German Shepherd 4 Months Old

Physical And Behavioral Changes

At four months old, German Shepherds are just beginning to enter their teenage years. Theyre growing rapidly and becoming more independent.

Here are some physical and behavioral changes you may see in your four-month-old German Shepherd.

First, their energy levels will start to increase. Theyll want to play more and may become restless if left alone for too long. It is normal behavior for a healthy pup, so dont worry too much.

Ensure you provide plenty of opportunities for exercise, such as walks, runs, and interactive games.

Second, their coats will begin to change. German Shepherds have two coats a dense undercoat and a softer outer coat.

Theyll shed their puppy fur at four months old in favor of their adult coats. This process can take several months, so be patient while your pup grows into its new look.

German Shepherds are known for being loyal and obedient dogs, but they may start testing boundaries at four months old. It is normal behavior as they learn whats acceptable and whats not.

Finally, their behavior may become more independent.

Be consistent with puppy training and rewards your pup will quickly learn what you expect from them.

Month Old German Shepherd Weight

The weight of a 4 month old German shepherd is also something you have to keep in mind. On average, they will weigh between 30-50 pounds . But of course, this will depend on the size of their parents.

If you are unsure about your 4-month-old German shepherds weight, it is always best to consult with a veterinarian. They will be able to give you a more accurate estimate.

What Is The Life Expectancy Of German Shepherds

Because German Shepherds are large-breed dogs, they do not live as long as smaller dogs. On average, you can expect your German Shepherd to live anywhere from 9 to 13 years.

This will be dependent on his tendency for health issues as well as the type of lifestyle he lives. His life can be prolonged with good food and exercise.

It is impossible to know for sure how long your German Shepherd will live for, but keeping him vaccinated against harmful diseases, taking him to the vet at least once a year, and keeping him on a good exercise routine can increase his life expectancy.

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How Big Should A German Shepherd Be

The size that your German Shepherd should be will depend mostly on the dog himself. Looking at the size of his parents, you should have a general idea of how big you can expect him to get.

If you dont know how big his parents were, there are other factors to take into consideration.

When it comes down to it, you should be less focused on the averages and more focused on proportions. A German Shepherd should have a length-to-height ratio of 10:8.5 So if your German Shepherd is 28 inches long, he should be about 23.5 inches in height. You find this figure by multiplying his length by .85.

Weight-wise, you should be able to see his waist easily as well as find his ribs without trouble. If you cant see the waist, he is overweight. If his ribs and spine are jutted out, he is underweight.

Diamond Naturals Large Breed Adult Chicken And Rice

Rating:

Large Breed Chicken and Rice is one of 13 dry recipes analyzed in our review of the Diamond Naturals product line.

• First 5 ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, whole grain brown rice, cracked pearled barley, ground white rice
• Type: Grain-inclusive
• Profile: Maintenance
• Best for:Adult shepherds only

Diamond Naturals Large Breed Adult Chicken and Rice derives most of its animal protein from fresh chicken and chicken meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 26% protein, 14% fat and 52% estimated carbs which yields a fat-to-protein ratio of about 57%.

The recipe contains multiple probiotics for better digestion and chelated minerals for improved absorption and healthy nutrition. Affordably priced and easy to recommend.

Sample buyer reviewWe have had our dogs on this food for some time and the vet is constantly saying how healthy they are . We searched for some time to find a quality food at an affordable price as we have 4 dogs . Have never had any issues with them or their digestive systems while on Diamond!

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The Good German Shepherd

So youve just brought home a 4 month old German Shepherd puppy, and you are wondering where do I start from?.

A 4-month old pup may be relatively young, but he has a lot of love to shower you. However, you should figure out how to take care of him the right way.

In this guide, we discuss how to take care of a GSD puppy, from feeding, grooming, training, exercise, supplies, and other things you should know about.

To 16 Weeks Improvement In Social Cognition

You usually receive your new German Shepherd at this stage. When your German Shepherd is 8 weeks old, hes developed enough to begin making distinctions between human demographics. Thats why it is wise to get him well-acquainted with people from different backgrounds. And of different ages.

The wider the variety of people he gets to see and interact with at this stage, the more receptive he will be to people growing up. Remember, German Shepherds are huge as adults, and nurturing gentle giants is essential for everyones safety.

To learn exactly how to socialize your German Shepherd from pup to adult, head over to this article, 7 Easy Ways To Socialize a German Shepherd.

If your German Shepherd has seen only young people all his life, he might react differently to older ones and vice versa. You dont want to wait until he is 2 years old to learn that he isnt too fond of kids or senior citizens.

