# Dwarfism in Goldens...



## shortcake23 (Aug 15, 2008)

I'm not sure if this exists, but Mia is 9 months old and is about 50 lbs.

I don't think your puppy is too small for her age, but I'm no expert...

When you say she's not up to your knee, which part of her body is that? Her head? Her back?


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## Kand3 (Nov 3, 2008)

If it makes you feel better, Bailey is almost 8 months and weighed exactly 47 lbs. at her spay last week! I don't know about dwarfism, but I do think that Bailey is going to be on the smaller side. It will be interesting to see what other people have to say!


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

Her weight does not sound that bad for a smallish golden her age. I have had adult bitches in the 50-53 pound range.

And dwarfism comes with other malformations, such as bowed front legs, etc. Corgis are a dwarfed breed.

There is a form of dwarfism in Labradors, but it is generally associated with retinal dysplasia and with some field lines


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Several breeds are predisposed to osteochondrodysplasias (dwarfism) Breeds most commonly afflicted with it are Malamutes, Labradors, GSD, and Samoyed. Some other breeds are Goldens, Pointers, Weimanraners, Cockers, Havanese, Poms, and Shih Tzu.
One of the best articles covering the many types/forms of dwarism is:

http://www.dogstuff.info/osteochondr...s_lanting.html 

Tahnee is correct in that there are other deformaties associated with dwarfism, and I also agree that 47 pounds at 7 months is not all that small.


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

47 pounds at 7 months doesn't sound all that small for a female. She may end up just being on the small side of average.


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

Just as a reference point, the actual breed standard for goldens is 55-65 pounds for females. At 7 months, your puppy still has a lot of growing to do. I'm sure it's pretty easy to imagine her gaining another 7 pounds or so by the time she's two!! I think people have just gotten used to seeing goldens that are much bigger than the standard. When they see a correct-sized golden, they think they are small.


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## ckp (Mar 26, 2009)

Julie, 

We need to get together to compare our pups. 

Apple was just diagnosed as a dwarf by her vet. I have some hesitation about it - because I have not seen any other 6 month old goldens to compare her.

Apple is short and long and she has a smaller head. sounds weird, huh? but, she does look short - especially when we go to the dog park - the other goldens tower over her - but then again, we've only run into goldens that are 2 years old or more

Also - I was noticing today that her back is just under the height of the cushions on our couch...and our couch is only 18" from floor to the seat cushion.

I can't find anything on what height a gold should be at 6 months. But, the vet says she is very short for her breed/age. Next time I call them, I'm asking more questions.

Maybe even calling your vet for a second opinion!!

Take Care!! Maybe we can bring the pups to the dog park soon???

Caryn


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## Dreammom (Jan 14, 2009)

Thank you everyone,

My Vet did say that they would do blood work.. but he did not say when he wanted to check it out, or how long to wait. I am just wondering if I need to get it checked out sooner than later.

I should have clarified too, I am measuring by her height at the shoulder, and she is really short LOL. Maybe she will suddenly shoot up, she did go thru a stage where she was all legs, then grew some body, and now she is all body and no legs. 

My goofy little peanut....

thanks again,

Julie


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

http://landofpuregold.wordpress.com/2008/09/28/caesar-the-dwarf-golden-retriever-needs-a-home/


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

How tall is she at the shoulder? The standard when full grown is 21½-22½ inches for bitches.


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## Dreammom (Jan 14, 2009)

Well, I just tried to measure her with the yard stick, that did not go over big LOL.
From what I could gather she is somewhere between 16 and 18 inches at the shoulder. 

Thanks again everyone for the info... and thank you for that video.. what a sweetie.

Caryn, PM me and lets get the dogs together soon.

blessings,

Julie


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

I have seen a dwarf and I have to admit, it was pretty cute, all Golden in a small package. The people lived in their motor home (very nice motor home I might add) and he had the best life. I tried to steal him from them but they wouldn't let me.


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

My Pixie was a tiny English Setter. She was 4 weeks old when I got her her Mother having been hit by a car and killed and the guy didn't want to take to mess with the puppies, so he just gave them away. When I got he she easily fit n my one hand. She never did get big, but was bundle of energy, a great quail dog an lived to about 14. I wqould call her a minature rather thandwarf.


