that before you go to the vet another time, because he will note your concerns and that might get you denied if she has issues downline. Insurance is a good idea anyway, even if she were what looks like a healthy puppy- puppies are stupid and put everything in their mouths. An obstruction is several thousand dollars!


Thank you for that! May I ask why you think her leg length does not look like a puppy? She has very short legs. Honestly, I really appreciate you, I’m trying to learn. I added a picture for you.


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## LJack (Aug 10, 2012)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> Thank you for that! May I ask why you think her leg length does not look like a puppy? She has very short legs.


Clarification she doesn’t look like a 4 week old puppy for many reasons including her leg length which is too long for a 4 week old golden. Her coat texture is also wrong for a 4 week old.

Here is a litter of 4 week olds so you can see the big differences we are seeing.


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## michaeldwilson (Aug 14, 2012)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> Thanks for the positive comments, I appreciate it. Based on your experience with goldens would you have a guess on her age or whether she’s purebred? Thanks for being so kind. I appreciate any information you could give.


Yes, ignore the scolds. The puppy's weight is concerning, but you've taken her to the vet and you're keeping a good eye on her. She should start putting on weight fairly quickly. Whatever her beginnings, she's now yours to love and take care of. Best of luck to you!


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## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

LJack said:


> Clarification she doesn’t look like a 4 week old puppy for many reasons including her leg length which is too long for a 4 week old golden. Her coat texture is also wrong for a 4 week old.
> 
> Here is a litter of 4 week olds so you can see the big differences we are seeing.


Thank you for the video. Her face does look a lot more mature than those puppies. I will have the vet check her out for everything you guys are saying. I appreciate you all.


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## LJack (Aug 10, 2012)

Just like babies are not just tiny adult, puppies are not tiny dogs.

At 4 weeks the fur is just starting to change from sleek to fluff. The ears are still very small but starting to grow. Leg proportion is still baby short making them clumsy as they are still mostly body. The facial proportions are still very immature. All of these 4 week old traits are missing from your puppy. She is definitely older than 4 weeks.

Some where between 7-8 weeks would be my guess if she is purebred. That does make her very underweight as she should be double that at least. Careful monitoring and vet support would be wise. If she is the “calmest puppy” ever, I would seek help.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

She's such a teeny sweet little thing. It's so hard to know her age. As others have suggested, she doesn't really look like a 4-week old, but she doesn't weigh what a "normal" 8-week-old Golden would. I would simply take the great advice of getting pet insurance now now now (because any health issue she might have will become a pre-existing condition once it is treated and it is in her records). So do that now, and then just love and enjoy her. She is adorable. There may well be something else mixed in with her, and she may not grow to be the size of a well-bred Golden, but chalk it all up to a learning experience 

Hope you'll stay around here. There is great information and support. If your pup does have any issues, we can try to help. What is her name, by the way?


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## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

michaeldwilson said:


> Yes, ignore the scolds. The puppy's weight is concerning, but you've taken her to the vet and you're keeping a good eye on her. She should start putting on weight fairly quickly. Whatever her beginnings, she's now yours to love and take care of. Best of luck to you!


Thank you! Your response has comforted and reassured me that I am doing all I can.❤


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## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

LJack said:


> Just like babies are not just tiny adult, puppies are not tiny dogs.
> 
> At 4 weeks the fur is just starting to change from sleek to fluff. The ears are still very small but starting to grow. Leg proportion is still baby short making them clumsy as they are still mostly body. The facial proportions are still very immature. All of these 4 week old traits are missing from your puppy. She is definitely older than 4 weeks.
> 
> Some where between 7-8 weeks would be my guess if she is purebred. That does make her very underweight as she should be double that at least. Careful monitoring and vet support would be wise. If she is the “calmest puppy” ever, I would seek help.


She’s definitely not calm. She is very playful, definitely a rowdy little lady and she loves her food. I have only had her for a week but she seems perfectly healthy and the vet says the same. I sent in a fecal panel for further testing and waiting on results. I appreciate your input!


