Working Dogs Versus Show Dogs
Something that may determine your German Shepherds overall body conformation is whether they were bred to be a show dog or a working dog. Years of line breeding has produced several distinct types of Shepherds.
Show dogs are known for a sloped back in which the back legs are shorter than the front. This unnatural formation can cause back and hip problems along with an abnormal gait. German Shepherds bred for show will also be thinner than their hardworking cousins.
As you can see in this picture, this is a show-bred German Shepherd with an obvious curved back and short back legs.
Working dogs, on the other hand, are bred for a sturdy, straight back so they can work long hours without getting sore. They tend to be thicker than show dogs and will, therefore, weigh more, even at the same height.
As you can see in this picture, this dog has a straighter back and longer back legs, so it has been bred for working.
Something else I wanted to mention here is that, according to some sources, Black German Shepherds are larger than their bi-colored cousins, despite being otherwise the same. Its hard to prove for sure, but its possible that their recessive genes that carry the black gene may also contribute to a larger size.
White German Shepherds, on the other hand, arent known for being any different in size than other dogs. So, if you have one of these rare and beautiful creatures, you can follow the same charts that were listed above.
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.
Average Male German Shepherd Height And Weight
An adult male weighs, on average, between 66 and 88 pounds, or 30 and 40 kilograms. To measure a shepherds height, measure to the top of their withers or right at their shoulders. Males are typically between 24 and 26 inches, or 60 and 65 centimeters tall.
For the average person, a male German Shepherd will come up to at least their hip. If one of these dogs were to jump up, they would be at least as tall as the average person. They are not so large that they cannot also be fast. Their size supports their bite strength and gives them enough speed to effectively chase down criminals or fend off wolves and other predators.
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Gsd Detail Weight Gain By Age
Now let us see the weight gain of a German Shepherd by age in detail.
A German Shepherd is said to weigh about 1.1 lbs. at the time of birth. It is about 503 grams, half a kg. The puppys weight at the time of birth can range from 0.8 to 1.3 lbs. depending upon the litter size as well as the size of the mother.
After a week, the weight of a puppy doubles from the birth weight. It becomes from about 1.6 to 2.1 lbs., which is about 1 kg. This weight increases to 4.5 to 9 lbs., almost 2.5 kg as the puppy gets 1 month old and in the second month, it reaches 11 to 20 lbs., making around 10 kg.
At the age of 4 months, the weight of a German Shepherd becomes 28 to 40 lbs., about 14 to 16 kg, which is half the weight of a grown-up dog.
After 9 months, the weight gain of a German Shepherd slows down and it starts gaining 2 to 3 pounds every month.
At the age of 3 years, where a German Shepherd becomes an adult, its weight stops increasing making it about 88 to 90 pounds heavy. It is about 38 to 40 kg of weight.
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 puppy’s 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.
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A Typical German Shepherd Puppy Growth Chart And Timeline
Once youve gathered as much information as possible about your German Shepherd puppys parents, genes, and prior growth timeline, you can then plug this into the typical German Shepherd growth chart.
Lets now take a closer look at the typical growth chart for an average German Shepherd puppy. Just keep in mind that this is a template you can use, not a prediction of how fast your puppy might grow or how big your dog might get.
This is very important because you dont want to over-feed your dog too early in life. Let your dog grow at its own pace and check in with your dogs breeder and veterinarian frequently if you have any questions or concerns.
German Shepherd Height Chart
| 24 26 / 60 65 cm | 22 24 / 55 60 cm |
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.
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When Do German Shepherds Stop Growing In Height
German shepherds usually grow in stages, depending on their age. Male German shepherds stop growing in height when they turn 9 months old, while female GDs reach their maximum height when they are 8 months old. That being said, they may grow a half-inch or an inch more as they grow up, but they will fully stop growing once males are 2 to 2 ½ years old, and females are 2 ½ to 3 years old. Males typically reach a total height of 5 5.4 feet while females grow 4.5 5 feet tall.
Coat And Colour Varieties
For a long time, the breed standard of the FCI, which is listed under number 166 in the group of herding dogs, only allowed dogs with stocky fur.
