Anyone chart their AB's growth?

[Good_OL_Boy]

Has anyone kept tabs on their AB pup's growth? This is just out of curiousity, right now Axle is 6 months old and 50 ish lbs, I first got him at 4.5 months and he was 30 lbs. His parents were 80 (dam) and 90 (sire) lbs, so I'm guessing he'll end up somewhere around there. Anyone else kept tabs?

 

[MJJean]

i did and I didn't. At 6 months old Ike weighed in at 48lbs and by the time he was in for his yearly vacs and neuter at 15 months he was 78lbs. He's 4 now and still weighs 78. His parents were larger in both height and weight (dam 90, sire either 100 or 120 if I remember right) and so are most of his littermates, the ones I have heard about anyways.

I was kinda sad he didn't reach his parents size, but I got over it. Now I don't even try to predict adult size and just wait and see.

 

[Good_OL_Boy]

I remembered you saying that he was small compared to the rest of his litter, but wow, I didn't realize it was that big of a difference! It fascinates me how different AB's can be in size and structure. I'm amazed just looking at the differences in the Scott and Johnson dogs, I'm honestly amazed they're the same breed. Btw MJ, I love Ike and his big pumpkin head!

 

[MJJean]

Thanks! I'm sure Ike would love you, too. He's such an attention whore, lol.

I think part of the size difference could be because Ike is a Johnson-Scott hybrid. I wanted a slightly longer nose to make breathing in the hot summer months and during exercise easier, but I also wanted some size and heft to my dog, so I looked for a hybrid hoping for the best of both worlds. I didn't quite get the size I wanted, but he's close. Lord knows he scares the crap out of a lot of people by just being seen. I did get exactly what I wanted in athletic ability and that's really what matters most to me. I'd hate to have a dog I couldn't take to the state parks on a hike because the poor thing overheats and can't breathe.

 

[MJJean]

To give you an idea of his size..

Compared to my son who was 10 in this picture

Ike comforting a sad friend who is always much less sad when Ike loves on her

Ike on my brothers lap. Brother is 5'9" and weighs 165

 

[MJJean]

On my husbands lap. He's 6ft and at the time weighed about 270

Annnd just because I love this dog

Geeze, say one nice thing and get pic spammed. But at least it shows what my mooshy-face looks like and about how big hs is in comparison to people , rofl.

 

[Good_OL_Boy]

I think Axle is a hybrid too, his face profile looks a lot like Ike's, just smaller scale haha. And I don't mind the pictures, you don't post enough of him!

 

[Good_OL_Boy]

Here's a profile of him

 

[MJJean]

Very similar. Ike really didn't grow into a more wrinkled face until he was between 1 and 2. As a pup he had more of a smooth face like Axle does in that pic. He's a cutie!!

 

[Good_OL_Boy]

Awe thanks! I have a feeling Axle will be decent sized when he's full grown, he's already about the same size as Diesel who's 65lbs and just over 1 1/2 years. Hopefully he'll fill out nicely, he's all legs right now haha

 

[MJJean]

Ike was leggy, too. He hit adult height at somewhere between 12 and 15 months and then got his heft somewhere between 2-3 years old. He was a bit clumsy and a bit rowdy when it came to cuddles until he realized how big he was. Then he started being comically gentle when climbing into bed or onto the furniture for cuddles. One paw at a time, real slow, making sure he wasn't hurting anyone. His pup days totally traumatized my hubby. He still auto-covers his junk when Ike wants to climb up with us, lol.

 

[KateNLeo]

Ok, I'm in love with both Ike & Axle!! I've always loved ABs but now having Leo (a shelter mutt), I think I'm a small dog person after all. . But hearing what you said about Ike's clumsy rowdy puppy days, maybe there's still hope!

And heck! Leo's nowhere NEAR the size if your boys! He'll be a year on 1/10 and he's not even 50 pounds! I cannot imagine!!

They both look absolutely smooshable!! I SO wish Leo would sit still long enough to let me love on him!

 

[Good_OL_Boy]

Here he is next to Diesel, he's REALLY leggy

and a couple more to show the body type

 

[MJJean]

Yup, Ike was very similarly built until he got close to full maturity and then he filled out. He looked puppyish and sure acted like an energetic puppy who loved to get into trouble until then, too. Once he was 2 it was almost like a light switch got flipped and he became a saint of a dog with a much more stocky build than he had before. When people say AB's tend to mature slow they aren't joking. It's s-l-o-w!

Yes, Kate, give in to the dark side and come over to the big AB's!!

 

[Good_OL_Boy]

God I hope he turns out like Ike! That's good to hear they mature around 2... Only 1 1/2 more years of hell pup hahaha.

KateNLeo, I'm with MJ, the AB side is a fun one, never a full moment at my house! Axle is one heck of a snuggler too... For the 20 mins or so he settles down a day.

 

[MJJean]

He should grow into his snuggle capabilities in a year or so, too. Ike used to snuggle for a max 15-20 minutes and then move on. Now he's almost as much of a bum as the Pits are.

For Ike's first 22 months of life I wandered around the house with a small grocery trash bag (for picking up shredded things guts), a roll of paper towel, a bottle of my cleaner mix, and treats in my pocket muttering "He'll grow out of it." repeatedly.

 

[Good_OL_Boy]

Little update on him, he's gotten bigger lol. I don't know exactly how much since he hasn't been to the vet in a while, But he's around 7 months according to them.

 

[Pitifull]

Too cute. I have no idea kings weight progression but he is now about 78 lbs. he was 85 but we took some weight of him and he is at a much healthier weight. I was hoping he would be a tad larger too, but now. Am happy is is that size. Still scares the shit out of strangers.....

 

[Good_OL_Boy]

Too cute. I have no idea kings weight progression but he is now about 78 lbs. he was 85 but we took some weight of him and he is at a much healthier weight. I was hoping he would be a tad larger too, but now. Am happy is is that size. Still scares the shit out of strangers.....

hmm 78 seems to be the number with these guys, maybe Axle will end up right there too haha. I just hope Axle grows into his ears! King looks great where he's at, I'm sure that drooling bowling ball atop his neck helps to keep people leary of him lol.

 

[Pitifull]

Lol, yeah and he is ferocious when strangers enter the house. Sometimes, it is even unsettling to me. Haha. He is actually good with strange women, but if a strange man walks up in the house, you best watch out. It's weird, it's like he knows wat kind of reaction I want from him depending on the situation. If I want him to be friendly with a new person who comes to my house, I will just hold onto his collar for a second and he will greet them friendly......but if say a worker comes over and I dont want king to be friendly, I put him behind a baby gate so he can see the new person and he will bark and growl his face off.