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## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

Sweet Girl said:


> She's such a teeny sweet little thing. It's so hard to know her age. As others have suggested, she doesn't really look like a 4-week old, but she doesn't weigh what a "normal" 8-week-old Golden would. I would simply take the great advice of getting pet insurance now now now (because any health issue she might have will become a pre-existing condition once it is treated and it is in her records). So do that now, and then just love and enjoy her. She is adorable. There may well be something else mixed in with her, and she may not grow to be the size of a well-bred Golden, but chalk it all up to a learning experience
> 
> Hope you'll stay around here. There is great information and support. If your pup does have any issues, we can try to help. What is her name, by the way?


Thank you! I went ahead and got her pet insurance just in case. As of now she’s perfectly fine super playful and eating very well. She’s nibbling on my toes at the moment. I appreciate your advice.


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## pawsnpaca (Nov 11, 2014)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> Do you think it’s possible that she may just be younger than they told us? Her siblings were all small as wel


If all her littermates were the same size then yes, I’d lean toward either younger than claimed or she’s mixed with something. She is a very cute puppy! I hope she has a long, happy, healthy life with you!


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> Thank you! I went ahead and got her pet insurance just in case. As of now she’s perfectly fine super playful and eating very well. She’s nibbling on my toes at the moment. I appreciate your advice.


That's awesome. I'm glad she's doing well. And hopefully she will just stay healthy (touch wood!) and you will never need to use the insurance. But it's good to have. And honestly, don't worry too much. She's yours, you love her. The guy who sold her to you was most likely less than honest, but it's done. Don't beat yourself up.


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## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

I would like to thank everyone who gave me advice. I will take it all into consideration. I literally just got her pet insurance a couple minutes ago, and will have them examine her for everything. I also plan on getting the embark test to see if she is purebred, I’ll love her no matter what it’s just out of curiosity.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

She’s very cute but yes, very small. I agree-get insurance on her while you have a good vet report.

As far as her size goes, I would also suspect giardia/coccidia as a possibility. I have literally seen golden puppies that were so small when I saw them that I was shocked when they got up and started walking around! I thought they were too young to walk. As it turns out, they had coccidia. The only sign they were sick was their size. I have since seen this multiple times.

She obviously landed in the right home!


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## stsmark (Feb 1, 2020)

We have neighbors who have an adorable Lab Golden mix bred by arguably the finest Service Dog organization in the country. During the whelping stage it was discovered that he had a situation that he would be small, outside of their guidelines for further training. I don’t know the formal name of his situation but he just had his 3rd birthday and is a happy, healthy guy who just happens to be 1/2 to 2/3 his avg. size with a kink in his tail. 
Shes adorable what’s her name?


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## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

stsmark said:


> We have neighbors who have an adorable Lab Golden mix bred by arguably the finest Service Dog organization in the country. During the whelping stage it was discovered that he had a situation that he would be small, outside of their guidelines for further training. I don’t know the formal name of his situation but he just had his 3rd birthday and is a happy, healthy guy who just happens to be 1/2 to 2/3 his avg. size with a kink in his tail.
> Shes adorable what’s her name?


Her name is Lily! Thank you for that.


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## xRoan (Jul 7, 2021)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> Thank you so much for that. She looks a lot like him just so much smaller. I’m hoping she’s just younger and it’s not a health issue, even if she is mixed that’s totally fine. I’m going to make sure she gets tested for everything everyone on here has suggested to make sure she is healthy. I appreciate all the comments and advice. I added a picture that I took just now. Super sweet and full of energy!
> View attachment 892093


She is cute and looks super healthy to me. IMO she looks like what they call "Mini Golden Retriever". Golden x Pomeranian x Toy Poodle x Cocker Spaniel or some combination of the four. Ears are too low-set and forward, and eyeset is wrong-- either one could look off because of the other two. I could also be wrong, but I'd be interested in seeing DNA test results... although they're supposedly not all that accurate either.


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## PeytonsMommy (Jun 2, 2010)

Hello! She's precious. However, if you really want to settle your curiosity on whether or not she's purebred, unfortunately no one will be able to tell you with 100% accuracy; if you really want to know for sure, I'd recommend doing an Embark DNA test. I recently rescued a golden pup who was surrendered from an Amish puppy mill, and did the DNA + health kit on him; it was SUPER helpful and so informative. It will also tell you approximately how large they will be as adults. It does take some time for it to be processed, but it was well worth it IMO; I was also able to connect with his half sibling (no littermates yet).


