# question: how big should a pit bull puppy be at 5 months old?



## Eris13021 (May 16, 2009)

Moostafa is HUGE by my standards for a 5 month old pitbull. Big ol'head, big feet...just HUGE!!

Its hard to get a good picture of him standing still

















like i said he doesnt hold still very often. 
Right now he is laying on my bfs lap farting on him...lol...i think its funny he doesnt...ha ha ha...

I'll try to get pics later of him standing still...if that is possible.


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## SupaSweet777 (Aug 22, 2009)

A true APBT does not have a big head, big chest or big feet. You may have an American Bully. Desirable weight for a mature male in good condition is between 35 and 60 pounds. Desirable weight for a mature female in good condition is between 30 and 50 pounds. That is full grown.


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## Eris13021 (May 16, 2009)

SupaSweet777 said:


> A true APBT does not have a big head, big chest or big feet. You may have an American Bully. Desirable weight for a mature male in good condition is between 35 and 60 pounds. Desirable weight for a mature female in good condition is between 30 and 50 pounds. That is full grown.


i knew both the parents to moostafa. Both where APBTs. Is it possible that there was something else in one of the parents lines?


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## SupaSweet777 (Aug 22, 2009)

Eris13021 said:


> i knew both the parents to moostafa. Both where APBTs. Is it possible that there was something else in one of the parents lines?


There's a lot of "pit bulls" with hung papers. When you see those over-sized pits those are usually mixed with something else and usually bred for size and they tend to be very unhealthy.


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## Spicy1_VV (Jun 1, 2007)

Oh here is the thread. Supersweet seems to have stated the same in as I did in my email reply. 

Honestly though he doesn't look that big, possibly it is the pics. You will really have to get his weight when you have a chance. He looks maybe a little thick but not really that bulky. My male is 35lbs and somewhat lean but I don't see a huge size difference in them. 

Like I mentioned earlier you really have to look at the bloodlines and the pedigree, since you saw his parents and had his sister you've something to compare him to and see that he is different. He could very well look similar to one or more of his ancestors. 

I've seen them 10-40lbs so it really can differ from dog to dog.

Regardless he is cute.


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## pugmom (Sep 10, 2008)

My girl Isis is pushing the big end .....almost 60lbs...she could stand to cut down a little

though to me its hard to see...










she has no papers and probably has something else back in the mix somewhere

she was about 35lbs at 5months old


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## Spicy1_VV (Jun 1, 2007)

She is big for a female but some do turn out a little bigger or smaller then the desired. I think the key thing to look at is build and structure, not to forget balance as well which is most important regardless of size. 

You could see a 45lbs female which is clearly mixed, but a female that is a little larger then desired that looks great.


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## Eris13021 (May 16, 2009)

Eris was on the small side. Moostafa was the largest out of the whole litter. I think his weight is from not being walked exercised properly. He is now walking every morning to take my daughter to school and when i go to pick her up...he walks excellent on a leash. I'll post some pictures of his mother and his father tomorrow(I gotta go play catch a rat at the moment.)


















better pics of him


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## Spicy1_VV (Jun 1, 2007)

Have fun with the rat. 

Yes he looks a little heavy, not so much huge head/wide chest type of dog.


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## KasparovII (Aug 30, 2009)

