How Big Are German Shepherd Puppies

The Most Interesting Questions

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German Shepherd puppy

All German Shepherd puppies are either born black, gray or white and can change color as they grow. Their true coat color can usually be determined at about 8 weeks of age. Black German Shepherd puppies are born black and will stay black through adulthood.

Brushing And Grooming Routine

Only use gentle, safe brushes on your German Shepherd at this young of an age. The best introduction to grooming is the brush glove.

Your puppy will love this gentle and easy brushing glove and youll still use the glove as they get older.

I still use the brushing gloves on my old GSD thats how much she loves them!

A good puppy brushing schedule looks like this:

• Use the glove brush for a few minutes a day to expose your dog to how grooming feels.
• Softly touch all parts of their body with your hands and the glove mitt brush to expose them to gentle touch.
• Take at least 5 minutes three times a week for their early grooming and brushing routine.
• Praise them for good behavior and offer tasty treats to keep them near you for grooming.
• Brushing is a wonderful time to bond quietly with your new dog!

How To Check A German Shepherds Proportion

While the American Kennel Club does not have a standard for weight, German shepherds are typically longer than tall.

To be exact, the ideal proportion of their length to height is 10:8.5. For example, if a female German shepherd is 64.5 centimeters, then they should be 54.825 centimeters high. The female German shepherds weight has nothing to do with this.

If your dog is not of this proportion, then there might be an existing problem. To learn if your German shepherd is of the right proportion, multiply the length of your dog to 0.85. The result of this will be the ideal height of your dog.

While this calculation may be useful, its not that reliable. You should also check your German shepherd for yourself rather than relying on numbers.

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To 2 Weeks Old German Shepherd

A GSD puppy at this age needs its mother. They can rarely survive without her because she will provide nutrition, help them defecate, and keep them warm.

Those that breed dogs know that its best to leave the dam to it and support her with quality sustenance. It is also crucial to keep the whelping box clean.

Other Ways To Indicate Adult Size And Weight

A straightforward way to predict how big your German Shepherd will be is to double his size once he has hit the 16-week mark. Of course, your German Shepherd could be a bit larger than that actual calculation, seeing how many of them continue growing at a slower rate between 18 months and sometimes up to 2 years old.

Here are a few tips and tricks for guessing how big your German Shepherd puppy will end up as an adult:

• Look at the mom and dad. If your German Shepherd puppys parents were both large, then you can feel confident that your pup will follow suit. Even then, the puppy may end up with smaller-sized paws. Paws should not be the only thing to look at as an indicator of height and weight.
• Look at the skin and how loose it is. Generally, a puppy that has a lot of excess loose skin will have more room to grow. So, if your German Shepherd is a bit on the saggy side, it simply means he will be able to grow into his skin. Lots of loose skin can certainly mean you will have a larger German Shepherd.
• Use a calculator. Yes, its true puppy calculators are available online to help you guess how big your puppy is going to be. They will ask a few simple questions, such as type of breed, how old they are, and how much they weighed at birth.

So, are any of these methods accurate? You will need to go to the final paragraph to find the answer!

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German Shepherd Height Chart

When looking at the German Shepherd height chart, you will get a good idea on how quickly they grow and what you can generally expect as far as their height goes.

Looking at the German Shepherd height chart, you will notice that the puppies double in height between months 1 and 3 and again between months 2 and 4.The first 4 months of your puppys life is when you will see the largest amount of growth.

The height growth rate will slow down by 6 months. While your dog is nowhere near his final size, the amount that he grows each month will gradually reduce, so he will be growly less dramatically, while still growing.

This will help especially with feeding since you will be able to get him on a fixed amount after he has done his largest growth periods. You will notice on the charts that they keep going up until 3 years, taking into account any last bit of growth.

Your Big German Shepherd

Theres more dog to love with bigger German Shepherds!

A famously devoted and loving animal companion, a German Shepherd thats a normal size can make a great family pet.

But a giant German Shepherd or, even better, a big fluffy German Shepherd?

Sounds like paradise for any dog lover!

Whatever size GSD you choose, be sure to work with a responsible breeder who health tests their dogs.

Keep in mind that large breed puppies have special nutritional needs, and older large breed dogs can require special care if they suffer from arthritis or other joint problems.

Be sure to talk to your veterinarian if you have any questions about feeding and caring for a big German Shepherd.