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## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

PeytonsMommy said:


> Hello! She's precious. However, if you really want to settle your curiosity on whether or not she's purebred, unfortunately no one will be able to tell you with 100% accuracy; if you really want to know for sure, I'd recommend doing an Embark DNA test. I recently rescued a golden pup who was surrendered from an Amish puppy mill, and did the DNA + health kit on him; it was SUPER helpful and so informative. It will also tell you approximately how large they will be as adults. It does take some time for it to be processed, but it was well worth it IMO; I was also able to connect with his half sibling (no littermates yet).
> 
> View attachment 892155


Awe, he’s a sweety. Thank you! I already ordered a Embark DNA and health kit, should get it in a couple days. I’m super excited to see the results.


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## PeytonsMommy (Jun 2, 2010)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> Awe, he’s a sweety. Thank you! I already ordered a Embark DNA and health kit, should get it in a couple days. I’m super excited to see the results.


Awesome! I think you'll be really happy with it. Their customer service is pretty great too. If you want to peep what the results will look like, here's our page: Jensen's Embark Results Unfortunately the shareable link doesn't include relatives or all the neat health stuff they screen for, but I found it pretty valuable.


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## MushyB (Oct 31, 2018)

chelseah said:


> She’s very cute! I don’t have any experience to really guess age, but you could always do an embark test or something like that to see if she is a mixed breed.


This is good advice. It's impossible to tell from photos on the internet if a dog is purebred, or how old it is.

For reference: when we brought our boy home from the breeder at 8.5 weeks, he was a whopping 12-13 lbs (we had a long trip from Ontario and the shoulder strap on my puppy carrier never felt cushy enough, lol). He's matured to be 73lbs.

Since you're not sure about the veracity of your breeder, I am going to suggest getting pet insurance on your new addition as soon as possible, and keep it for the life of your dog. It can be handy to have even with the best bred dogs, but it gave me peace of mind during the puppy phase when he was into _everything_ under the sun.

Cute puppy! Good luck!! Please share more pics as she grows


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## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

MushyB said:


> This is good advice. It's impossible to tell from photos on the internet if a dog is purebred, or how old it is.
> 
> For reference: when we brought our boy home from the breeder at 8.5 weeks, he was a whopping 12-13 lbs (we had a long trip from Ontario and the shoulder strap on my puppy carrier never felt cushy enough, lol). He's matured to be 73lbs.
> 
> ...


Thank you! I already got the embark DNA and health kit and pet insurance. I’ll be sure to share when I get her results!!


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## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

MushyB said:


> I am going to suggest getting pet insurance on your new addition as soon as possible, and keep it for the life of your dog.


I had pet insurance and just recently dropped it because the premium nearly doubled.
I I’ve heard the same thing from others.


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## bsacchetti (Mar 2, 2019)

GoldenDude said:


> Very often you’ll find new people are not treated very nicely on this forum. It’s a real problem. My apologies.
> 
> She looks very cute and all that matters is that you love her. I hope you’ll stick around and continue to post pics as she grows up!


 I agree- people are so quick to judge and make you feel bad. I actually got off for awhile because of it.


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## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

bsacchetti said:


> I agree- people are so quick to judge and make you feel bad. I actually got off for awhile because of it.


I try to make it a happy safe place but I’m only one man.


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## Mango’s Mum (Mar 22, 2021)

bsacchetti said:


> I agree- people are so quick to judge and make you feel bad. I actually got off for awhile because of it.


It’s worth ignoring the few rude people. The kind and helpful outnumber them!


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## BoTakuS (Jul 12, 2021)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> Hi everyone,
> I just got a golden retriever puppy. She is supposed to be around 8 weeks old but she is only 4.2 lbs which is concerning to me. The guy I got her from stopped replying to me after we got her. He sent me a picture of her shot records and they seemed pretty sketchy. They were done in Mexico, I got the dog in Phoenix AZ. Also the date on the shot records were 4-2-2022. She would have only been 4 weeks old, what i've seen online is that puppies are not supposed to get their shots until 6-8 weeks old. I was wondering if anyone could tell me how old she might actually be and if she's a purebred as this is my first puppy. I took her to the vet a couple days ago, they said she seems very healthy and that it is possible that she could be 8 weeks old but they were unsure.
> View attachment 892083
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> ...