This also applies to experiences. Exposing your puppy to experiences like car rides and ringing doorbells ensures that he will be calm in normal situations as he grows up. Its easy to dismiss a little GSD puppy getting over-excited at a doorbell but wait until hes fully grown, and youll wish you had gotten him bell-trained!

Bell-trained isnt an actual term, but crate training is. And in addition to getting your German Shepherd acquainted with normal stimuli like bells and travel, you must get him crate trained at this stage.

Read Also: How Hard Is It To Train A German Shepherd Puppy

Iams Proactive Health Large Breed

Rating:

Large Breed Chicken and Whole Grains is one of 12 dry recipes covered in our review of the Iams ProActive Health product line.

• First 5 ingredients: Chicken, ground whole grain barley, ground whole grain corn, ground whole grain sorghum, chicken by-product meal
• Type: Grain-inclusive
• Profile: Maintenance
• Best for:Adult shepherds only

Iams ProActive Health Large Breed derives the majority of its meat protein from chicken and chicken meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 25% protein, 14% fat and 53% estimated carbs producing a fat-to-protein ratio of about 56%.

This classic, grain-inclusive large breed design has been made by Iams for years and is a nutritious fit for adult German shepherds. Calcium levels are a bit high for shepherd puppies. Easily recommended.

Sample buyer reviewIAMS is a product that I have turned to for complete nutrition for my dog as well as my cats! In fact, I have been feeding IAMS to my cats for over 20 years! Sure there are higher priced pet foods, but why would you want to pay more when you get the proper nutrition and a quality product at a reasonable price!

German Shepherd Growth & Weight Chart

These numbers are estimates to give you an idea of how much a German Shepherd weighs month by month. Dont worry if your puppy is slightly behind or ahead just be sure to take your pet to regular vet appointments to ensure they are healthy and happy!

Pro Tip: Want to get reimbursed for up to 100% of veterinary bills any time your dog gets sick or injured? Compare German Shepherd health insurance options before its too late.

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How To Use A Gsd Growth Chart

For German Shepherd puppies, a growth chart is something that you can use to monitor and keep track of your puppys weight, height, and any other measurements or notes that are relevant to the health and age of your puppy.

Growth charts are very helpful in making sure your puppy is growing appropriately and is not too small or too large for their age, which could indicate an underlying health condition or illness.

Since most breeds of dogs grow at different rates and their weights and sizes will differ, its good to have an idea of the average German Shepherd size and weight, which is very different from the growth of a Great Dane or a Rottweiler.

For adult German Shepherds, a growth chart can help with making sure your German Shepherd is maintaining a healthy weight, and they are useful for tracking the weight of a less active senior German Shepherd to make sure they are not gaining weight or losing weight due to their older age.

Birth To Two Weeks Complete Dependence On The Mother

This is a stage where you shouldnt even be dealing with a GSD puppy unless youre a breeder or have a family dog who has given birth. In the latter case, you need to know that the German Shepherd puppy depends on his mother for everything in these initial weeks.

This includes food, warmth, and physical security. Removing a German Shepherd from his mothers company can have a two-fold traumatic impact as it hurts both the mother dog and the puppy.

Here, your only responsibility is to make sure the dam is equipped with what she needs to fulfill her duties.

As long as you feed the adult GSD right, she will be able to feed her babies and give them the warmth and company they need. You might notice that the puppies may seem asocial.

This shouldnt be a cause for concern as German Shepherd puppies do not start socializing until later weeks within their formative months. Do not measure how the puppy interacts with other dogs for at least three to four weeks, which brings us to what you can expect within the next two weeks.

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Wolf Vs German Shepherd Size

German Shepherds are known to be big dogs, but the largest of them is like the weight and size of the smallest wolf. On average, the height of wolves ranges from 26 inches to 32 inches while German Shepherds range from 22 inches to 26 inches.

The weight of a small female wolf is around 51 pounds and a big male wolf weighs around 180 pounds. Like dogs, male wolves grow longer, heavier, and taller than females. On the other hand, according to our German Shepherd size chart, they weigh between 49 pounds and 88 pounds.

Month Old German Shepherd

German Shepherds who are 4 month old are still considered puppies. At this age, they are full of energy and need plenty of exercises. Whether you are adopting a German shepherd or already have one, it is important to find out everything you can about this breed.

This includes their diet, weight, and height. Keep reading for more information on 4 month old German shepherds!

