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When Do German Shepherds Reach Full Size

The 4 Stages Of A Dogs Growth And Development

German Shepherd Everything You Need to Know

I think we can all agree that its difficult to figure out the best way to take care of your dogs health. Not knowing about a German shepherd average weight and height only adds to the list of problems.

As German Shepherds grow through the stages of their life, they also develop more health risks. But are the stages of a dogs life?

How Heavy Are Male German Shepherds With A Weight Chart Guide

Male German Shepherds typically grow faster and gain more weight than female German Shepherds. By the third year of their life, male German Shepherds will have attained all weight milestones gaining their full adult weight weighed between 75-95 pounds. In some instances, the dogs will even surpass the 95-pound mark. The Weight Chart below shows the average weight distribution in male German Shepherds from birth to adulthood.

Male German Shepherd Weight Chart

Age

Female German Shepherd Weight Chart

From 9 Months To 24 Months

Dogs of different breeds and sizes mature at different ages, and while one year of age is commonly considered the end of puppyhood in general, a German Shepherd Dog may not reach an adult level of maturity before the age of two or three . So continuing to work on impulse control, improve obedience skills, and advance to training in more focused activities like tracking, scent work, protection work, agility, and herdingall of which are capabilities of this breedmust continue throughout this period and then be reinforced as your GSD reaches adulthood.

Keep in mind that this is a breed that thrives on constant and consistent work and training, and loves to have a jobor many jobs!to do. If you can provide your GSD with outlets for their intelligence and versatility, both you and your dog will reap the rewards.

Yasmine S. Ali, MD, is a cardiologist and writer based in Tennessee, where she lives with three Canine Good Citizens, including an AKC-registered German Shepherd Dog.

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German Shepherd Body Types

Just like with humans, there are various body types for German Shepherds. The ideal type is based on what humans decide is preferred and healthier for a German Shepherds needs.

To begin with, it is important to remember that German Shepherds are considered working breeds and need bodies that can perform their jobs well. A balanced frame will have a straight, flat spine with bones that are balanced between the front and back of the dog.

Dogs should be able to run and jump without any issue, which is true of most dog breeds.

For a German Shepherd, they need to be ready to hunt, guard, herd, and track. Their bodies need to help them complete their jobs without any physical limitations.

Show dogs will not be looked at for their work capabilities but based on the show standards. Unfortunately, often these standards of body types will not help your dog as active and healthy as he needs to be.

German Shepherds are prone to hip dysplasia as well as a roached back, which means a curved spine. Both of these conditions will affect the movement of your dog as he ages, making it difficult to run and walk well, let alone completing a job that they might attempt to do.

Finding A Puppy Who Is The Best Fit For You

When do german shepherds stop growing?

Finding a good, ethical breeder is one of the most important ways to ensure you are getting off to the right start in obtaining the puppy who will be the best fit for you and your household. Breeders observe their puppies personalities and drives and can match the right puppy to the right individual or family.

You may also wish to acquire a puppy from one of the breed-rescue organizations listed in the AKC Rescue Network currently, over 40 GSD rescues are listed, a testament to the popularity of this magnificent breed. If you choose this route, be sure to discuss with the breed rescue organization your needs and what you are looking for in a puppy they should also be able to help you find the puppy whose temperament and personality will be the best match for you.

Nadia Adams of Oher Tannen German Shepherd Dogs has been a GSD breeder for 15 years and comments, A well-bred German Shepherd Dog is highly intelligent, thriving on praise and wanting to please the owner. This combination makes them very trainable, which is one of the most appealing qualities of the breed.

This breeds high level of intelligence and strong willingness to work mean your GSD must receive consistent and ongoing training from an early age. A bored GSD is a destructive GSD. That said, states Adams, the sky is the limit, if the owner ca devote a good amount of quality time to the dog, especially during the critical first year of life.

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How Long Does It Take For A German Shepherds Ears To Stand Up

With my own experience after breeding multiple German Shepherd litters. The bloodlines have a great part and playing with their ears standing up. In my last litter, all 8 of our puppies ears were standing up at 12 weeks old.

I have seen German Shepherds with floppy ears, known form as a lazy ear, which terms English grammar terms that you probably heard people saying. But most of the time their ears should be standing up at between 10 to 12 weeks and sometimes up to six months, youll see this happen through the teething stage. This can varies from dog to dog) but generally between 16 weeks and 20 weeks of age.