I think the best course now would be to love on her and allow her to grow. If your vet isn’t concerned, I wouldn’t be either. She looks healthy, outwardly. There are all kinds of supplements that will stimulate her appetite and put weight on her. You’re not going to breed her, she’s a pet. Who cares if she’s a purebred golden (my guess is no) … As for her age, I dunno, I’m not able to discern that from the info you presented. 
Good luck with her though, she’s adorable


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## Zerpersande (9 mo ago)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> I was wondering if anyone could tell me how old she might actually be


I picked mine male pup at 10 weeks and he was a bit over 6kg, so about 13 lbs.


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## Taz Monkey (Feb 25, 2007)

My girl was 16.8 lbs. at 8.5 weeks on the day I brought her home, for reference. She's adorable and you love her, which is mostly what matters. But, and take this how you want, the very first thing I would do, as in like right now at this moment and don't wait, is get pet insurance on her. She obviously came from very sketchy beginnings, which means there is a whole host of genetic issues that could pop up in her lifetime. Pet insurance is inexpensive and will save you thousands. I have it on all my dogs, including my ethically bred golden, and I will never have a dog again without pet insurance. It has saved me literal thousands.

Edited to add I see you got insurance. It's great! I have filed almost $15,000 in claims over 5 years and my premiums have not gone up once, even though one dog is 7 and one is 13.


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## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

Just an update…. We found out Lily has giardia which could possibly explain why she is so small. We got her the medication. They say it’s a hard one to get rid of but hopefully she is good soon. She definitely doesn’t have any severe symptoms just diarrhea. Sent in the embark test should know in about 4 weeks.


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## pawsnpaca (Nov 11, 2014)

Thanks for the update. Hopefully she’ll start to put n some growth now that you’re treating the giardia. We’ll all be anxiously awaiting the results of the DNA test!


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## KathrynH (May 22, 2020)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> Okay, I’m not sure what that means. I didn’t come on this site looking for judgement. I took my puppy to the vet, she is healthy and well taken care of. I was just asking for peoples opinions on her age and whether they think she is purebred. I’m not sure why you felt the need to comment and make me feel worse without providing any progressive information to the questions I asked. Obviously I know I need to be more careful next time. Thank you.


I’m sorry you’re getting some rude responses. People are responding that way because there are a lot of irresponsible breeders that are producing poor quality dogs and jeopardizing the integrity of the breed. Purchasing a puppy without fully vetting the breeder allows and financially incentivizes these breeders to continue. 
You love your puppy. That’s important. Four pounds is quite low for an 8 week old retriever puppy. My puppy weighed 14 pounds at 8 weeks. Also, your puppy got her shots too early. Ask your veterinarian if she will need additional vaccinations due to the fact she got hers so early.
If you want to know if she’s pure golden retriever, have a DNA test done. I used Wisdom Panel. Goldens are prone to hip dysplasia and cancer.
Until she has all of her vaccinations, keep her away from other dogs and areas where other dogs congregate. As soon as she has her vaccinations, take her to puppy socialization classes. So she is comfortable being examined, regularly touch her paws, ears, mouth, tail - all over her body.
You can also start training her. No more than two minutes at a time. Train her with simple commands like “sit” and “down” (“down” for lay down). I use the command “off” for getting off the couch, chair, bed, etc.
You will find a lot of judgment on this site. Most are trying to protect the breed, some think they know more than they actually know and some are completely ignorant of the different types of golden retriever there are: English Goldens, Canadian Goldens, and US Goldens. There is extreme prejudice against the English and Canadian Goldens. It is my experience that only US Goldens are acceptable on this site.
Some here can be very mean. That’s why I rarely visit here anymore.
Just love your puppy, take good care of her. Because it seems she is from questionable origins, please don’t breed. Get her fixed as soon as your veterinarian advises. Breeding responsibly takes a lot of work and energy anyway. I used to breed, years ago. When I got my current puppy, I considered it. Then I remembered how much work it is, so I decided against it.
Bond with your new baby, love her, and ignore those who judge.


