German Shepherd weight - to what age do they grow, how much does a puppy and an adult dog weigh?

For many, the concept of a “large dog” is something like a Great Dane or a Tibetan Mastiff. Such people mistakenly classify German Shepherds as medium breeds.

Yes, the height BUT is not that high: the male is 60-65 cm at the withers, the female is no higher than 60.

Another thing is the weight of an adult German Shepherd! – Male: up to 50 kg; female: up to 35.

The status of the German Shepherd as a large breed of working dog is determined precisely by body weight.

The average dog weighs up to 25 kg. Anything that weighs more is a large breed. And an adult German Shepherd weighs respectably for its average height.

In order for a shepherd to gain the required height and weight, proper care and time are needed.

How old do German Shepherd puppies grow?

Despite the fact that by the age of six months the Germans look large and are not inferior in size to adults, their growth continues and is completed only by the age of three.

Five periods can be distinguished in the development of the German Shepherd:

1. Intrauterine – lasts nine weeks, begins from the moment of conception and ends with birth, during this period the foundations of the nervous system and external indicators of the dog are laid.
2. Lactation - lasts from the birth of babies until 4-8 weeks, while they are breastfed.
3. Childhood and adolescence - from six weeks to six months, a period of intense muscle mass gain, significant external transformations during upbringing, training, and providing a balanced diet.
4. A young shepherd dog - from 6 months to 1 year, the formation stage, the skeleton is fully formed, the dog expands in breadth, and outwardly becomes similar to an adult.
5. Adult dog - the stage lasts from 1 year to 3 years, the psychological and physical formation of the animal is completely completed.

Each puppy develops individually, which depends on genetics, care and maintenance, feeding, timely socialization and the owner’s care for the pet’s health.

How character changes

To raise a healthy and psychologically stable dog, in addition to weight, you need to worry about its socialization and education. In the life of a puppy, there are several important stages of character change that every self-respecting breeder should know about.

German Shepherd training

• 2 months. Introducing the puppy to its new family. At this time, the shepherd's learning ability is at a high level, so the owner should start teaching basic commands. At this time, puppies are quite vulnerable, so any training should be accompanied by love and patience. If the puppy does not obey, he should be punished as his mother would have done it. To do this, the owner must take the puppy by the withers and press him to the floor, saying the command “fu!” When it comes to socialization, it can be helpful to give your pet the opportunity to interact with other dogs.
• 4 months. This stage implies the formation of a hierarchy. If a puppy starts biting or grinning, he is trying to determine who is in charge in the family: the owner, his family members, or him. It is important for him to understand that he is on the lower rung after his family. Lack of proper upbringing will allow the puppy to take a leading position, which will have a negative impact in the future.
• 5 months. The main tasks of this period are training and proper education. Males may begin to show the first signs of heat by jumping on their feet. If the dog is planned to be used for breeding, you cannot scold for these movements; it is better to carefully distract the puppy with a toy.
• 6 months. The time for self-assertion of a raised shepherd dog. Owners may encounter reluctance to follow commands and other disobedience on the part of the pet. In this case, you should behave calmly and try to prevent possible antics. It is also important to give the dog enough attention.
• 7-12 months. Dogs often become fearful or nervous in situations that were previously familiar to them. This behavior is not caused by genetic predisposition or errors in upbringing; it is a natural stage in the development of an adult shepherd dog.
• 1-4 years. Time for the final formation of character and protective instinct.

Important! Each stage requires a competent approach. Proper upbringing and care from the owners will turn the puppy into a devoted friend and guard.

Weight and height of a newborn German Shepherd

Puppies are considered newborns from the moment they are born until the end of the first week. During this period they are absolutely helpless, their life depends on their mother. Babies do not see or hear anything - their eyes and ears are closed, while they are capable of emitting a sharp and piercing squeal. They have no teeth, and newborns cannot defecate or urinate on their own. Body temperature is maintained by the mother. They only sleep, eat and gain weight.

Immediately after birth, the average weight of puppies is 300-600 g, regardless of gender. If the mother has enough milk, babies double their body weight in the first week of life.

Usually there are 6-8 puppies in a litter. In small offspring (no more than four), each weighs 450-500 g, at birth from 8 to 12 - no more than 350-450 g.

The size of newborn puppies varies, with girls usually smaller than boys. The average length of babies is 18-22 cm.