The stockhair should be straight and tight and be reinforced by a dense undercoat, which reliably protects the dog from snow, rain and cold.
Only in the year 2008 also the long stick hair type was taken up to the FCI standard.
The long, soft top coat, which does not fit tightly with this type of coat, forms bushy flags and trousers on ears, legs and tail.
The very hairy neck shows a characteristic mane.
The colours of the stock fur or long stock fur are black with brown, yellow or light grey markings, black or wolf grey unicoloured or grey with brown markings.
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What Is The Size Of A Full
An adult male German Shepherd is typically 24 to 26 inches tall, while adult female German Shepherds are 22 to 24 inches tall, according to the American Kennel Club German Shepherd Standard.
The estimated full-size varies significantly between sexes. In terms of weight, an adult male German Shepherd weighs anywhere from 75 to 90 pounds. A female German Shepherd weighs notably less at 55 to 70 pounds.
Please keep in mind that these numbers are only estimates to give you an idea of how much bigger a German Shepherd puppy may get. Some dogs will be both smaller and larger than these weight ranges when fully grown due to a variety of genetic and environmental factors.
German Shepherd Dog Transitional Period
German Shepherd Dog Transitional Period is from 2 weeks to 3 weeks. During this stage, the German Shepherd Dog puppy will continue to develop a better sense of hearing and taste. The puppy`s teeth will start coming through and its eyes will begin to open.
During this stage, the German Shepherd Dog puppy begins to crawl forward and backward, begins to stand, begins to wag its tail. This is also the age where your puppyâs personality begins to develop.
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How Can I Tell If My German Shepherd Is Overweight
3 Signs Your German Shepherd Is Overweight
How Much Should A German Shepherd Eat
On average, adult German Shepherds should eat at least 1,272 calories to 2,100 calories daily, depending on factors such as age and activity level. Older and less active German Shepherds tend to require around 1300 calories daily, while the active and energetic ones typically need at least 1700 calories a day.
Note, however, that these values are specific to adult German Shepherds, and a German Shepherd puppys diet will differ significantly.
Puppies will need twice the amount of calories per pound of weight as compared to adult dogs. And so given that adult dogs need about 35 calories per pound of weight daily, a German Shepherd puppy will need 70 calories per pound of weight a day.
Meaning, a 3-month-old puppy weighing 30 pounds will need at least 2100 calories daily to cater to its growth and development.
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Fastest Size Increase From The 3rd To 6th Month Of Life Of A German Shepherd
The fastest increase in size occurs between the 3rd and 6th month of life.
This phase therefore poses the greatest challenges to the body, but also to correct posture and feeding.
For giant breeds, the following rule of thumb can be observed for the development of body weight: after 6 months, 60% of the final weight should be on the scales.
For smaller breeds it is already a little more, as the above figure also shows.
The mother animal would actually instinctively ensure that the puppy gets the correctly composed and correctly dosed ration.
However, since the puppies are weaned at an early age, breeders and owners take responsibility for food and exercise.
Socialization Period: 3 Weeks 12 Weeks
Now that puppies can interact with the world and creatures around them, they begin to do so. Its vital to begin socializing puppies at this point to become accustomed to humans.
Puppies should remain with their mother during this entire period even if theyre already weaned. There are dog social skills that the mother teaches her puppies during this stage. If they are taken from their mother too early, they may have trouble interacting with other dogs later in life.
Here are some of the milestones of this period:
- Walking well
- Begin playing with littermates and humans
- Have most if not all of their teeth
- Demonstrate adult behaviors including mounting and greeting by sniffing tails
- Fear response
- Can begin housebreaking
- Ears begin to stand upright
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Months Old German Shepherd
Your German Shepherd puppys growth will start to decelerate at this age, and they will begin looking like miniature GSDs with their erect ears and proportionate body.
Some dogs go through a fearful stage where they become afraid of things that they werent before. Some may even exhibit signs of confusion at your commands.
Coddling them will reinforce these habits, so its best to ignore or divert them.
Female GSDs might also go into heat, but its important not to let her fall pregnant at this age as it could hinder her growth.
