Chihuahua x heeler mix

[confusedfather111]

Hey I recently got a Chihuahua x heeler mix and I’m a bit nervous I was told she’d be small but I’m not so sure. She’s 3 months and 8 pounds. I’ve read small dogs grow faster than big dogs though as well. Anyone have the mix and are familiar with their weights through puppyhood? How big is your grown mix now?

 

[dan87]

@confusedfather111 Any mixed breed can be the size of either parent.

I would look up the normal size for a heeler dog, and that will give you an idea if your pup takes after that breed. In mixed breeds, even in the same litter, one may take more after one breed and their sibling another. The third might be in the middle.

You just never know until they start growing or can take to a vet and get a better idea, possibly.

 

[confusedfather111]

@dan87 Heelers at 3 months tend to be 10-15 pounds as I’ve seen. She was smaller compared to her siblings. I tried asking my vet when I went to get her first shots but the vet was very condescending and I didn’t get many of my questions I was hoping to get answered.

 

[dan87]

@confusedfather111 Hmm, she will probably be a bit in the middle. It's just hard to say as every mixed breed dog is different, and only time will tell.

I know it isn't really helpful, but it's just too hard to say what size the dog might be based on weight. Paw size helps more for really small or really big dogs.

With the mix, though, I don't think it will be tiny with at 3 months being that weight. Think possibly small to full heeler size.

 

[dattaswami8]

@confusedfather111 Not a guarantee but she’ll probably grow into her paws, usually bigger dogs as puppies have out of proportion too big feet. If she looks like her paws are still too big for her then she’s probably got quite a lot of growing left to do.

Assume she’ll be on the small side of medium but not toy size/super tiny given her current size though.

Don’t worry about it too much, you get used to their size as they grow up and she shouldn’t get any bigger than the breed of her largest parent (although that is a slightly unusual mix, I’d be double-checking that the father is definitely what they thought).

 

[confusedfather111]

@dattaswami8 Yea her paws aren’t big in comparison to her body. I was told it was an accidental litter and the father is the chihuahua and mother is heeler. Her siblings did have bigger paws. I did though look at her paws and while bigger than a chihuahua they didn’t seem to be by much which is why I wasn’t too worried at first till her weight checks.

 

[dattaswami8]

@confusedfather111 The reason I mention the father is that there’s a chance the mother could have snuck off and found another dog, without the owners noticing. It wouldn’t necessarily change much for now but might change your expectations on how big she will grow or how she could look (I still don’t think she’s going to be huge though!)

There are lots of small terrier and miniature dogs that could provide similar features to a chihuahua in mixed breeds, especially as puppies.

Hope that helps