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How Long Are German Shepherds Pregnant

German Shepherds are pregnant around 63 days on average, measuring from the time of conception to the time of birth. Since German Shepherds are a large breed, sometimes, their gestation will take a little bit longer than other breeds, but it depends on the dog.

You should be able to keep track of conception as long as you have knowingly bred your dog, so have an exact date of conception to work from to get a better idea of the due date.

How Big Do German Shepherds Get

Shepherds come in a range of different coat colors, but these dont have much impact on size. So whether you have a black german shepherd, or a sable german shepherd, or a blue german shepherd for example, the size generalizations below will still apply to purebred German Shepherds

They dont apply however, if you have a german shepherd mix, in that case the size will depend on what your shepherd dog is mixed with. A golden shepherd may be very similar but a shepherd mix dog where one parent is much smaller, will not.

beautiful liver german shepherd

How big your dog will get, provided you feed a them a healthy age appropriate diet, will largely depend on the size of their parents. Sometimes peoople want to know if they can influence their dogs final size by altering how much they feed them. The answer is no, not really, though it is possible to harm your dog by overfeeding either as a puppy or an adult.

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How Much Should A 4 Month Old German Shepherd Eat

Your puppy should eat 1-2 cups of kibble per one meal three times per day. It grows very fast, so it needs a lot of nutrients and minerals for its ears, teeth, and coat. If you feed it natural food, you can add some supplements for puppies to its meals. You should also give your puppy some treats, but be careful not to give it more than 10% of all its days food.

German Shepherd Puppy Feeding Chart By Age

As a general guideline, heres how much you should feed your German Shepherd puppy daily by their age and cups of food:

• 8 weeks old: 1 to 1 ½ cups of food spread over 4 meals daily
• 12 weeks old: 1 ½ to 2 cups of food spread over 4 meals daily
• 6 months to 9 months old: 2 cups to 3 cup of food spread over 3 meals daily
• 9 months to 12 months old: 3 cups to 3 ½ cups of food spread over 3 meals daily
• 12 months old and above: 3 ½ to 4 cups of food spread over 2 meals daily

Adjust the amounts based on your dogs lifestyle. A more active puppy might need extra calories, while a lower energy puppy doesnt need as much food per day. These are guidelines only.

So, feel free to adjust the amounts based on your German Shepherds energy needs.

Offer your dog their food around the same time each day. If they dont eat their meal in 10 to 15 minutes remove their dish. Wait an hour and offer them the same meal to see if theyve changed their mind about eating.

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How Much Bigger Will My German Shepherd Get

There are a few ways to gauge how much bigger a German Shepherd will get.

First, check your puppyâs age. If your GSD is younger than two years old, they definitely have room to keep growing!

Another way to tell if your pup still has a lot of growing to do is their paw size. Do their paws look large compared to their legs and body? This is a classic adolescent feature of a dog, and means your pup is likely still growing!

If you bought your German Shepherd from a breeder, they should be able to give you a specific, estimated weight based on your puppys parents and past litters. Most of the time, a dog will not grow bigger than its larger parents.

Will Spaying Or Neutering My German Shepherd Puppy Impact Their Growth

While a hot button topic, there is new research and evidence that spaying or neutering your German Shepherd puppy too soon can impact their growth plates and how their bodies develop.

Your veterinarian will have the best idea on when you should spay or neuter your German Shepherd puppy, and if youve purchased your puppy from a breeder, they may already have a clause in their sales contract that the puppy must not be fixed until after a certain age.

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How Much Food Should A 4 Month Old German Shepherd Eat

Feeding a German Shepherd puppy entirely depends on its current weight, activity level, metabolism. You should plan to feed your puppy three or four times every day. You can opt to decrease the amount of food you feed your dog as they get older as older puppies can be fed fewer times per day, noting and making sure that the calorie intake is not limited below the recommended amount.

Smaller, more frequent meals will help prevent bloatgastric dilatation volvulus is a potentially life-threatening condition. Frequent meals will also help stabilize your puppys blood sugar and energy level to help them grow steadily, not in fits and starts.

Compared to the nutrition needs of adult dogs, puppies need two or three times the number of calories as adult dogs do. This may seem strange, and it is, considering puppies are much smaller than adults. However, German Shepherd puppies grow extraordinarily fast, so their caloric intake needs to support that.

To figure out how much to feed your German Shepherd puppy, look at his or her weight. Females will be slightly smaller and lighter than males.

Using the weight chart above, the general food chart in the previous section, and considering the gender and activity level of your puppy, you can calculate the approximate amount of food to feed daily.