Dimensions according to standard

According to the breed standard , the height of a German Shepherd depending on gender should be :

• Males: 60-65 cm at the withers.
• Bitches: 55-60 cm at the withers.

At the same time, the body length in boys of this breed is 71-77 cm, and in girls - 61-70 cm.

The chest circumference of a German Shepherd is 83-87 cm in males and 77-82 cm in females.

Expert opinion

Tolkachev Andrey Mikhailovich

veterinarian

“The health of a German Shepherd and its working qualities depend not least on the weight of the dog. If a shepherd is overfed, its performance and endurance are greatly reduced. Underfeeding and too little weight are also harmful for representatives of this breed, since in this case the shepherd’s resistance to disease decreases. The weight and size of the German Shepherd must be within the standard and be harmonious in relation to each other.”

Puppy weight by week

Even if all German Shepherd puppies were born at normal weight, further growth occurs at an individual rate. For some, it increases evenly, for others in jerks, and for others it stands still, after which in a matter of weeks it “accelerates” and reaches the levels of the most well-fed sisters and brothers. In order to notice health problems in pets in time and respond adequately, it is necessary to carry out weekly weighings and compare them with the average weight norm according to the standard. Discrepancies with the table data do not indicate pathologies; body weight may be slightly more or less than the indicated indicators, but the maximum weight deviation should not be more than 10-15%.

Weight and height of a German Shepherd puppy by month

The most obvious changes in the growth and weight of the German Shepherd are carried out monthly. Since girls and boys develop at different rates, the table breaks down the weight of a German Shepherd by gender:

Particularly significant changes occur with a one-month-old puppy; its weight increases 8-9 times from the moment of birth. In addition to growth and weight gain, many other changes occur from birth to one year:

1. At one week old, puppies begin to crawl.
2. At 14 days, eyes and ears open, teeth are cut, and the Germans begin to run.
3. At 4 weeks, baby teeth grow in.
4. At 6 weeks, little Germans copy their mother.
5. 2-month-old puppies react to external stimuli.
6. At 12 weeks they begin to navigate in space.
7. A 3-month-old puppy's ears stand up.
8. At 4 months old, teeth are replaced with permanent ones.
9. Puberty occurs at six months.
10. In a year, Germans become adults, but continue to develop.

Pet care

You need to care for your pet in the same way as all previous months:

• Trim nails, clean ears and wash eyes once a week,
• Bath only 3 times a year,
• Regularly comb the animal due to heavy shedding at this time,
• Disinfect the booth, enclosure, and bed.
• Wash bowls regularly.
• Take him for examinations to a veterinarian and strictly follow all instructions.
• Poison worms and get the necessary vaccinations.
• Closely monitor your health.
• Take him for walks twice a day.
• Give rubber toys to chew on.

How much does an adult German Shepherd weigh depending on gender?

An adult male German Shepherd weighs on average 36-45 kg, a female – 23-33 kg. There are also larger individuals. Males can reach 52 kg, females - 36 kg. Most often, Germans grow up to a year old, later they mature, their chest becomes wider, and additional muscle mass grows. A German Shepherd at 15-18 months is a fully formed dog. From the age of three there is almost no increase in body weight; by this time a German weighs 90 times more than a newborn according to the standard. Based on this, a puppy born weighing 350 g reaches 31-32 kg at three years, and a baby weighing 500 g reaches 45 kg. But it's not that simple. Inadequate nutrition, pathologies, metabolic rate and other individual characteristics can affect the rate of growth of the skeleton and muscle mass of the German Shepherd, and he may grow larger or smaller than normal according to the generally accepted standard.

The table shows that a one-year-old German Shepherd weighs the same as an adult, and growth decreases at this age. At two he practically stops.

How many months should ears stand?

Small puppies' ears look disproportionately large. From 2 months to 4 months of age, the German Shepherd's body actively produces elastin and collagen, so the ears grow much faster than other parts of the body. They become heavy and large. From two to six months they begin to stand up - first in a “house”, “cap”, they can fall to one side, rise and fall again. By 5 months of age, the structure of the auricle reaches its maximum density, the ear stops growing and stands up completely. If this does not happen, the reason may be:

• lack of minerals in the diet;
• ear pathologies;
• weak immunity;
• the shepherd is not purebred;
• individual characteristics of the puppy.

Adult German Shepherd Growth Chart

Height at the withers increases especially noticeably over the course of two years, with the changes being most noticeable in the first half of the year. These parameters depend on the number of babies in the litter and the size of the newborn German Shepherd puppies. Small puppies develop quickly, large ones develop more slowly.