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## gold'nchocolate (May 31, 2005)

My 2 yr old female golden, Sasha, is very small but she is all in proportion. Everyone who meets her thinks she is a puppy. I love my big boy goldens but I really love the size of Sasha.

In my signature pic you can see how small she was at 8 wks old. She is sleeping on a pair of size 7 womans LL Bean slip on shoes.


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## jnmarr (Mar 7, 2008)

I know you are concerned.. I hope you get answers to your questions. 

Penny is 53 pounds @ 19 months old.. I have to watch her because she will start to get a little pudge.. Mom is 65 pounds, dad 80... When Penny was a young pup she had the runs often.. I have wondered if somehow she was stunted??? She is proportioned properly, and the vet isn't concerned at all. I like the way Stephanie puts it " Pocket Golden! "


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## Dreammom (Jan 14, 2009)

Thanks again everyone,

You are all making me feel better.
I have to take Layla next week to weigh her and get her heart worm meds... she is borderline med / large, I will talk to the Vet then. 

Never in my life have I had a dog that fell within breed standards, I always get huge monsters LOL. Now I got a little one...

Julie


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

47 pounds at her age isn't all that small. I think it's probably just that your reference points are so big that you're seeing her as smaller than she really is. I had a dog who was slightly out of standard on the small side at 60 lbs, so the idea of a bitch being a few pounds below 55 (the minimum AKC standard weight for Golden bitches) hardly seems like something to worry about.


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

Have you posted any pictures of Layla lately? I didn't see any recent ones on a quick search. We'd love to see some pictures of your little cutie.


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## ckp (Mar 26, 2009)

I'm surprised at the focus on weight for a 'dwarf' dog....I thought it was the height of a dog that made it dwarf?? Maybe I am totally wrong...please correct me if I am.

Apple weighs in at almost 60 pounds (as of a few weeks ago) but - her height is not nearly what it should be. That's why the vet told me she was dwarfed....that and along with the long body and smaller head (for her breed and age).

Apple seems to have a few things running towards 'dwarfism' - but not her weight.

I think that being a lesser weight is just petite....

??


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

My male is 21.5" at the withers and 43 lbs soaking wet. He's 6 yrs old. Perfectly healthy. Just small.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

ckp said:


> I'm surprised at the focus on weight for a 'dwarf' dog....I thought it was the height of a dog that made it dwarf?? Maybe I am totally wrong...please correct me if I am.
> 
> Apple weighs in at almost 60 pounds (as of a few weeks ago) but - her height is not nearly what it should be. That's why the vet told me she was dwarfed....that and along with the long body and smaller head (for her breed and age).
> 
> ...


 
"Dwarf" refers to the length of the legs, and there are deformaties and health issues associated with dwarfism that surely one should not want to intentionally reproduce. The weight of a dog with dwarfism usually exacerbates the problems with the legs, and can cause the dog to be in pain. This is a far different situation that a dog that is simply undersized.


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

Storee is small, she grew a few inches when she was just about 2 and is now about 20 inches at the shoulder. She's not heavy either but looks small compaired to Bender and most goldens out there. But then Bender usually gets called small as well when we're out, because she's 21 or so at the shoulder, and most of the goldens we run into are in the 24-28 range, from BYB and overweight....

At six months she still has a lot of time to grow up, I wouldn't worry. She may take after her mom and be small (they don't always 'average' between the sire/dam's size...).

Lana


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## jnmarr (Mar 7, 2008)

Dreammom said:


> Thanks again everyone,
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Maybe her vet can shed some light on this.. 

My kids were always big for their age. I hate those charts. When my daughter was in the first grade her doctor told me she was 4 inches too tall.. I asked him what he suggested I do???  Can't pidgeon hole every thing.. If you were breeding, showing, etc. it would be imparitive to stick within the standards... but for a loving pet... not so much.

I love that Penny is smaller.. she fits better next to Rusty... when we travel, etc. If a room is crowded she will run right under him!  Perfect match!


