greyseas

A few more pics

Hi guys, Not sure if this is the correct place to post this but thought I would follow up from a thread I created over 3 years ago (can no longer respond to the old thread) and thought this might be helpful just to hear about for new golden retriever owners! My puppy Oscar was teeny tiny for a golden retriever and had a slight health scare (too small for his age etc and wasn't proportionally in line with a regular golden retriever puppy). Vet was initially concerned with potential congenital issues but he tested fine and it was later concluded that he may have had worms which were treated for. (Attached is a pic) I posted about it here and was really grateful for all the responses I got! It was really reassuring to get other dog owner opinions especially as Oscar is my first pup! Maybe some of the posters back then are still active and will remember him from the pic. Just thought I'd give an update - Oscar is turning 4 in Novemver and is an energetic, happy and healthy pup :) we've had no health issues with him since the bumpy start (touch wood!!). He's still quite small for a male golden retriever (weighing in at about 28kg as we try to keep him lean) and looks to be more similar in stature to a girl but he's greedier than ever and will eat anything! More importantly he is (and according to his vet) completely healthy! I guess it's more of a post to any new puppy owner with an abnormally small pup - a bit of a happy story if you will! A couple of posters mentioned he may be a cross because he was so tiny - not sure if he still looks like one now?? To me he looks like a slightly smaller golden and I have registration papers but I guess anyone with more expertise might know better? Love him either way! Apologies in advance if this is in the wrong area of the forums!! Wasn't sure where it was most appropriate...

Ooo and before I forget! My friend told me that about a week into his stay with her he pretty much just toilet trained himself (after 2 little accidents) and he hasn't had one since! :D :) (it's safe to say that we're super proud and very excited he knows to go into the backyard for potty time! hehhe)

Hi guys, thanks for all your replies and concern :), I'm very sorry I've been MIA!! Our family went overseas for about 3 weeks (very bad timing I know but it was postponed due to an accident my mum had late 2011 and there was no other time we could change it to) and when we got back we just spent as much time with Oscar as possible :D . I'm happy to report that Oscar is doing much better now! When I got back and picked him up from my friend's place I had to do a double take..he grew so much! I took him in for his last vaccination today and on the pet scales he is almost 7kg and the vet is extremely pleased with how he is looking :) She said everything looks much better (he's grown in a new coat, his paws are getting bigger, legs longer etc...) While I was away his food was gradually increased to a cup, 3 times a day and even now he is wolfing it down! My friend started (and I've continued) mixing in some adult food just in case he was being overfed but the vet still recommends that we stick to puppy kibble for the nutrition and benefits of calcium etc... He is still on the small side (after googling/youtubing 12 week old goldens) but he has definitely come a long way - I will definitely post some photos as soon as i can!) My vet was telling me today that she thinks with how he is looking now compared to 3 weeks ago, him being hand-raised from a very young age must have affected his growth a little or at least slowed it. Hopefully he continues to grow at a steady rate and is just a late bloomer! His registration and pedigree papers arrived in the mail last week so all is good on that front.

The vet called me earlier today and good news! :) Both blood tests and x-rays came back normal and showing no signs whatsoever of abnormalities although she did say that x-rays seem to show (in conjunction with his size and weight) that he is actually younger than he really is...which I am a little wary of (especially as many of you guys are a bit unsure about the breeder and have much more experience than me!) But I have to say this would make a lot more sense as currently, he looks a lot like your Henry in size, GoldenWei! (Just skinnier) Thank you for all the photos guys, your Goldens are all beautiful! The breeder has been more than helpful though and regarding his papers, she should be getting them in the post next week and will be sending them to me asap and I will have a good look at them. I have only had him about two and half weeks..although he looks to be the size of an 8 week old. Funnily enough, as soon as he got back from the vet after getting his x-rays done and blood taken, he was vibrant as ever and both his feet look perfectly fine right now! The vet has also suggested I change his food to Eukanuba puppy for large breeds - and I've begin to change him over from supercoat starting from dinner tonight. I was previously feeding him 1/2 cup, 3 times a day but she has also suggested I give him as much food as he will eat - just to pump some nutrients in him! Now that the results have come in negative, the vet feels better about him and says that after feeding him lots , she will see how he's going in about 3 weeks time for his next vaccination and we will go from there. I am really hoping that he will take to the Eukanuba really well and will somehow grow surely and quickly..i have my fingers crossed he is just a really late bloomer as our family has already gotten very attached! He is quite the personality and he is adorable :) Hopefully you're right Roishana! He was the 'runt' of the litter so maybe that played a part in all this? The breeder too, has advised that I weigh him once a week and keep records and I will definitely be doing that. As for worms, I've been thinking that too! Although we have continuously wormed him since we picked him up - he had very liquidy diarrhoea when he first arrived and the vet thought maybe worms so he has been given Drontal tablets and he is now onto monthly Interceptor. As for returning him..I'm hoping it won't have to come to that but if it does.. my family agrees that it will be the very very last option...especially if things don't improve by his next checkup in 3 weeks. I will keep you all updated and I really appreciate all of your help and advice!!

