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.
Does My Gsd Puppy Have Panosteitis Or Degenerative Myelopathy Or Dysplasia
According to the Orthopedic Foundation For Animals Canine Health Information Center database, the German Shepherd dog may develop several additional known heritable health issues in addition to panosteitis .
These issues include the following:
- Hip dysplasia
- Cardiac and eye issues
- Autoimmune thyroiditis
Because the German Shepherd breed can inherit several conditions that can affect the joints, bones, and muscles of the body, it can be challenging to know what is causing health symptoms you may see in your GSD puppy.
Is it panosteitis, growing pains?
Or could it be hip or elbow dysplasia, where the ball socket of the elbow or hip joint fails to form properly?
Or could it be degenerative myelopathy, a degenerative and progressive genetic health condition that causes deterioration of the nerves in the spinal column that eventually results in hindquarters paralysis but no pain?
Or could it perhaps simply be that your GSD puppy is over-exercised and is stiff and sore?
Only one individual can determine what is causing any lameness, pain, or other concerning health symptoms you may be observing in your German Shepherd puppy. That person is your dogs veterinarian.
As you now know, panosteitis is only really treatable by temporarily limiting activity and offering pain medications, which may have side effects.
Hip and elbow dysplasia is treatable by physical therapy and surgery .
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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German Shepherds And Other Pets
To help them be calm and patient, it’s best to socialise your German Shepherd with other dogs and pets from a young age. Some can be a bit bossy with other dogs as they get older but with proper care, training and socialisation this is unlikely to become a problem. If youre having issues with your German Shepherd around other pets, the best thing to do is get advice from a trainer or behaviourist.
German Shepherds are usually fine with other family pets they have grown up with. If they havent grown up with a cat or other smaller pets, though, they may have the urge to chase them so any introductions later in life should be done very carefully.
How To Tell How Big Your Dog Will Get:
There are a couple ways to tell how big your German Shepherd puppy will get:
First, you can look at their paw size! A good rule of a thumb is if your puppy looks like they have huge feet compared to the typical paw to body/leg ratio, they still have a lot of growing to do! This isn’t an exact science, but can help give you an idea if they’ll be on the larger or smaller size of their breed average, and if they’ve fully matured yet or not.
If you adopted your German Shepherd through a breeder, you can also gauge how big your puppy will get by looking at their parents! Ask your breeder how big they expect your puppy to get – they’ll have a pretty good idea based on the parents size and their past litters. Typically, puppies do not grow to be bigger than their parents.
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Things To Keep In Mind When Exercising A Young Gsd
- Spread activity throughout the day Bruce Lee once said, I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times. When you make a single session small enough, you can afford to repeat the session throughout the day with enough consistency to make an impact. Add steps to your little puppys day without making it a Rocky training montage.
- Avoid high places The growth plates section makes it self-evident that you should keep your dog from jumping. So definitely no skipping rope for your chubby best friend.
- Play seeking gamesDetection exercises allow you to sneak in extra steps while also helping your GSD develop better cognition. Interestingly, such games also decrease running speed as dogs are more deliberate in processing where the hidden prize is.
Do German Shepherds Grow Fast
Generally, German Shepherds grow rather fast in their first six months of life. They will double their weight many times in this period and undergo many growth spurts. However, after five to six months, it will begin to slow down substantially. While they will almost reach their full size at about six months, it will take them until they are about two to finally gain those last few dozen pounds.
Some owners become concerned when their dogs growth slows down so much, or they may believe that the dog is full-grown before it actually is. However, their slow growth doesnt mean they arent growing and isnt any cause for alarm.
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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.
Provide Them With Toys And Treats
The easiest solution is giving them toys and treats, which will surely occupy their minds more than licking.
One of the things they get from licking is using their mental faculties. The other major thing they get is an emotional connection. So toys can provide them with some mental occupation while also giving them a bit of physical exercise on top.
Something like a kong with some peanut butter inside is an excellent choice because they will get the mental stimulation of figuring out how to get the peanut butter out and get the emotional kick of a treat, which can help ease their anxieties.
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When Do German Shepherds Stop Growing When Is Your Gsd Fully Grown
Have you spent time looking at your German Shepherd Dog and wondering when theyre going to stop growing? Youre certainly not alone. When theyre puppies, it can certainly feel like theyre going to grow forever.
The truth is that most German Shepherds have reached their full height around 18 months, but theyll continue to fill out past that. Females continue to fill out until about the 2-year mark, while males take a bit longer by putting on weight until the 2.5-year point.
But can you tell how big a German Shepherd will get before then? What other developmental milestones should you keep an eye on with your pup? We answer both those questions and more here.
Juvenile Period 3 Months 6 Months
Between months 3 and 6, the puppies go through the juvenile period. The baby phase will have come to an end. They should be able to eat easily, interact with others, and should be on the brink of being housebroken. They will continue to grow steadily and are ready to be trained.
