How Big Does A German Shepherd Grow

What If My German Shepherd Is Not The Correct Weight

While your dogs height doesnt necessarily reflect his health, his weight surely does. Some German Shepherds have a more active metabolism than others, but thats no excuse not to try and get your dog closer to the correct weight.

If your German Shepherd is not the correct weight, you should adjust his diet and exercise to bring him close to his ages GSD growth chart weight. You should lean more heavily on the diet adjustment for a dog younger than six months and exercise adjustment for an older one.

If your dog is younger than 18 months and is overweight compared to the growth chart, two factors could contribute to this mismatch. These factors are mutually exclusive, and usually, only one is true. The first is that your GSDs genes or heritage make him likely to grow bigger and weigh more.

The second is that he needs better consumption to energy-use ratio to come to the ideal weight. But how do you tell if your GSD is overweight because of health or due to his genetic predisposition?

How Tall Does A German Shepherd Rottweiler Mix Get

Lets talk about the German Shepherd Dog and the Rottweiler! The German Shepherd Dog is a member of the herding group of breeds. The breed is well known for its tall stature. 24-26 inches at the shoulder. It is medium-sized, but with a well-muscled body and deep chest.

How Big Will A German Shepherd Grow To Be

A German Shepherd is a medium-sized dog that can sometimes grow to be fairly large.

As far as weight goes, for a male German Shepherd, they will typically weigh between 65 to 90 pounds, or 30 to 40 kilograms, at the end of their growth. This could happen around 2 1/2 to 3 years of age.

For a female, her average weight will be from 46 to 70 pounds or around 22 to 32 kilograms.

As for their height, an adult male German Shepherd will usually be around 24 to 26 inches, or 60 to 65 centimeters tall. A female will be around 22 to 24 inches, or 55 to 60 centimeters tall.

For all of these measurements, their growth should be done by three years old. At a year old, the growing is actually mostly finished, but there will be about another 5% left to gain in both weight and height from the year to the three-year mark.

It is important to note that all of these numbers are averages. There may be some individual German Shepherds that are smaller or larger than these numbers indicate.

That is perfectly normal. As long as the dog is healthy, can still run around and play, and doesnt have any noticeable issues, there is no need to worry, even if your dogs numbers dont seem to match these.

If you get obsessed with the numbers and think your GSD puppy must match them exactly, then you will probably never be completely happy because I can almost certainly assure you that your German Shepherd Dog puppy will never perfectly match the numbers.

-Total German Shepherd

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Where To Find A German Shepherd

Once you make the decision to be a GSD owner, you will want to begin your search for your perfect dog. Remember, full breed German Shepherds have a variety of color coats such as solid white, solid black, black and tan, black and white, sable, red, black, white and red plus black white and tan.

You can begin your search by going online to find reputable German Shepherd breeders or rescues in your community. Remember to inquire about the pupâs parents, possible health issues, health guarantee and proof of good health from a veterinarian.

Reputable breeders will be happy to answer any questions and provide you with any health documentation you request. Some breeders may even have a strict purchasing policy meaning they may require you to provide them with details about yourself and your home to assure that the GSD is being placed in a secure and loving home.

You can also contact local dog shelters for adoption process information and inquire if they have any pure bred GSD in their facility. You can also request to be put on a waiting list for when a GSD does arrive they can contact you. Always keep in mind that most pet stores have puppies that are the product of puppy mills.

Always investigate the source of where the dog came from and ask as many questions as you like. You can always ask family or friends if they can recommend a reputable GSD breeder in the area.

Of A German Shepherd Dog

German shepherd: is BIGGER the better?The full adult size of your GSD will depend in large part on the genetic background of its parents. Adult males should range between 24-26″ at the shoulder blade, females from 22-24″. Males within the standard may weigh anywhere from 75-90 lbs. depending on their bloodlines. Females may weigh anywhere from 55-75 lbs. Although your pup will reach close to adult height by 10-18 months, he will continue to fill out until up to 3 years old.

Beware of breeders who emphasize “oversize”, “huge”, “big-boned” breeding stock or puppies.

Bigger is not better in German Shepherds.

The German Shepherd is not built to have a skeletal and muscular structure of an oversize breed. An inch or so out of standard may be acceptable providing the general line is not consistently out of standard. A responsible breeder will offset an oversize dog by breeding with a line that is a bit smaller in order to maintain the standards as closely as possible.

