Woman adopts first rescue puppy and quickly realizes he's not like other dogs

A woman adopted an 8-week 'motherless' rescue puppy who grew much larger than the shelter expected, and her January 4 Instagram Threads post about the pup's rapid growth and repeated crate upgrades has drawn over 117,000 views.

A woman named Stacey adopted an 8-week "motherless" rescue puppy and shared the experience on Instagram Threads. She had previously adopted two adult dogs and expected the new pup to be a similar size. Her January 4 post has attracted more than 117,000 views. The puppy is now about seven months old and continues to grow. Known details: - The shelter and Stacey initially estimated the puppy would be about the same size as their other 50–60 lb mixed-breed dogs, but that estimate proved too small. - The Animal Humane Society notes that predicting a puppy's adult breed and size is difficult; staff rely on visual cues such as paw size, markings, ear shape, and coat texture, and even experts can be unsure. - Since July, the family has acquired seven progressively larger crates as the puppy outgrew each one, and a 41-inch baby gate was jumped on day three. - Stacey says she uses a crate mainly for the puppy's safety while she is away, for house training, and to protect furniture; she describes him as long-legged, lanky, and sweet. - The post prompted many responses from other owners who shared stories of shelter dogs growing larger than expected. Summary: The story illustrates how shelter estimates of a puppy's future size can be uncertain and how that uncertainty can lead to ongoing adjustments for owners. Undetermined at this time.