They will begin to lose their milk teeth during this period as well, so keep an eye out for the risk of chewing items that you might not approve of. Having dog-approved chew toys on hand can help both the puppies and the owners get through the teething phase without frustration.
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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 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.
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How Long Does It Take For A German Shepherd Puppy To Grow Up
As we just mentioned, the growth process can extend as long as three years .
As a general rule of thumb, you can expect that the majority of the growing up process will likely be concluded by around 24 months.
First-time owners can be easily convinced their GSD puppy is done growing at 12 months!
But while the growth rate and visible change will slow down after 12 months have passed, it wont stop. The additional growth will be more subtle and more internal so not so easily seen.
This is important for you to know as a GSD owner!
Just because you cant see the growth as easily, you still need to remain very mindful of the delicate process inside your dog, which we will talk about in the next section here.
Study The Growth Charts
While charts can help you estimate the average size of a German Shepherd, they are only as accurate as your general understanding of how large a German Shepherd can grow. In addition, male and female dogs have slightly different ideal sizes, so its a good idea to research whats appropriate for your dogs gender.
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How Much Should German Shepherd Puppies Weigh
With my experience of breathing multiple litters of German Shepherds over the years. I like to take this question a little bit further, so you can have a better understanding about puppy weight. The bigger question should be It depends on how the Breeder feeds the puppies. Most good breeders feed puppies 3 times a day with dry food and wet food mixed together and Im not talking about cheap dog food. Were talking about high-quality dog food. They will always keep a good eye on how the pups are developing so they keep them healthy.
Here are a few pictures of puppies. These pictures are from my good friend Johns last litter. This was a great litter of puppies. Everyone puppy he sold the people were so happy with their puppy. All the pups had a super loving temperament and training comes easy when you breed good blood-line puppies.
5 week old Black Female Pup.
This is a black sable collar.
Roughly weight would be,
9-week old puppies weigh. 15- 20 pounds.
4 month old puppy weight. 25- 32 pounds.
6 month old puppy weight. 48- 56 pounds. I have had male puppies that weight up to 50 lbs.
How long do German shepherds live?
9 to 13 years.
Socialization Period: 3 Weeks 12 Weeks
The period between 3 weeks of age and 12 weeks of age is known as the socialization period. During this phase of development, puppies will begin to interact with humans and the other dogs around them. It is important to their overall demeanor to get them accustomed to human interaction at this stage of life.
From weeks 3 to 8, the puppies should still be with their mother. They will become more coordinated and develop the skill of play. They can be weaned and housebroken at this time as well as developing the ability to bark when startled. Physically, you will see their ears now stand up.
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The 4 Stages Of A Dogs Growth And Development
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?
When Do A German Shepherds Ears Stand Up
Its perfectly normal if your GSDs ears do not stand up during this period! Indeed, some puppies ears may flop over for up to eight or nine months. At nine months, a German Shepherd puppy with floppy ears is nothing to be alarmed about. Later, when you see their adorable floppy ears, youre going to smile! Mainly if one ear is raised and the other is lowered. The ears that are not upright are considered cute and adorable by the majority of owners. Even within the same litter, pups ears may stand at different times. Additionally, some puppies ears are not naturally upright. According to research, approximately 1 in every 5 German Shepherds will develop floppy ears throughout their lives.
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Ensure They Get Plenty Of Exercise
Exercise can tire out not only their bodies but also their minds. A German Shepherd is a big dog that needs plenty of exercise. They are vigilant dogs that require a lot of mental and physical stimulation.
A good half of their daily exercise on a brisk walk and half of their daily activity through play or training is a good mix. They are incredibly obedient and trainable dogs, so using some of the time on training is a great choice.
If they get adequate exercise, they are less likely to feel anxiety or need extra attention. The joy they get from the exercise also plays a mental role, lessening their need to soothe by licking. This means their tendency to go in for the lick will also be curbed.
Final And Additional Thoughts
You can expect that German Shepherds will stop growing for a maximum of 3 years of age a full-grown GSDs size would depend on its line and gender. While we already know that male German Shepherds are more likely to have bigger structures than females, a different GSD line would also dictate this to be untrue.
Many German Shepherds are bred either to be show dogs or to be working dogs that would clearly make a difference with their measurements. Show dogs would appear thinner and with an awkwardly angled back since their hindquarters are much shorter than those at the front, while working dogs have thicker and straighter body structures. GSD show dogs can either be American/Canadian or West German they are bred to fit as a family dog while West/East German or Czech GSD working dogs are bred to fit for police/military or heavy work ethic.
Either way, these German Shepherds are hyperactive and would need constant exercise and an engaging environment to live their best lives. If you wish for a miniature GSD, mixed breeds with a toy poodle are the most common German Shepherd Corgis has also become a real thing for medium-sized pooch lovers. Nonetheless, all pure German Shepherd dogs fall under the large-sized dog group, so if you think you can take care and meet the basic needs of a big dogs basic needs, you can rightfully own a German Shepherd.
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