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## Dreammom (Jan 14, 2009)

My camera needs new batteries, but I took this with my phone this morning. Still hard to tell how small she is, but here she is - I apologize for the quality of the photo.


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## kgiff (Jul 21, 2008)

My male was 38 pounds at 7 months. He's almost a year and hasn't been weighed in a while, but I doubt he's 50 pounds now.

Are there other reasons for concern besides her size? 

From the responses here, it seems like she's a fine size for being on the smaller size of the breed standard.


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

Oh, she's adorable!! She may be on the smallish side, but she's awfully cute. 

In the video of the dwarf golden, the limbs are quite short in proportion to the rest of the body. It's tough to tell from that photo, but Layla's limbs don't look out of proportion to the rest of her body.


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## Dreammom (Jan 14, 2009)

Aww thanks, she is kind of cute LOL.

She does look in proportion, her legs are a bit short, but maybe she will catch up.

I swear I don't know where that 47 lbs is... we joke that she must have rocks in her head. I guess she is a pocket golden.


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## jnmarr (Mar 7, 2008)

She is adorable! Look on the bright side, less room, less food, medicine cost less, less hair.. She is your baby and she is precious!


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

FlyingQuizini said:


> My male is 21.5" at the withers and 43 lbs soaking wet. He's 6 yrs old. Perfectly healthy. Just small.



Wow he's definitely a little guy  My Sammy is probably 55 lbs soaking wet... Some just come in smaller packages!


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## Dreammom (Jan 14, 2009)

Well her chihuahua bark is getting annoying LOL... and she has had some digestive problems for the last few months.
Otherwise she is a bundle of energy, and that 47 compact lbs. can yank you right off your feet...so I guess she is healthy.



kgiff said:


> Are there other reasons for concern besides her size?
> 
> From the responses here, it seems like she's a fine size for being on the smaller size of the breed standard.


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## NuttinButGoldens (Jan 10, 2009)

That there is the cutest thing I've ever seen 



Pointgold said:


> http://landofpuregold.wordpress.com/2008/09/28/caesar-the-dwarf-golden-retriever-needs-a-home/


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## Dreammom (Jan 14, 2009)

another question... if her proportions are normal, and she has no other symptoms of dwarfism... are there midget dogs? My kids always call her midget...LOL.


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## NuttinButGoldens (Jan 10, 2009)

Yeah, everyone see's the 100 pound Goldens. They are the exception to the rule, and frankly most I've seen are over-fed (I've been guilty of this too).

Comet looked good at 103 pounds. But he also looked good at 87 pounds. It was kinda weird, actually...



tippykayak said:


> 47 pounds at her age isn't all that small. I think it's probably just that your reference points are so big that you're seeing her as smaller than she really is. I had a dog who was slightly out of standard on the small side at 60 lbs, so the idea of a bitch being a few pounds below 55 (the minimum AKC standard weight for Golden bitches) hardly seems like something to worry about.


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## shortcake23 (Aug 15, 2008)

Dreammom said:


> another question... if her proportions are normal, and she has no other symptoms of dwarfism... are there midget dogs? My kids always call her midget...LOL.


I don't think she's extremely small and could be called a midget or what not... the height for fully grown female Goldens is between 20 and 22 inches. 
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/goldenretriever.htm

Don't forget that she's not fully grown yet, at 7 months old, and that most Goldens you see out there are bigger than the standard.

I used to worry too about Mia's height/weight and that is when I learned all this... people still think that Mia is tiny at 9 months old... but she's 50 lbs and 21 inches high... which is well within the norm! Like members have told me on this forum, people are just used to seeing the big Goldens!

Hope this reassures you :wave:


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## Susan6953 (Jun 9, 2008)

There are many types of dwarfism. The most common type is achondroplasia. Acondroplastic dwarfs have normal sized heads and torsos and short limbs. The darling dog in the video is an achondroplastic dwarf. As was mentioned, orthopedic problems are common in achondroplasia. Another type of dwarfism is caused by pituitary insufficiency. Those dwarfs (often called midgets) are small but normally proportioned. Tom Thumb, for example.

I suspect that most of the small goldens mentioned in this thread are examples of what would be called "familial short stature" in humans which means they just happen to be at the short end of normal.


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