Enjoy your very huggable best friend, and be sure to tell us about your GSD in the comments!

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German Shepherd Puppies For Sale

Giant German Shepherd Size And Weight: How Big Do Giant German Shepherds Get When Fully Grown

The classic German Shepherd alone is already considered as a large dog breed that could reach a height of 26 inches and a weight of 90 pounds! Now, you could just imagine how big a Giant German Shepherd can grow?

Here are the specifications for the weight and size of the Giant German Shepherd breeds, King Shepherd and Shiloh Shepherd:

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Making Your Puppy Feel At Home

Keep in mind that a puppy will need time to adjust to a new family, surroundings, and a different owner.

Your baby German Shepherd may be apprehensive about the strange environment in which youve placed them, having just spent the first few weeks of life with their mother, brothers, and sisters.

But in acouple of days and weeks, with love and patience, your new pup will settle intoyour home life and routine.

How Fast Do German Shepherd Puppies Grow

German Shepherds grow from about a pound at birth up to around 90 pounds. As with any breed, there are variations to their eventual adult size as every dog is unique.

But how big are German Shepherd puppies at six weeks? Six months? And how fast do they grow? German Shepherds grow exponentially for the first few months and then slow down between 6 and 9 months old. I have a complete guide on this topic here When Do German Shepherds Stop Growing? GSD Growth Chart.

Watch This GSD Puppy Grow From 7 Weeks to 2 Years Old

Heres a helpful chart to help you visualize approximately how much GSD puppies will weigh at various stages of their lives:

After the one-year mark, German Shepherds will vary more in weight once they are fully grown. Depending on their genetics, diet, and environment, among a variety of other things, German Shepherds will be around 71 to 90 pounds.

Its a good idea to have your German Shepherd weighed regularly at the vets to ensure he remains healthy. I used to have my dog checked over every month as a puppy.

If you are looking to learn more about the best diet for German Shepherds, you can check out my monster article that contains loads of nutritional advice, different types of diet, and exactly what they can and cant eat.

According to the German Shepherd Dog Council of Australia, weight also varies considerably between German Shepherd sexes:

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Skeletal Health And Supplementation

Musculoskeletal disorders are debilitating conditions that are often associated with genetic makeup, malnutrition, and stress-related events. Some breeds like the German shepherd, are predisposed to a variety of different skeletal disorders, including but not limited to: canine hip dysplasia, Cauda equina syndrome, and osteoarthritis. These conditions can be a result of poor breeding or induced by intense exercise and poor diet.

Canine hip dysplasia is an orthopedic condition resulting from abnormal development of the hip joint and surrounding tissue causing the instability and partial dislocation of the hip joint, resulting in pain, inflammation, lameness, and potentially osteoarthritis of the joint. German shepherds are genetically predisposed to CHD and the University of Veterinary Medicine in Germany found its prevalence estimated to be approximately 35% of veterinary cases associated with the disorder.

Osteoarthritis is one of the main contributors of musculoskeletal pain and disabilities that commonly affect German shepherds. Mechanical stress, oxidative damage and inflammatory mediators combine to induce the gradual degeneration of the articular cartilage in the joint, resulting in reduced muscle mass, pain, and locomotion.

Vitamins such as A and D also have crucial roles in bone development and maintenance by regulating bone and calcium metabolism. Adequate levels should be incorporated into a German shepherd diet to promote a healthy musculoskeletal system.

Is The German Shepherd The Right Breed For You

When choosing a breed for your next pet, you want to make sure the dog suits your preferences but also that you can meet the dogs needs. If you love going for runs or long walks, dont have dog allergies, and love teaching your dog new tricks, a German Shepherd may be the perfect breed for you.

If you want to do a little more research, check out The German Shepherd Handbook. If youre not sure about this breed, our article on the most popular dog breeds may help you narrow down a breed that would be more suitable to your and your future pups needs.

Why do you love German Shepherds?

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Getting Your German Shepherd Back To Normal Shape

Whether a German shepherd is underweight or overweight, youll need to do something to change their situation. And one of the best ways to do this is to change their diet.

• Underweight: Obviously, youll need to increase the content of their food. However, make sure you dont force them because this might lead to more bad than good.Slowly transition to providing higher fat content. A simple trick for this is to mix their normal food with that of a higher fat content.You might also consider feeding them puppy food since its typically made to provide plenty of nutrients.