At birth, puppies weigh more than 500 g if there are three to five of them in the litter. Even in appearance it is noticeable that girls are smaller than boys. The average body length of German newborns is 20 cm.

In the first four weeks, weight gain occurs by 100 g daily. At 1 month, the German reaches 20 cm in height, his body length is 20-23 cm.

Over the course of 2 months, the German Shepherd gains 140-160 g every day, reaches a height of 32-38 cm, and the length of its body is about 38 cm.

Over the course of 3 months, the paws and tail grow, and large joints appear on the front legs. Height is about 42 cm, body length is 46-49 cm.

At 4 months, the German's chest muscles noticeably increase. This is especially pronounced in males. Height at the withers is up to 56 cm with a chest volume of about 65 cm.

At 5 months, the puppy weighs only half as much as an adult German Shepherd. A growth spurt (up to 58 cm) can provoke diseases of the bones and joints.

At six months, in terms of height and chest volume, puppies are very close to an adult German Shepherd (height - 61 cm, body length 64 cm). In the future, their proportions do not change.

From the age of 8 months to a year, the German matures, his flat bones increase, he adds another 3-4 cm, his body length is 65-72 cm. From this time, throughout his life, his height practically does not change and he weighs about 45 kg.

The pet's height at the withers can be compared with the data in the table, which presents the standard by month. Individual indicators of a particular German may differ from them, but deviations of more than 20% are considered critical.

Influence of factors on dog parameters

Several factors influence the physical development of a German Shepherd:

1. Heredity. Already at the time of conception, the possible weight, height, intelligence, learning ability, temperament and character are transmitted to the baby from the father and mother. Germans of different lines are capable of producing offspring that differ in height at the withers, age of puberty, rate of weight gain and rate of maturation.
2. Intrauterine stage. Full development of fruits is possible only if the female German Shepherd has a balanced and fortified diet, care and proper maintenance, regular hygiene procedures, and adherence to a regimen that necessarily includes daily walks.
3. Breast-feeding. The abundance of milk and its quality affect the immunity of Germans. The longer they stay with their mother, the lower the risk of disease in the offspring. In order for the weight of a two-month-old puppy to meet the standard, it is necessary to start complementary feeding on time, and later make the transition to independent feeding.
4. Diet. The quality and composition of feeding must correspond to the age of the German Shepherd and be balanced in composition and volume. The puppy needs to receive vitamins and microelements for full physical development. Otherwise, underweight or obesity is possible, which does not allow the dog to be used as a breeder or participate in exhibitions.
5. Content. Without comfortable living conditions, regular walks, training, and standardized physical activity, it is impossible to raise a strong, well-developed dog that weighs according to accepted standards.
6. Health. The growth of puppies is influenced by past infectious diseases, the presence of parasites and timely vaccination. It is necessary to give vaccinations according to the schedule, regularly visit the veterinarian, and protect puppies from dangerous contacts.

What to do if a German is behind the norm

You should not panic if a young dog, whose age does not exceed three years, is 10-15% behind the standard in weight or height. Each dog develops according to an individual plan. A German Shepherd that continues to grow often experiences underweight due to rapid, spasmodic development. To minimize the consequences of the lag, the diet should be reconsidered, increasing the content of protein (meat, fish, offal) and fermented milk products (kefir, cottage cheese).

To gain muscle mass, you should devote more attention and time to training your dog and playing outdoors. For this purpose, a special program is developed, designed for a specific individual. From breeders you need to find out details about the pet’s parents, how they developed and make sure that there are no genetic diseases in the family that affect the height and weight of the offspring. Perhaps the puppy belongs to a breed line with late maturation, which is also something a dog breeder should know about.

If your dog does not weigh enough for his age, you should not overfeed him or use drugs to gain muscle mass. Excessive exercise can negatively affect the health of your German Shepherd. Only with a balanced diet, regular physical exercise, and the absence of pathologies will the dog gain the desired weight without additional effort.

Harmful products

These products should be excluded from the animal’s diet to avoid constipation, diarrhea, vomiting and other undesirable consequences:

• Pork meat,
• Bakery,
• Sausages, salami, bacon and so on,
• Pickled vegetables,
• Spicy dishes,
• Dishes with spices,
• Pasta,
• Chocolates and other sweets.