regardless of what you've heard the pitbull in the US does have a broader size range than most other purebreed dogs. I've seen males that barely weigh 50 lbs. but mine weighs almost 90 (88 to be exact). Now someone may say that he's way out of the breed standard but I've studied most of the bull breeds and my take on the American pitbulls is this....most were bred for utility work that spanned herding and "catch" work to (obviously) dog fighting. I'd also include it's most recent job which is guard/protection work.riginally it was said by many dog fighters that aggression towards humans had been all but bred out of the pitbull so they make lousy guard/"watch" dogs. Well, we all know that this is a crock by now. they are a ready, willing and able manstopper if trained to do so. But getting back to their size range, I beleive that many of the current stock of pitbulls in the US did indeed have an influx of other pure bred dogs into the original APBT stock...such as pure bulldog (American Bulldog), bullmastiff or even some English Mastiff. I think this was done in order to better equip the APBT for whatever his primary job was going to be. If it was "catch work" you'd want a naturally bigger and stronger dog than a 50 lb. pit. If it was just a "ratter" then tthere was no need to attempt to increase their size. In fact, in many instances the larger dogs are at a disadvantage. Dog fighting also produced some lines that while not bigger in size were "game" enough to do well in the pits. My pitbull is huge by any measure but is a well proportioned dog....good sized head and neck,but taller and leggy giving him a sleek appearance. One would be hard pressed to tell you his bodyweight. He, to me, does not look anywhere near 90lbs. but the last time he was at the vet he came in at 88 lbs. on the head. Even our vet was surprised at his actual weight. So from the pics it looks as if you acquired a pretty big pitbull. What it tops out at is anybody's guess. Some take longer to fill out than others. My pit matured into his present physique very quickly (he was over 80 lbs. by 18 months old. Looking at his coloration(black brindle) along with his large size I wouldn't be surprised if somewhere along the line his ancestors had some bull mastiff introduced into the line for an increase in size, for who knows what purpose. But the range of bodyweight can be a much larger spread than other pure bred dogs. My understanding is that in the UK where they have become very popular, the sizes tend to be smaller, therefore the range of bodyweights is less than some of the larger US versions.


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## Spicy1_VV (Jun 1, 2007)

KasparovII said:


> regardless of what you've heard the pitbull in the US does have a broader size range than most other purebreed dogs. I've seen males that barely weigh 50 lbs. but mine weighs almost 90 (88 to be exact).


Yes they do have a wide range, as do many other breeds. GSD, Boxer just to name a couple. As long as the dogs posses the genes then larger/smaller dogs then average can pop up. As long as breeders bred for out of standard size they will continue to be. This goes for any breed. Since the desired weight is 35-60 I've seen them much smaller, I've seen them under sized just like over sized. 50lbs is going up to the larger end and pretty much in the 45-50lbs average range. 



> Now someone may say that he's way out of the breed standard but I've studied most of the bull breeds and my take on the American pitbulls is this....most were bred for utility work that spanned herding and "catch" work to (obviously) dog fighting.


He's over sized, whether he is out of the breed standard or not depends on his conformation. As balance and lack of faults is what is important, not weight. 

Yes their primary function was dog fighting which does not require a certain size. That is one reason for the large size range, after coming to be, they did not select for a specific size or type. Just the dogs that proved the best in the pit or could produce well. Most ABs were bred for that type of work, maybe that is what you are thinking, while some APBTs have been used for that and many other purposes. Going back to fighting and size matter mentioned above that is why you see 25lbs or 80lbs males. 



> I'd also include it's most recent job which is guard/protection work.riginally it was said by many dog fighters that aggression towards humans had been all but bred out of the pitbull so they make lousy guard/"watch" dogs. Well, we all know that this is a crock by now. they are a ready, willing and able manstopper if trained to do so.


Part of it is crock, part not. It is like saying, you can train a Lab or whatever breed for that type of work. Some yes and with the right trainer, it doesn't mean HA is typical for them nor that it is even something needed for the job. You don't need HA to train for this. Actually some HA dogs are quite dangerous and would not be of good use for this, they can be unpredictable and dangerous to their families. 

HA wasn't bred it, it just wasn't bred for (one reason why most make lousy NATURAL guard dogs), defense drive wasn't needed. HA and dogs with a protective temperament can and did show up, and was not always culled or selected against. Unstable HA dogs were bred, as well as those who were protective. 



> But getting back to their size range, I beleive that many of the current stock of pitbulls in the US did indeed have an influx of other pure bred dogs into the original APBT stock...such as pure bulldog (American Bulldog), bullmastiff or even some English Mastiff.