• Overweight: When it comes to overweight German shepherds, you should simply cut off their food.However, dont take it too far since their behavior may also change. Instead, take it slowly so they wont notice.Dont worry because if you continually do this, theyll eventually end up eating half the amount of food they were eating originally.

Provide An Appropriate Whole And Complete Large Breed Puppy Diet

Your dogs veterinarian will be a key partner for you to ensure your growing puppy is taking in the right amount of essential nutrients, vitamins, trace minerals, and calories.

In most cases, you will be guided to feed a puppy food formulated specifically for large breed puppies that will grow up more slowly over a longer period.

However, if you are feeding a raw diet or making your homemade dog food, you will need to work even more closely with your dogs veterinarian to ensure your puppy gets the right supplements to feed its growing body.

Just as feeding the wrong food can cause your puppy to grow up too fast, so too can feeding the wrong food stunt growth and cause problems and pain throughout your German Shepherds life.

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Months And Onward: Adulthood In German Shepherds

Although some female German Shepherds can reach full adulthood by 16 months, most only reach it by 18 months to 2 years. Male German Shepherds only reach full adulthood around the ages of 2.5-3 years.

Here is a great video of just what you can expect from a German Shepherds growth in terms of size as well as personality from 7 weeks to 2 years old:

A General Timeline Of German Shepherd Puppy Growth

If you watched the YouTube videos, you already saw how quickly a German Shepherd puppy could go from looking like an adorable little teddy bear to a sleek and serious adult canine.

Here is a general timeline you can use for major growth benchmarks that may include upgrading your German Shepherds crate, kennel, dog bed, collar and leash, food, and toys.

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How To Take Care Of A 6 Week Old German Shepherd Puppy

A baby GSD is a sight to beholdfluffy, energetic, curious, and mischievous all rolled into one!

But dont let that little bundle of joy fool you! Theyre just as likely to wreak havoc on your home without proper care and training.

Shepherdbabies are large for their age and need to be kept from dangers in and out ofthe home.

German Shepherd Size And Function

Because of their dual purpose as both herding and guard dogs, they are one of the larger shepherd dog breeds. There are several types of German Shepherds within the breed, including the King German Shepherd.

The German Shepherd Dogs name is often abbreviated to German Shepherd, or simply GSD. Lets find out a bit about the origins of this awesome dog breed. Stephanitz and others founded the worlds first club for GSDs. He also turned to refining them into good police and guard dogs, creating a very versatile breed still in demand as herding became less common.

The dogs became popular in the U.S. after Rin-Tin-Tin and Strongheart appeared in movies and after the world wars introduced dogs working for the German military to people of other countries.

German dog breeds became unpopular during the second world war and lovers of the breed began referring to them as the Alsatian dog, to protect their dogs from anti-German sentiment.

German Shepherds are often used for service, agility, conformation, obedience, search and rescue, police/military, and guarding. They are easily trained, so they make good show and work dogs.

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Preventions Of Diseases To Ensure Your German Shepherds Maximum Growth

Another essential thing, you need to know to secure better health and growth for your doggo is the basic knowledge of the diseases a GSD could have and what course of actions, you should take to prevent them.

Basically, If you notice your GSD showing any of the symptoms that I have mentioned below under each disease, hurry and seek out for veterinary help as soon as possible because that may likely mean a serious illness.

Hi, Mr. Human.

Long time no see. Where have you been?

Well, as you know its this time of the year again, my family is chilling with their friends at the beach, so I was thinking of visiting my big German Shepherd friends back home and then Ill join them. Shedding in Dogs Heres the Deal

Germany you mean?

No, I am originally from the USA, one of my parents is a German Shepherd, he is the one from Germany.

Oh, so how your parents met?

Well, I am a dog breed that developed from crossing the German Shepherd dog, with the Shiloh Shepherd dog and Long-Coated European lines of German Shepherd dog along with Malamute in the 1990s. The main goal of this process was to breed a big German Shepherd dog similar to the kind, intelligent, hard worker German Shepherd, but larger and without the existing health and temperament problems. Read about Australian Cattle Dog German Shepherd Mix

Wow! I am very interested in learning more about you and your background. Do you mind telling me your story?

Woof-Woof, tell me about it! Okay. What do youwant to know about me?