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## GLarson5 (Jun 9, 2021)

KathrynH said:


> I’m sorry you’re getting some rude responses. People are responding that way because there are a lot of irresponsible breeders that are producing poor quality dogs and jeopardizing the integrity of the breed. Purchasing a puppy without fully vetting the breeder allows and financially incentivizes these breeders to continue.
> You love your puppy. That’s important. Four pounds is quite low for an 8 week old retriever puppy. My puppy weighed 14 pounds at 8 weeks. Also, your puppy got her shots too early. Ask your veterinarian if she will need additional vaccinations due to the fact she got hers so early.
> If you want to know if she’s pure golden retriever, have a DNA test done. I used Wisdom Panel. Goldens are prone to hip dysplasia and cancer.
> Until she has all of her vaccinations, keep her away from other dogs and areas where other dogs congregate. As soon as she has her vaccinations, take her to puppy socialization classes. So she is comfortable being examined, regularly touch her paws, ears, mouth, tail - all over her body.
> ...


I too rarely visit here anymore for the same reasons, and after I've been gone for most of my puppy's first year, I see things haven't changed. The rude responses, the endless snarky comments, the holier than thou attitude and don't forget the "my dog has ribbon's" so I'm better than you snobbery. I wish all of you the best and remember...some people are here for the love of the dog...we just want information, a place to turn to in order to ask questions and get advice. The backhanded insults, relentless snark and snobbery doesn't help anyone. Good day.


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## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

GLarson5 said:


> I too rarely visit here anymore for the same reasons, and after I've been gone for most of my puppy's first year, I see things haven't changed. The rude responses, the endless snarky comments, the holier than thou attitude and don't forget the "my dog has ribbon's" so I'm better than you snobbery. I wish all of you the best and remember...some people are here for the love of the dog...we just want information, a place to turn to in order to ask questions and get advice. The backhanded insults, relentless snark and snobbery doesn't help anyone. Good day.


No one here has a holier than thou attitude based on ribbons won. To a person, I cannot think of anyone whose responses would be considered snarky to other breeders or involved people (and you may think this is snarky for all I know) but to a pet person who is unsure as to whether their dog is actually purebred, the comments are usually made in an attempt to discourage ever breeding an animal whose heritage is unknown. Ultimately, any comments that to you seem snarky are made in an effort to support maintaining the Breed Standard which is our guiding document in all things breed standard and hopefully, should be the document ANYONE be they a mom and pop in their backyard, or a Top 20 year after year breeder uses to direct the choices they make.


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## Ontariodogsitter (Feb 23, 2020)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> Just an update…. We found out Lily has giardia which could possibly explain why she is so small. We got her the medication. They say it’s a hard one to get rid of but hopefully she is good soon. She definitely doesn’t have any severe symptoms just diarrhea. Sent in the embark test should know in about 4 weeks.



Thank you for the updates and for doing all the right things to get your pup the best care possible 
Hope to see more pictures in the future to see how she develops,


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## GLarson5 (Jun 9, 2021)

Prism Goldens said:


> No one here has a holier than thou attitude based on ribbons won. To a person, I cannot think of anyone whose responses would be considered snarky to other breeders or involved people (and you may think this is snarky for all I know) but to a pet person who is unsure as to whether their dog is actually purebred, the comments are usually made in an attempt to discourage ever breeding an animal whose heritage is unknown. Ultimately, any comments that to you seem snarky are made in an effort to support maintaining the Breed Standard which is our guiding document in all things breed standard and hopefully, should be the document ANYONE be they a mom and pop in their backyard, or a Top 20 year after year breeder uses to direct the choices they make.


I really don' see how you can make a comment like this after others, in this same thread and numerous other threads, have had or continue to have issues with the same forum member. I understand maintaining the breed standard, but this is a puppy forum, not a breeding forum--is it not? Let us ask questions, give us answers, even if it isn't what we want to hear--but do it with some **** respect. We may not have high post counts, the "moderator" title, the monthly high posts, but we are dog people...the same as anyone else in this forum. Your comment above really does prove my point...if someone says something a long timer on this forum doesn't like...it's met with disdain.


