Kai@Chicago

今天我家小可愛滿四個月囉！

給Ichigo量體重，用的是做料理用的電子秤。記得兩週前吃飼料前是460g吃飼料後是480g。

今天秤有長胖39g喔！

下圖: 吃飯前 (504g) 4 months old teacup Maltese weights 504g before her lunch!

記錄一下她的成長數值:

測量日期: 2010/5/5 (Ichigo生日: her birthday 2010/1/05) 剛滿四個月

身高: 11 cm (背高量至腳底)

體重: 519g (吃飽飯後)

胸圍: 15cm

身長: 14 cm (從尾巴根部靠屁股那裡量到頸部中央)

身長+頭長: 26 cm (從尾巴根部靠屁股那裡量到鼻尖)

下圖: 吃飯後 (519g) 4 months old teacup Maltese weights 519g after her lunch!

Ichigo毛長得好長囉！

如何預測小瑪爾濟斯成犬後的體重?

根據下面英文資料的解釋: 有兩種計算小馬爾濟思成犬後體重的方式~

預測方式一: 將她四個月時的體重乘以二即等於成犬體重，照此算法我家小瑪成犬時應有519g*2= 1038g = 1.04公斤重

預測方式二: 小瑪從地十周起到第六個月，每週成長的速度應該差不多。所以將她這段生長期間的平均周體重成長值*她還有多少周滿一歲。就是她得成犬體重囉！ 以我家小瑪來說: 她這兩周平均一周長20g。她還有4week*8month = 32 weeks before she turns to 1 year old. 所以成犬時應該有average weekly weight gain 20g*32 weeks to go + today's weight at 519g= 640g + 519g = 1159g = 1.16公斤(Kg)重

這兩個算法都得到很低的數值，我家小瑪該不會長大後真的只有一公斤重吧！ 一公斤的瑪爾濟斯成犬大概要創金氏世界紀錄了吧！

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How Big Will My Puppy Be? Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_6325244_determine-big-maltese-puppy.html

Maltese breeders usually use the weight at about 10 - 12 weeks to gauge the size of a Maltese when they are adults.  Double the weight  -- a female will be slightly smaller and a male perhaps slightly larger.  For example, if your female puppy weighs 2 1/4 pounds at around 3 months of age (the age you bought your puppy from the breeder) I would expect that your little girl will weight around 4 - 4 1/2 pounds as an adult.  A male puppy that weighs 2 3/4 pounds at 3 months will probably mature out to around 6 pounds.  Both of these puppies would be well within the standard for the Maltese breed.

The Maltese dog is a popular family pet, known for intelligence, playfulness and fearlessness. Adult Maltese dogs are found in wide variety of sizes, but the American Kennel Club (AKC) breed standard specifies a height of 8 to 10 inches, and a weight under 7 lb., with a preference for the 4- to 6-lb. range. In a show setting, a slight deviation from the size standard is frequently overlooked if the overall quality of the dog is very good. While it is impossible to predict exactly how big a puppy will grow, combining a number of size-prediction methods can help form a pretty accurate idea.

Rough Estimate

1. Step 1

   Ask the breeder. Most Maltese breeders take size into account when planning which dogs to mate, and may be able to provide a reasonable estimate based on the adult size of previous litters from one or both of the parents.

2. Step 2

   Look at the parents. If both parents are of a similar size, the puppy will most likely grow to that size as well. If there is a big difference in the size of the two dogs, the puppy's adult size could be anywhere in that range.

3. Step 3

   Compare the puppy to its littermates. If the puppy is much smaller than its siblings, it will probably fall toward the small end of the size spectrum. Conversely, if it is much larger, it will probably grow to be a bit larger than normal.

4. Step 4

   Look at the puppy's feet. If they are large in proportion to the body, the puppy may grow to be a larger Maltese.

5. Step 5

   Pinch the puppy's "extra skin." If there seems to be more of it than usual, this means the puppy has a lot of room to grow, and will likely be a larger variety. Adult Maltese dogs "fit" their skin, with none left over for wrinkles or jowls.

6. Step 6

   Double the puppy's weight at 4 months of age. Assuming the puppy is progressing along a normal growth curve, it should be approximately 50 percent of its adult size at this age. This is the method most often used by veterinarians.

Plot a Growth Curve

7. Step 1

   Set up a chart. Label the x-axis "Week #" and the y-axis "weight" or "height." It is helpful to track both weight and height on the same chart, using different colored pencils for each.

8. Step 2

   Weigh and measure the puppy's height at the shoulder, and record in the appropriate spot on the graph.

9. Step 3

   Repeat weekly, recording the results each time, and connecting the dots horizontally.

10. Step 4

    Analyze the data. From 10 weeks to 6 months of age, a Maltese puppy should be gaining approximately the same amount of height and weight weekly.

11. Step 5

    Average the weekly gain and multiply it by the number of weeks left before the puppy's first birthday. The answer will be how much weight or height the puppy will gain before it is fully grown.