What Is A German Shepherds Neck Size
Measuring your German Shepherds neck is important to help you find the perfect collar size to ensure that they are secure and comfortable.
To do this, use a measuring tape to measure loosely along the base of your puppys neck. Ensure that you can slide two fingers in between the tape and your puppys neck. The neck size of a German Shepherd is 18 24 inches
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Short Definition Of German Shepherd Puppy
German shepherds are line dogs, established in 1899 to produce a single breed that can fulfill everyones particular demands. Three major German Shepherds varieties are available all of them have their own unique characteristics.
Life span: 9 13 yearsOrigin: From Germany.
Other names: German Shepherd Dog Alsatian wolf dog Berger Allemand Deutscher Schaferhund.
Temperament: Intelligent, Stubborn, Loyal, Alert, Curious, Watchful, Obedient, Confident, Courageous.
*Average Weight: Male: 6688 lbs , Female: 4971 lbs .
*Average Height: Male: 2426 inches , Female: 2224 inches
Life span: 9 13 yearsOrigin: From Germany.
Other names: German Shepherd Dog Alsatian wolf dog Berger Allemand Deutscher Schaferhund.
Temperament: Intelligent, Stubborn, Loyal, Alert, Curious, Watchful, Obedient, Confident, Courageous.
- *Average Weight: Male: 6688 lbs , Female: 4971 lbs .
- *Average Height: Male: 2426 inches , Female: 2224 inches
German Shepherd Dog Growth
Did you just get a German Shepherd Dog puppy? And do you want to know when your German Shepherd Dog will stop growing and how big your German Shepherd Dog will get? Or do you want to know if your German Shepherd Dog is of the ideal weight for its age?
In this article, we will answer all relevant questions related to German Shepherd Dog growth and weight.
If you do not own the German Shepherd Dog yet, make sure you purchase your German Shepherd Dog from an ethical German Shepherd Dog breeder or work with a reputable rescue. Check out our German Shepherd Dog buying guide and German Shepherd Dog price guide here.
It is important for you as a caring German Shepherd Dog owner to know if your German Shepherd Dog is growing normally and if your German Shepherd Dog is not overweight or underweight.
Extensive research studies have shown that most dogs are overweight because their owners spoil them with food, treats, and an easy life. Most dogs eat way too much and do not get enough exercise.
Research has also shown that one of the reasons many dogs die young is because they are overweight. You can extend your dog`s life by making sure your dog is of healthy weight and growth.
One final reason why you must keep track of your German Shepherd Dog`s weight and growth is that your German Shepherd Dog`s weight and growth pattern can tell you if your German Shepherd Dog has some underlying health conditions . This is what recent research has shown.
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How Much Should A 6
The average weight of a 6-month-old female German Shepherd Dog is 42.4 lbs .
The typical weight range of a 6-month-old female German Shepherd Dog is from 35.5 lbs to 49.4 lbs .
The average weight of a 6-month-old male German Shepherd Dog is 53.0 lbs .
The typical weight range of a 6-month-old male German Shepherd Dog is from 47.0 lbs to 59.1 lbs .
However, a recent research study on dog weight shows that 6-month-old female German Shepherd Dogs can normally weigh as low as 22.4 lbs and as high as 62.5 lbs
Correspondingly, 6-month-old male German Shepherd Dogs can normally weigh as low as 24.6 lbs and as high as 71.1 lbs
German Shepherd Puppy Growth Chart For Female Gsds
For a female German Shepherd puppy, the weight range in adulthood typically varies between 50 pounds and 80 pounds. Puppies will be between 22 to 24 inches tall on average.
This growth chart timeline is again courtesy of Von Geliebten Haus GSD breeders. It uses an average female German Shepherd that weighs 64 pounds at one year of age.
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How Do They Reproduce
Like most mammals, German Shepherds reproduce sexually. A male German Shepherd dog is sexually mature around the age of two years while the female experiences the first heat cycle when she is around six months. However, a female German Shepherd should have puppies only after she has experienced her second heat cycle. Though female German Shepherd dogs experience heat cycles every six months, breeding is advised only once a month to have healthy German Shepherd puppies.