Oscar came to me microchipped, wormed, vaccinated and insured and he does have papers haha but I always seem to think straight to his parents papers! Not too sure about the 6week checkup but she lives on a farm where her dogs are allowed to run free (not the puppies of course!) and found mum dead one day. She has been very helpful and has also offered to take Oscar back to raise herself while giving us a replacement puppy from her next litter if we were unhappy etc.. But it just wouldn't be the same! I've seen photos of the other puppies in the litter as they were growing and they all looked happy and healthy! I asked about a premium kibble at the vet on Monday but he suggested I stick with supercoat for now as changes of diet will upset his stomach but I will definitely ask the vet from yesterday again when she calls with results

Ive talked to the breeder (who is registered) and I do have the registration/pedigree papers for the parents who are both purebred golden retrievers so am sure he is not a cross. She lived much too far out for us to visit but I got regular updates on all the puppies and on pickup day we both drove half the distance for me to pick him up! I have also seen photos of both parents and they both look strong and healthy although unfortunately the mother passed most probably of a snake bite when the puppies were only a few weeks old so they've had to hand raise them ad on the litter's 6week vet checkup the breeder told me they were on the small side but still within the average weight range. She is also very worried as it is first unhealthy puppy but has guaranteed me first pick of her next litter in the coming year if something was to happen..which I hope is nothing Oscar has definitely grown since the photos I've posted but is still very small but fingers crossed he is a very very late bloomer. No news as of yet about the bloodwork but most probably tomorrow morning and the vet herself couldn't see anything out of the ordinary in his X-rays so is getting them looked at by a radiologist

He was in a litter of 10 pups so that may have been a contributory factor to his size? I did get him from a breeder and I am in the process of contacting her now, to see if she has any insights into this! I knew he was a small puppy and have been doing further research - the vet agrees with me when I say he is pretty much half the size he's supposed to be! Really hoping everything is ok

Hi guys! I'm a recent, and new owner of a Golden Retriever puppy Oscar :) He is currently 9 weeks moving onto 10 and he is absolutely tiny...way too small for a Golden at this age. He is only 2.3kg!!! He eats fine and is very energetic and acts like any puppy (and is adoorable hahah) but I can't seem to understand why he is so tiny. Has anyone else had a golden/large-breed dog be that small and grow up nicely? When I took him to the vet for a vaccination on Monday, he said that despite being small he looks good and healthy and had everything in order. We took him to the vet again today as his right paw looks crooked and points outwards (like his doing one legged ballet) and she's suggested we do some x-rays for the leg (possible closing of a growth plate). His foot looks ok after naps/a good nights sleep but after a day of playing and running it looks quite the sight! Today we had a different vet who has also recommended a blood test as she is worried that he may have a congenital condition, as he is so small and I'm wondering if anyone has had a similar experience? We are extremely worried about him and are hoping for the best! I'm hoping it's nothing and that he is just a very late bloomer! (I feed him 1/2 a cup of supercoat puppy, 3 times a day). He is having both of them done today as we want answers quickly and this will set us back about $600-700 (blood test, xrays and consultation) and despite the money, our family feels it's better to be safe then sorry, especially since he's one of us!! I've attached some photos of young Oscar at 8 weeks!

Just got an email back :D I was just being silly! The mother sounds like she's doing well so she probably took the post down after she had enough people on the waiting list (or something like that) as you all suggested! Thanks for all of your help! :D

@Bubitty I'm wanting to buy a pup from her (and have talked to her about it etc...) but just worried that something may have happened to the pups because she's taken her ad down and those are the cutest! they look like s hehhe Thanks @goldielover I think I'll do that

thanks! I think I'll send her a quick email, hopefully all is well and I was just being silly!

Hi guys, I'm new to the dol forums and I stumbled across this website when I was doing research for getting a new pup for my parents and I (first time pup-owner)! We've decided on getting a golden retriever because of their usually well-natured temperament along with their exercise requirements (I'm a very active person and want a dog to play/exercise with for long periods of time) and they are just gorgeous animals hahah. I've contacted a breeder from the dogzonline website (Vrainord - has anyone had experiences with them?) and the lady who was doing the breeding sounds fantastic and I'm very happy with all the information she's supplied me with. She had no qualms about answering any of my questions and I know the ultrasound showed 8 pups. I checked back on dogzonline yesterday just to have a look at other breeders (NSW) and it seems she has taken down her puppy listing! Now, I haven't contacted her yet because I really don't know what to say! I last had a chat with her a week ago and I know her pups were due soon and everything sounded fantastic but now I'm worried that something may have happened to the pups/mother and I'm at a loss for what to do. I feel like I'm jumping to conclusions as I am so new with this process and would really like some opinions on this! Do breeders typically contact those on their waiting list if something may have happened to the pups ( )? Would she have taken down the listing just because enough people have enquired about her puppies? I was about to send her a quick e-mail just asking how everything was going in regards to the pregnancy but hopped on here for some advice first I'd be glad for any insights on this! Thanks so much!