Breeder guide

How to track puppy weights properly

The number that matters is the trend, not any single reading. You cannot see a 10-gram loss by eye, but you can see it on a chart.

The weighing routine

Weigh every puppy daily for the first two weeks, then every other day until they go home. Same scale, same time of day, recorded in grams. The rule of thumb: puppies should gain roughly 5 to 10 percent of their birth weight per day and double their birth weight by 7 to 10 days.

Read the trend, not the number

A puppy that gains slowly but steadily is fine. A puppy that stalls or loses weight two days running needs attention and probably a vet call. This is why daily weights matter: a slow decline is invisible in the nest box but obvious in the log.

Log layout: one column per puppy, one row per day, plus a notes column for anything odd (supplemented, vet visit, slow nurser). Color-code if it helps: green for gaining, red for losing. When your vet asks "how have weights been," handing over the chart beats trying to remember.

Keep the records

Weight logs belong in the per-litter folder with the whelping record, vet-visit log, microchip numbers, and registration confirmations. Buyers' vets will ask about early development; "they were all fine" is not as convincing as the chart.

Chart weights automatically

The free WhelpWise puppy weight chart logs daily weights, draws every puppy's growth curve, flags slow gainers, and exports CSV. No signup needed.

Open the chart

Prefer paper? The Breeder Records Pack has printable litter sheets, weight logs and checklists for $17.

This guide is a record-keeping aid, not veterinary advice. Growth expectations vary by breed and litter; a weight drop or stall is a reason to call your vet, not to wait.