Every puppy is different, even within the same breed. If your puppy is much larger or smaller than the average expected weight at eight months, it could be an indication that your pup is growing too fast or too slowly. First off, you want to be sure about your puppy’s age. If you aren’t sure, your eight-month-old puppy may be older or younger than you initially thought. If you are absolutely certain of your dog’s age, then your dog may not be getting the nutrients that it needs to grow, or there may be another issue at hand. If you have any health concerns about your pooch, be sure to consult your dog’s vet.
If you are wondering, “how big is an 8 week old Rhodesian Ridgeback?” The short answer is that your Rhodesian Ridgeback will be 66 to 73 pounds by the time it is eight weeks old.
Good Nutrition is Key
Feeding your dog high-quality food is essential to the proper growth of your puppy. Look for a brand that is approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, or AAFCO.
Sometimes, you may need to supplement your dog’s diet with additional vitamins and minerals.
However, this is normally not necessary unless your puppy isn’t growing as quickly as projected or seems to be smaller than other dogs its age. Your vet can help you to determine whether your dog is healthy or if you need to supplement.
It’s All in the Ingredients
When deciding on a brand of puppy food, look at the list of ingredients. A well-rounded, high-quality puppy chow should have a few important ingredients such as meat, meat meal, carbohydrates, and grains.
It should also have vegetables, fruits, fats, and vitamins. Since meat is one of the most important ingredients, make sure that the meat source comes from real meat such as chicken, fish, rabbit, venison, or another meat source.
Meat meal is another great source of protein since it tends to be denser than whole meats. That’s because it is typically dried and has a lower moisture content, so you get more bang for your buck.
Carbohydrates and grains are also very important for your dog to have in their diet and can also aid in digestion. A good dog chow should have rice, barley, peas, and oats since they are nutrient-dense.
Corn, whole, wheat, and soy are OK but are not quite as nutritious. Knowing what to look for when deciding what to feed your dog can help you choose the best, most beneficial, and likely tasty food for your dog.
Fruit is not an essential ingredient in your dog’s food. Still, certain fruits like blueberries and apples are packed with fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C.
Cranberries can kill some bacteria for good dental hygiene and even help fight urinary tract infections. Vegetables such as sweet potatoes contain vitamin B, beta-carotene and are a great source of potassium.
Fats are good in moderation, and your dog needs some fat for energy and to have a nice, shiny coat. Omega-3 and Omega-6, as well as olive and fish oils, are all “good” fats and can give your dog a vitamin boost.
Watch Those Portions
Feeding your dog the right portion at feeding time is also important. It is best to feed your dog more frequently than feed two or three giant meals a day.
You should feed your puppy six to seven times throughout the day so that it can digest each serving more easily. As your puppy gets older, you can reduce the number of feedings in a day to three.
Your Doggie’s Milestones
If your Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy is female, keep in mind that females will typically be smaller than males of the same breed.
For small and medium breeds, their growth spurt will be anywhere between the time of birth and 16 weeks, and for larger breeds, they will likely sprout up until about five months.
Most puppies will have reached about 30% of their adult weight and about 60% of their adult height by about four months.
Let Your Puppy Burn Off That Energy
In addition to a good diet, your puppy needs plenty of opportunities to burn off all that energy. So be sure to play with your puppy daily, and go on plenty of walks.
This will help to minimize any destructible behavior, such as chewing on the furniture or your favorite pair of shoes.
Give Your Puppy the Star Treatment
Even if you don’t plan on entering your puppy into a dog show, it will still need some basic monthly grooming. Many dog groomers can give your puppy the full treatment, or you could simply trim your dog’s nails and give it a bath every four weeks or so.
If you plan on giving your puppy regular grooming sessions, be sure to start as soon as possible to get your puppy used to being bathed and trimmed.
That way, by the time it is full-grown, you or your groomer won’t have to wrestle your furry pal in order to get it to stay put.
Also, since the Rhodesian Ridgeback is a naturally energetic dog, it may be helpful to burn off some of its energy by taking it on a walk or letting it run free at a dog park right before its grooming session.
So, “how big is an 8 week old Rhodesian Ridgeback?”. Keep in mind that any projected weights are just an average. In other words, you don’t really need to worry if your dog’s weight isn’t exactly where it is expected to be.
However, if you have any concerns, be sure to consult with your dog’s vet and be sure to take your puppy to all its annual checkups.
Most issues are treatable, especially if detected early on. It also minimizes any discomfort that your pup may be experiencing.