Many, I doubt it that much. Recently yes, as breeders want to have larger dogs they have added other breeds. So it depends what "many" means as their are still original bloodlines left. By your very thoughts though you are correct, which means that they are not actual pure APBTs, but those that have been mixed which are typically larger, as that was part of the goal. Such as the Whopper line for instance, yes bigger dogs, not so much pure. So then most larger dogs are not pure bred and you are less likely to see a pure bred one? By your own idea who know the breed don't deny your dog may very well be mixed? 



> I think this was done in order to better equip the APBT for whatever his primary job was going to be. If it was "catch work" you'd want a naturally bigger and stronger dog than a 50 lb. pit. If it was just a "ratter" then tthere was no need to attempt to increase their size. In fact, in many instances the larger dogs are at a disadvantage. Dog fighting also produced some lines that while not bigger in size were "game" enough to do well in the pits. My pitbull is huge by any measure but is a well proportioned dog....good sized head and neck,but taller and leggy giving him a sleek appearance. One would be hard pressed to tell you his bodyweight. He, to me, does not look anywhere near 90lbs. but the last time he was at the vet he came in at 88 lbs. on the head. Even our vet was surprised at his actual weight. So from the pics it looks as if you acquired a pretty big pitbull. What it tops out at is anybody's guess. Some take longer to fill out than others. My pit matured into his present physique very quickly (he was over 80 lbs. by 18 months old. Looking at his coloration(black brindle) along with his large size I wouldn't be surprised if somewhere along the line his ancestors had some bull mastiff introduced into the line for an increase in size, for who knows what purpose. But the range of bodyweight can be a much larger spread than other pure bred dogs. My understanding is that in the UK where they have become very popular, the sizes tend to be smaller, therefore the range of bodyweights is less than some of the larger US versions.


I've experience with catch dogs myself (my own dogs) and have some of mine bred from catch and they are not larger then 50lbs, some yes, I won't say none are.

Yes the point of dog fighting is a game dog. Be it at 30lbs or 75lbs. There is a big size range in fighting dogs. 

It can be hard to tell one dogs weight simply looking. 

As for the UK they are banned, the only reason some are smaller is because they want to hide the fact of the breed or because they are crossed with SBT. There are some larger APBTs in the UK as some keep breed illegal. 

Brindle has been in the APBT from the beginning, so I find it odd to think a dog of that color means Bullmastiff. The SBT (a close cousin) NOT the bullmastiff was crossed to the Bull Terrier to bring about the colored Bull Terrier.


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## jcd (Nov 20, 2007)

Hi spicy. This is Jcd if you remember me? Bello is my dog ( who is now 8)!! This is my new boy Juice. He's a pit mix about 5 months old. My question is he is only 21 lbs and was only 20 a month ago when I got him. He has very nice muscle definition and is very healthy but I just think he is small for this age and breed and thinking maybe he is mixed with a smaller breed or do you think he may still grow to a descent size?? He just lost his first 2 teeth. He has very tall front legs and is spotted as you can with black coloring. Sweet and loveable but slender. What do Ya think? The middle pic was a couple months ago in the petfinder ad at about 3 months. The right pic is roughly 4 months and the left pic was just a couple days ago. The camera does make him look larger. He is pretty light weight and petite.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

If you read all the previous comments, you'll see that pit bulls come in a wide range of sizes. So he may stay fairly small. I will say that a 1-pound weight gain in a month for a pup that age seems a little odd, but if the vet says he's healthy it could just be his growing pattern.


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## jcd (Nov 20, 2007)

He hasn't seen my vet yet. He had all papers from rescues vet and is updated on all shots as of December so I'll make visit to my own vet soon. He is extremely puppy. Very curious, playful, tons of energy, eats well. Just slow growing just observing. I've had 6 dogs in my life all large breeds so I'm assuming he may be a small breed mix w pit or a late grower. I agree though a little odd.


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## ireth0 (Feb 11, 2013)

It's not uncommon for pure bred pits to be in the 35-45lb range. I wouldn't presume he's mixed with a small breed.


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