I tell my customers. Take a look at the pictures above these puppies are 5 weeks old. I like you to remember this too. German Shepherd puppies are born with floppy ears. Anywhere from 10 weeks to 14 weeks of age, the ears start to stand on their own. But sometimes things can happen like-Occasionally, pets are born with deformed ears that normally should stand erect but do not.

How To Make Sure Your German Shepherd Grows Properly

When your puppy grows, the first thing that is going to grow is their bones and cartilage. So when youre looking after your pup, you need to make sure that their cartilage, bones and growth plates are being looked after.

Out of the three, the growth plates are the area that needs the most care. The growth plates are the area where cartilage and bone meet and theyre also where new bone tissue is produced. So once the bone plates have been damaged or stop working, its going to cause problems for your pup.

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Other Socialization Period Physical And Behavioral Developments

This is a crucial period for German Shepherd puppies. Their history as herders means that they are not naturally very sociable dogs and can develop behavioral issues if not taught how to interact with humans, other dogs, and other pets.

Related: How To Socialize Your German Shepherd

During the socialization period, German Shepherd puppies should stay with their mothers and littermates to learn dog manners and social cues.

You can start to supplement their milk diet with soft foods, but dont change them over completely. This supplementation is also helpful for the mothers because the German Shepherd puppies now have all of their needle-sharp teeth!

You can start house-breaking a German Shepherd puppy at around 7 weeks of age, but dont expect them to master it immediately they are still very young. You can also start some basic training at 9-12 weeks.

In the middle of the socialization period, around 6-9 weeks of age, German Shepherd puppies go through a fearful stage. You should help them overcome this through positive reinforcement and encouragement. This stage is perfectly normal for dogs, so do not worry, but be patient with them.

Another great milestone towards the end of the socialization period is that your German Shepherds ears should start to stand up.

How Much Bigger Will My German Shepherd Get

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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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How Do I Know If My German Shepherd Is Happy

Here are some of the most common German Shepherd signs of affection:

  • 1) They cant help but kiss or lick you.
  • 2) They like staying close to you.
  • 3) They often snuggle or cuddle.
  • 4) They lean on you.
  • 5) They allow you to hug them.
  • 6) They ask for rubs.
  • 7) Theyre always happy to see you.
  • 8) They keep wanting to play.
  • The Development Stages And Growth Chart Of German Shepherds

    German shepherds are athletic, muscular, herding dogs. They are meant to be agile, quick, and have lots of endurance. These high energy dogs excel at both work and play but need one or the other to be fulfilled.

    From birth to old age, they go through many growth stages. Their health and temperament is influenced on their genetics as well as the love, care, nutrition, training, and socialization they receive.

    Just as there are many colors of the German shepherd, it is common to see many sizes. However, according to the American Kennel Club, the breed standard is 24-26 for males and 22-24 inches for females. Once full grown, males should weigh between 65-90 pounds and females should weigh 50-70 pounds. Both sexes should be longer than they are tall.

    What does the breed standard that they are idealized by mean? According to the American Kennel Club, the definition of breed standard is the description of the ideal dog of each recognized breed, to serve as an ideal against which dogs are judged at shows, originally laid down by a parent breed club and accepted officially by national or international bodies.

    Since there are several lines, such as German working lines and American show lines, and numerous breeders of German shepherds, this ideal is not always maintained. Its not uncommon to see dogs larger than 100 or more pounds, and some owners actually seek out and prefer these larger dogs.

    Neonatal Period

    Birth to 2 weeks:

    • Birth weight doubling by 2 weeks

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    Variations Of German Shepherds

    It is worth noting that these charts do not apply to the different variations of Shepherds, except possibly White German Shepherds .

    East-European Shepherds, King Shepherds, and Shiloh Shepherds are bigger than standard German Shepherds. Miniature German Shepherds are much smaller and have completely different development requirements and problems.

    Average Adult German Shepherd Height

    When do German Shepherds Stop Growing  Find Out the Truth Now

    You measure a German Shepherds height from right above their shoulders , which is the tallest spot on a German Shepherds back when he is standing up.

    You never measure them by their head, because dogs cannot consistently keep their heads completely upright, so the shoulder is just easier.

    Normally, male dogs are larger than female dogs, but that is not always the case. On average, a male German Shepherd will be 24 to 26 inches tall and a female German Shepherd would be 22 to 24 inches tall. The difference between the sexes is minimal when compared to other breeds.

    It is important to remember as well that these are only averages. Your German Shepherd might be bigger or smaller, just as humans come in all shapes and sizes. Much of it will have to do with how large your dogs parents were as well as the type of German Shepherd he is.

