My dog is quite small for her age

by Scott
(San Diego, CA)

I've just got a 8 wks old female puppy from a friend. I was told she's a purebred Belgian Malinois, and she does appear to have all the features.

However, her tummy is pretty large, and she's skinny. I took her to the Vet and had a fecal exam....I also notice she has fleas, and tapeworms. I'm waiting on further result on her fecal exam as of right now.

Anyhow, she's only 3.5 lbs for her age. To my knowledge, different lines of Malinois yields different growing rate. But I'm not sure. I think the worms may slow down her growth rate if that even practical. The Vet says maybe....but I just hope to hear other opinions.

My question is: Is it normal for this breed to be this small at this age; considering she has worm problem?

Thanks.




Hi Scott
I'm not personally familiar with Belgian Malinois but they are a medium to large breed, reaching anywhere between 40 and 80lbs at maturity.

In any breed, there can be quite significant fluctuations in size between different bloodlines, and even within the same litter puppies can vary greatly in size.

Your puppy may have been the 'runt' or the smallest in the litter. Issues such as worms and poor nutrition can also affect size and development, and if your puppy has not been well taken care of this could be a factor. In my personal opinion 3.5lbs is small for 8 weeks, I would have expected around 7lbs - but as I don't breed/raise these dogs I could be wrong!

When buying a purebred puppy, the only way to be certain about their heritage and bloodlines is to see both parents, and get the registration papers for the puppy. Some people are unscrupulous about the dogs they sell.

Getting the correct treatment for any health issues your puppy has, and getting her started on a premium puppy food will get her on the right track. Even if she isn't the biggest Malinois around, she will still be a beautiful dog if given the right care.

I wish you the best of luck with her.