What Causes a Puppy to Stop Growing?

There are several things that can cause a puppy to stop growing. 

Breed 

The first thing is that the type of breed that the puppy is. There are some breeds that are going to be more predisposed to stunting in their growth compared to other breeds. This means that they are going to have a disease called pituitary dwarfism that is very rare. This is going to be more common in German Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers. This is something that is genetic but is not going to be seen in your companion animals. 

Worms 

The second thing is that they have a worm infection. This means that the puppy is going to have roundworms or hookworms. Most of the time, the puppies are going to get the worms from the environment that they are living in or from their mother. If the puppy is really infested with the worms, then the worms are going to steal all of their calories from the puppy so that they are not going to be able to grow properly. When the puppy has worms, then they are going to look sick, have a big pot belly, a poor coat, diarrhea, and a small appetite. But once the doctor is able to get rid of the worms, then the puppy is going to heal so that they can grow normally. 

Malnutrition 

The third thing is when the puppy is suffering from malnutrition. But you don't have to worry about taking the puppy off this food too soon. The puppy food is going to have all of the ingredients that the puppy is going to need in order to grow like it is supposed to but the puppy is still going to be fine if they are on a diet that is formulated for dogs of all stages of their life. You are going to need to think about how much of the food that you are feeding the puppy. If the puppy does not have enough food to eat everyday, then they are not going to be able to grow like they need to. 

Spay/Neuter 

The fourth thing is when you have your puppy spayed or neutered. It might not necessary stunt the growth of the puppy but it can affect the joint of the puppy if they are a large breed. This means when it is done early in the dog, then the joints are not going to close properly, then the puppies are going to grow taller than they normally would. Therefore, the puppy is going to have a lot of problems with their joints in their future and you don't want that. 

Exercise 

The fifth thing is when the puppy is going to be doing a lot of exercise. This is something else that might not necessary affect the growth of the puppy but if the puppy does a lot of running, it is going to damage the plates of their long bones. This means that the puppy might not develop like it should. Therefore, it is going to cause the puppy to have issues with their joints later on in their life. This is going to be a lot more common in the larger breeds since they are going to weight a lot more than the smaller breeds of dogs.