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32 kg/70 lbs

Finally, we want to once again address the size of a German Shepherd Dog as an adult as it is listed in a breed standard.Per official SV Breed Standard:

Vom Geliebten Haus, Image and Text – Veronika, 1/18/2020Use without permission is prohibited. Shares are welcome.

For this article we have used the following sources:*The Breed Standard for the German Shepherd Dog,

*German Shepherd Growth Chart, The Total German Shepherd,

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How Fast Will A German Shepherd Puppy Grow

At four weeks of age, a German Shepherd puppy will stand four to six inches between their shoulder blades or withers.

When a German Sheperd puppy goes home with their new owners at eight to ten weeks of age, they will be seven to ten inches tall at the withers.

A German Shepherd puppy will enter their largest growth spurt between six and ten months and end up around 70 pounds and 20 inches tall.

There Should Be A Size Difference Between The Genders

As you notice, all of the breed standards call for a size difference between males and females. Males will be noticeably heavier as well as taller than females. Males have denser bones and more muscularity.

In pets and working dogs, where the breed standard for appearance is not nearly as important, there may be smaller size differences between the sexes. Even where size distinction is not so critical in working dogs, sexual dimorphism is still usually dramatic.

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How To Tell If Your Dog Is Overweight

The Alsatian has a naturally trim shape, featuring a deep rib cage and a pronounced taper to the waist. This defined shape will start to disappear if your dog is overweight. If you press gently through their coat, you should be able to feel your dogs ribs. If the ribs jut out, they may be underweight. If you cant feel them at all, they may be overweight. If you notice your dog panting regularly, this can be another sign that they are out of shape.

Transition To Adult Period: 16 Months 36 Months

Between 16 and 36 months, your puppy will be transitioning to adulthood. Some puppy behaviours should have calmed down, making way for more mature behaviours. Some German Shepherds continue to grow until 36 months, though most are done by 24 months.

While you will take them off of puppy food at this point, switching to adult food, you must continue to monitor their nutrition well to ensure that they are developing normally and are at a healthy puppy weight.

While they should still have a lot of energy, they also should have stopped chewing random items and calmed down slightly.

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Running Dogs Vs Prove Dogs

After adopting a German Shepherd pup, Youll Need to Consider if youre interested in finding a working dog or a dog. As you could just be searching for a great addition to your loved ones, GS dogs are bred for certain functions for several years, leading to dogs which are created to operate and dogs which arent.

Working dogs Have to Have much more endurance and energy since they have to do a project. They dont have exactly the identical decorative attributes you will locate with show puppies, rather creating it using exceptionally athletic bodies which may go all day.

Meanwhile, reveal GS are larger and bulkier and also a lot less Lively. They have heavier coatings, more color uniformity, and therefore are milder in size. These cause far better household pets, since they dont require the identical degree of effort to keep them all happy.

How Big Do Male German Shepherds Get

The average male German Shepherd can weigh anywhere from 60-95lbs with an average of around 70 pounds. Upon adulthood, a GSD can stand up to 26 inches in height.

When you choose to bring a German Shepherd into your life, the most accurate way of knowing how large your pup will become is by seeing their parents in person. If you are unaware of their genetic background, then these averages can help you prepare.

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Physical Activity & Health

Since German Shepherds are active dogs, they need plenty of exercise to stay active and healthy. A German Shepherd puppy needs 5 minutes of exercise every month old they are twice per day.

For example, if your puppy is 4 months old, they need 20 minutes of exercise two times a day.

Since German Shepherd puppies have a fast growth rate, overexercising them can lead to ligament and joint problems.

If your puppy is less than 5 months old, slow walks for the appropriate times are enough. You can introduce trekking and jogging after the age of 5 months.

What To Look For In Puppy Growth Charts

You should avoid charts available on the Internet that give no specific source for their data. Consider whether any chart you are offered is based on a published study or survey with a large sample of puppies.

Also, check if the puppies used to create the chart are comparable to your puppys breeding stock. If your dog is from an unusually large or small stock or is a mixed breed, you should use a growth chart based on their expected adult size rather than their breed.

Whenever possible, you should select a growth chart that gives a percentile range showing the area where most dogs of the breed should fall. This allows you to appreciate the normal range of sizes rather than focusing too much on the average.

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German Shepherd Size Predictions By Age

Confident, courageous, and smart, German Shepherds, as their name suggests, were traditionally herders, but they make great general working dogs. They are the preferred breed for police and military dogs, as well as being invaluable in search and rescue and for disability assistance.

These wolf-like canines also make great pets and have consistently ranked second place in the American Kennel Clubs list of most popular breeds, just behind the beloved Labrador Retriever.

