Expert: Jennifer Walker - 9/28/2011

Question
Hi Jennifer, my partner and I just bought a boxer pupp which is 12 weeks old, he only weighs about 2.5kg and was nearly half the size of the other pups in the litter. Will he bulk up or has he got some sort of genetic problem that may cause him not to grow properly. Thanks for your time.. Jules..

Answer
Hi Jules,

It's hard to say for sure what's going on with the puppy -- he is very very small for his age, as you know. Usually the smallest puppies will be mostly caught up to their littermates by 12 weeks, in an ideal environment.

I would suggest a veterinary workup and bloodwork, if you haven't done already, and look closely at the kidneys. Juvenile renal dysplasia is seen occasionally in Boxers and can cause pups to be very small, among other things.

If everything checks out, and he's eating, drinking, eliminating, playing as normal, then he may just be a small Boxer. (I'm assuming you are positive he's purebred and not possibly mixed with a smaller breed.) He may never reach the ideal size -- I know of some smaller Boxers that are about 35-40 lbs full-grown -- but he should be like a Boxer in every other way.

Good luck with him!