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## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

This is a forum, with various subtopics- and yes, we do advise breeding decisions same as we advise as to safe breeding. I'm not sure who the member you're referring to is but some people simply have a harsher tone than others in the way they use their words. It's no different than any other situation, we are not all the same- thank goodness!


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## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

LJack said:


> Yep, as others have said 8 weeks should be at least 10 ponds. My puppies are usually born at around pound. They then put on a pound a week for about the fist 4 weeks and then it start ramping up. Mine are almost always 10 pounds or more at 7 weeks.
> 
> So, there is an issue here. There are several reasons this could be the case.
> 
> ...


For instance- these are all good reasons this puppy COULD be so tiny. We can't any of us know which applies but it is very likely one of them does apply, and it is extremely unlikely puppy is represented age and healthy. The advice to get insurance is good advice. Several of us suggested this. 
Trying to teach someone something like leg length on a forum is nearly impossible, since to most of us who have been doing Goldens in some fashion for eons, this is something our eye knows but no words will be adequate to 'teach' someone - it just is. OP doesn't have to understand it, just needs to heed it. The sarcastic sounding comments earlier in the thread- we all know people whose words are cutting to the tender and funny to the tough. Forums are no place for sensitivity nor should anyone who offers advice be expected to go outside their normal use of language in order to comfort someone who clearly gave no thought to such an important purchase. I mean really - buying a living thing out of the back of a car? That said, I'm very happy this particular living thing is with the OP, since the OP will take good care of puppy, and appears to adore puppy. And this isn't the first back of the car purchase over the years we've heard about, none of which I remember being as represented.... 
This forum does an excellent job vetting breeders, litters, practices, and educates well on the breed itself. There has to be some expectation that some of us might get weary at the expectation of others to ALWAYS be sugary sweet and ALWAYS be kind, never get angry someone does something dumb, never criticize- where in life are there answers without the risk of criticism? No where-


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## stsmark (Feb 1, 2020)

How’s Lily doing? Is she growing?


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## JaxonsDaddy (11 mo ago)

Nicole.Monroe365 said:


> Thanks for the positive comments, I appreciate it. Based on your experience with goldens would you have a guess on her age or whether she’s purebred? Thanks for being so kind. I appreciate any information you could give.


 Congratulations! She is precious! It sounds like she found a great home with you. If you have any future concerns about her health just don't hesitate to address it with your vet. Please continue to share pics with us as she grows up! 💕


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## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

stsmark said:


> How’s Lily doing? Is she growing?


She’s doing great, she’s already potty trained, knows how to sit, and pretty good on a leash. And oh yeah! We got rid of her parasite and she shot up fast. Still small for her age but she’s catching up. She’s about the size of my 14 pound cat now. She’s going to start puppy training this weekend.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

She looks great, and absolutely adorable!


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## FUReverGolden (Nov 24, 2021)

She certainly landed in the right home  Lucky girl ! Cutie patootie


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## stsmark (Feb 1, 2020)

That’s great news! What a sweet girl.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Lily's adorable, great to hear she's doing so well.


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## JanGold (10 mo ago)

I had a pup who was 4 pounds at 7 weeks. She was from a very large litter of 12. She caught up quickly through normal feeding. She weighed 64lbs. as an adult and was the best dog ever, a natural at everything. I miss her so much!


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## FurdogDad (Mar 30, 2021)

Lily is a cute little thing! I'm glad you were able to get her good treatment.


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## Nicole.Monroe365 (8 mo ago)

We got Lilys embark results back. Says she’s 90% golden retriever 10% Labrador retriever. Her dad was part lab.


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## FurdogDad (Mar 30, 2021)

She's a sweet little thing.....enjoy her!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Lily sure is cute, she looks great.


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## FUReverGolden (Nov 24, 2021)

Adorable 🥰 She looks like she is a good girl too.


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## PalouseDogs (Aug 14, 2013)

So, it looks like she turned out to be almost all golden. She sure is a cutie.


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