However, the German Shepherd size is large and can be quite demanding. Newbie owners who take on these dogs need to be aware of how to properly care for them. Having an idea of their potential adult size can help with this.

As the breed dates back to around 1899, experts have had plenty of time to gather information about them. As such, we know a fair bit about how they grow and have quite precise size details for these dogs across their entire growth-span period.

Yet, its important to remember that these figures are just averages and dont account for every individual dog.

*When looking at these measurements, keep in mind that a dogs height is not measured from the top of its head but from its withers. This is the point between their shoulder blades.

The Four Stages Of A Dogs Development

I believe we could all agree that it is hard to find out the very best method to look after your pets health. Not understanding about a German shepherd typical weight and height simply increases the record of issues.

As German Shepherds develop through the phases of the lifetime, Additionally they create more health dangers. But are the phases of a puppys life?

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What Happens After Your German Shepherd Puppy Turns One Year Old

As you likely have already noticed from reviewing the generic growth charts for a male and a female GSD puppy, puppies do a healthy chunk of their growth during the first six months of life.

But this doesnt mean theyre done maturing not by a long shot!

In fact, the average German Shepherd puppy will complete most of their height and length growth by the age of one.

But they may continue to pack on the pounds for as long as another 24 months.

Just How Much Are German Shepherds Pregnant

German Shepherds are pregnant about 63 times Normally, Measuring from the period of conception to the time of arrival. Because German Shepherds are a big breed, occasionally, their gestation is going to take just a tiny bit longer compared to other strains, but it is dependent upon the dog.

You should Have the Ability to keep tabs on conception provided that you Youve intentionally bred your pet, therefore have an specific date of thought to function out to get a better idea for your expected date.

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Common Health Problems In German Shepherds

German Shepherds are great dogs for the right owners, but they are at risk of certain conditions and illnesses common with the breed. Making sure the parents of your puppy have had the relevant health screening can reduce the chances of your puppy being affected by some of these upsetting conditions.

German Shepherds are in a group of breeds classed as Category Three by The Kennel Club, which is the highest category of the health concerns due to their conformation. This means that these types of dog have been bred over many years to look a certain way, but that these changes to the way they look have started to cause them health problems. For German Shepherds, this is mostly due to the shape of their back legs and hips.

Some of the conditions German Shepherds may develop include:

This list is not exhaustive, and there are many other conditions that German Shepherds have been shown to be prone to.

Creating Your Own German Shepherd Puppy Growth Chart

A chart of this type, based on known data, is not available for German Shepherd puppies. So instead, you should plot your puppys weight gain at least weekly and as often as daily.

Take this weight at the same time each day, like in the morning before their first feeding.

Look for your puppys weight gain to show the typical curve. Their weight should go sharply up from birth and then gradually flattens out as your puppy closes in on their adult weight.

When possible, also get weight data from your puppys early weeks of life from the breeder.

Small interruptions in growth may occur during events such as weaning, changing diets, or moving to a new home. If these last for more than a day or two, or lead to the puppy missing more than two meals, seek the advice of a veterinarian.

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Average Adult German Shepherd Weight

While the vast majority of German Shepherds will fall in this range, there are exceptions. Your veterinarian or else an experienced Shepherd breeder can tell you if your dog is the right weight for their age and height.

The average weight of adult German Shepherds by gender as mentioned in the first paragraph:

• Males: 66 88 pounds
• Females: 48 70 pounds

Whats The Life Expectancy Of German Shepherds

An average healthy German shepherd enjoys a long life of up to 9 13 years. That being said, some may surprise by outliving their standard life expectancy.

German Shepherds have a slow growth rate that starts to decline when they reach their adulthood. As they grow older, their height increases, but once they are fully mature , they stop growing altogether.

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How Much Do German Shepherds Grow

Adult German shepherds can stand as high as 26 inches tall. The height standards for males and females are:

• Males: 60cm to 65cm
• Females: 55cm to 60cm

German shepherds, therefore, are classed as a large dog breed. In terms of adult weight, the standards are:

• Male: 30-40kg
• Female: 22kg-32kg

These dogs have a smooth, curved outline to their bodies, and their natural gait is a free and easy trot. Despite this, they are very capable of reaching great speeds when duty calls. German shepherds are muscular dogs that come in a variety of colors, including the standard black and tan, black and red, white, black, ebony, and more. There are a total of 13 recognized colors of German shepherds, so youll be spoiled for choice.