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    What Age Do German Shepherds Get Full Size

    about 18 months oldLike many large breeds, a German Shepherd dog is not considered fully grown until they are about 18 months old. Female German Shepherds continue to fill out until they are around two years old, while the male German Shepherd growth rate continues until they reach two and a half years of age.

    Neutering Or Spaying Your German Shepherd

    Sterilization early may cause dogs to grow slightly bigger than they would if left intact. This is due to the production of a hormone that halts physical growth when dogs reach sexual maturity.

    According to new research, this could increase the potential for hip dysplasia.

    Aside from that, if you spay or neuter your dog too young, you may increase certain cancers and arthritis, another joint-related problem.

    However, dogs sterilized at an older age may also come with risks for other health problems.

    Some vets would recommend fixing your dog at a young age, but recent studies show that females should not be spayed until they complete a heat cycle, and males should wait until they are two.

    However, this is up for debate because dogs that start to mark wont stop even after they are neutered.

    Your best bet is to talk to your vet and decide what risks youre willing to take.

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    German Shepherd Puppy To Adult Growth Rate

    A GSD puppy will usually double its birth weight in the first week.

    When you get a GSD puppy at the standard age of 8 weeks or 2 months old, your puppy will be around 16-19 lb .

    A GSD will increase in size 5-10% monthly up until the age of about 1 year or 12 months.

    At this age, your GSDs growth rate will slow rapidly until the age of about 18 to 24 months old when they reach physical maturity.

    Interestingly, some the Eastern European GSD lines do not reach physical maturity until much later at around 3 years old, and their growth rate slows noticeably at 6 months. Although these lines are more rare.

    A GSD ends up at around 70 times the size of its original birth height and weight.

    Regular and daily exercise, and quality dog food is the best way to ensure your GSD grows at a natural rate and reaches a healthy size.

    Being a large breed of dog, it is important you dont overfeed your GSD if you want to prevent obesity.

    How Much Should A German Shepherd Weigh

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    Since each dog is going to be different, you need to look at their overall body condition rather than a weight range. Fortunately, there are body conditioning charts that you can use to figure out if your German Shepherd is at their ideal weight.

    As you can see, its easy to determine if your German Shepherd is at the proper weight. Just look at them from the side and from above, feeling for ribs and pelvic bones when necessary.

    While German Shepherds are generally thinner compared to other dogs of their size, you still shouldnt be able to see or easily feel their ribs. Younger dogs will also typically be on the thin side before they fully fill out as adults.

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    How A Puppy Grows: Stages Of German Shepherd Puppy Development

    Before we get to the weight and height charts, lets take a moment to study the developmental stages all puppies go through.

    Its crucial to watch for each of these milestones as they come. These, more than weight or height, will help determine if your German Shepherd puppy is developing normally.

    Here are the stages of German Shepherd puppy development from birth to maturity:

    The Difference Between Male And Female German Shepherds

    Male German shepherds are taller and bigger than female German shepherds. They also tend to be more emotionally stable and stronger than their female counterparts. However, female German shepherds are more affectionate, obedient, and easier to train. They are the perfect candidate for family protection, while male GSDs are best for personal protection.

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    What Is The Heaviest German Shepherd On Record

    According to Oborge, the worlds largest German shepherd, as of September 2014, is named Duke, standing at almost 32 inches tall and weighing 131 pounds. Duke has a male offspring that is almost as large as him. Dukes owners claim that the dog became so large through a diet consisting primarily of spinach.

    When Do German Shepherds Stop Growing In Weight

    Breed Info

    When do German Shepherds Stop Growing? The rapid growth period for a German Shepherd is from 3 to 6 months. In most cases, your German Shepherd will be at or very near their adult weight and height at one year of age. For female German Shepherds, this is 50 to 70 pounds. For males, it is 65 to 90 pounds.

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    What Is The Growth Process For A German Shepherd Puppy

    When it comes to your German shepherds growth, its all about the bones. Similar to the growing process in children, the growth of the bones happens within the growth plate.

    Your German shepherds growth plates are located at each end of most of the long bones and contain cartilaginous regions in which new tissue can be created. During the process of the growing puppy, this tissue is flexible and pliable.

    Once time has passed and the bone has reached its final size this tissue hardens to become the tough bones we generally think of in an adult dog or human. A GSDs growth plates will close around 18 months on average.

    This process of the bone transformation in young dogs is why its so important to prevent puppies from activities that can possibly injure their growth plates. Vigorous activity, jumping from high places, and any other activity that puts a strain on their bones and joints can hinder the aging process of the bones.

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