Size of Chows

[Anj]

Rasta is a 5month old male and weighs 20kg. At 6 months I will get him neutered.

How old are chows when they have reached full size?

Anyone know on average how big/heavey I can expect my chow to grow?

Also at what age does the puppy coat become a adult coat?

They seem like simple questions, but in none of my chow books do they say!

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[Wes Chow Chows]

Those are good questions.
How old are chows when they have reached full size?
That will depend on lots of factors I expect that they are done size about 1-1 1/2 yers of age that the frame work they will pack on weight until 2-3 in most cases.
Anyone know on average how big/heavey I can expect my chow to grow?
Agin all chows are differnet I have seen full grown mature males 40-80+. Depends on the genes of the dog.
Also at what age does the puppy coat become a adult coat?
Anytime from 6months to a year in most dogs.

Wes

[kiwani]

Re: "Anyone know on average how big/heavey I can expect my chow to grow?"

At four months of age, your Chow would be at about half his adult weight. At about six months of age, he would be approximately 80% of his adult weight. Growth rate slows at about nine months of age. Testosterone plays an important role in bone growth plate closure and further muscle development. There are several archived threads devoted to neutering's effects on bone/muscle development and joint injury.

Hormone surges play a role in adult coat development, and nutrition is just one factor that plays an important role in hormone production.

[Judy Fox]

Is 6 months a little young to get a chowling neutered?

I think it is better to wait until the boy is more or less full grown - he needs everything working correctly before being neutered.

[chow fancier]

My smallest adult chow was a 40lb female, largest was a 70lb female, not overweight, just bigger. I think there is a broad range of sizes in chowdom.

I know they neuter pups much younger than 6 months, but I don't know the rationale.

[Chow Chow Mama]

Tucker at ideal weight was about 63-65 pounds (probably could have been 70 pounds and would have looked great as he was taller and longer)

Holden is smaller and his weight ranges between 50-55 pounds. He usually goes up more in the winter and down in the summer.

[Victory]

My smallest adult chow was a 40lb female, largest was a 70lb female, not overweight, just bigger. I think there is a broad range of sizes in chowdom.

I know they neuter pups much younger than 6 months, but I don't know the rationale.

They do it in an attempt to control aggressiveness and breeding. Works for the latter for the former it's useless, and in females and some males can actually lead to increased canine to canine aggression. It also increases more puppy like behavior for longer. Frankly I perfer an adult male chow to act like and adult, a bit stoic, laid back and dignified.

But then that's me and I like adult behavior in everything.

[Rogansmommy]

Rogan was neutered at five months. He is the classic chow temperment. Stoic, laid back, dignified and consistent. He is also 82 lbs. Not overweight - when he's wet he got the same body structure as my rottie. But he is tall.

I've never seen canine-canine aggression out of him, nor increased puppy behavior, nor any inappropriate behavior.

Just my observations.

[Victory]

Dreamdancer is 15 months, almost 16 and he acts like a 3month old puppy. Thank goodness he's only about 50lbs, he's little 'cause he's a hand full. Maybe he learned it from Firesong, or maybe her energy is contagious, but he's NOTHING like my other males, even LiChi who was very eneregtic would have had a problem keeping up with this brat...(and yup that's his name)

On the other hand he doesn't understand the concept of being dignified, he's a cuddler, he's WORSE than Firesong about it. She just checks to see where I am and then goes about her own business, HE has to be right up under me at all times, if he didn't have the full lilac mouth, (it's actually a kind of smokey purple, kind of pretty really) and the dougnut tail, stance and frown of a chow I'd think he was part golden or something the way he ALWAYS wants to be snuggled up to me. Still sleeps under my bed, even though he barely fits under there.

Maybe I have to get an older male to teach these two HOW they are supposed to act! Although Darkwind had no luck with Firesong and he was the most Chow like of all my boys...

[JH]

Our male maintained a weight of 65 pounds throughout his life, our female is 55 pounds. Our new puppy comes from a line of heavy dogs, so we are expecting him to be at least 75-85 when he reaches maturity at about 2-1/2 years of age.

If you are not going to keep a dog intact for show purposes, I would say that between 5-6 months is ideal for neutering a chow, especially a male. I think it is critical for dogs who are rescued and whose pedigrees are not known. With dogs that have tendencies towards aggressive behavior, earlier is better to insure a more balanced animal. There are always exceptions depending on the individual dog, but I've not experienced any negatives from early neutering. I have seen the opposite however.

Ours have blown their puppy coats as early as 6 months and as late as 8. As was noted, the quality of the food has a lot to do with it.

[jacqui]

I've had two 95lb males,not fat just big boys.I think it depends on bone stucture too. my 7 month old boy Kai is only 38lbs.he will be the smallest boy I've had.

[Grab]

Legend hovers around the 55 lb mark, which is a good weight for him. He's always been this weight, even as a younger lad (he's 11 now)

As for neutering, he was done at 5 months. He was calm and stoic as a puppy, and that's never changed. He takes everything in stride, doesn't have dog aggression (and he lives with a very bossy little terrier) and is laid back in every situation I take him to. He's a favorite at the vet hospital I work at, as I can hook him up with me in lab and he'll hang out sleeping on the floor all day.