German Shepherd Growth Chart

Ranked as the second most popular dog breeds in major kennel clubs and globally, German shepherds win the hearts of many individuals. German shepherd’s rise to fame dates back to the 1920s when Rin Tin Tin and Strongheart featured in Hollywood. From loyalty to courage, intelligence, and socialism, they make terrific human companions.

But, do you know how your German shepherd grows? Maybe not and I guess you are wondering why you should care provided that he is eating well. Surprisingly, there is more to that! Having the knowledge of how your canine pal grows is crucial in monitoring whether he is on the right growth track.

Are you interested in knowing the German shepherd growth chart? You are not alone as many GSD owners are thrilled to understand how big their canine buddies will be. Unfortunately, there is no straightforward for this growth as many factors come into play. This includes overall health, nutrition, and heredities.

While the above is impossible, there are certain techniques that you can use to estimate how big your German Shepherd’s prospect growth. In this article, we shall look at their growth chart for males and females, stages, pictures, and their growth by month.

German Shepherds Growth Chart

German Shepherd males weigh around 66 lbs. to 88 lbs. while females weigh anywhere between 49 lbs. and 71 lbs. If you did not know, the weight of large dogs like a German shepherd greatly depends on their height.

At the shoulders, GSD males weigh approx. 24 inches to 26 inches and females 22 inches to 24 inches. If you want to know whether your German shepherd is growing in the correct weight, ask your GSD vet to provide you with the breed’s growth chart.

Other than observing your German shepherd’s growth chart, you need to keep him cheerful with a high-quality diet and understanding what you are exactly looking for. Below is the growth chart for German shepherd dogs:

	Weight Range
Age	Males	Females
1 month	5.5 lbs. – 9 lbs.	0 lbs. – 8 lbs.
2 months	16 lbs. – 20 lbs.	11 lbs. – 17 lbs.
3 months	22 lbs. – 30 lbs.	17 lbs. – 26 lbs.
4 months	35 lbs. – 40 lbs.	31 lbs. – 35 lbs.
5 months	40 lbs. – 49 lbs.	35 lbs. – 44 lbs.
6 months	49 lbs. – 57 lbs.	44 lbs. – 49 lbs.
7 months	57 lbs. – 62 lbs.	49 lbs. – 53 lbs.
8 months	62 lbs. – 66 lbs.	53 lbs. – 57 lbs.
9 months	64 lbs. – 71 lbs.	55 lbs. – 60 lbs.
10 months	66 lbs. – 73 lbs.	57 lbs. – 62 lbs.
11 months	66 lbs. – 75 lbs.	60 lbs. – 64 lbs.
1 year	71 lbs. – 75 lbs.	60 lbs. – 64 lbs.
1 ½ years	71 lbs. – 79 lbs.	60 lbs. – 66 lbs.
2 years	71 lbs. – 84 lbs.	62 lbs. – 66 lbs.
3 years	79 lbs. – 88 lbs.	66 lbs. – 70 lbs.

When is Do German Shepherds Stop Growing?

As we all know, the German shepherd dog breed tends to become quite large. As such, you can start wondering especially if you have been raising your German shepherd since his puppyhood. A short answer to that question is that no one knows for sure when GSDs stop growing. Their growth rate varies from one pooch to another.

Typically, German shepherds experience a significantly slowed growth when they are 12 months old. However, some German shepherds will discontinue growing at their 18 month birthday while others extend to their second year birthday. After they are 12 months old, they undergo marginal and gradual growth and reach full height when 18 months old.

Surprisingly, some of the German shepherd dogs stop growing at their third year birthday. Reaching the optimal height might take longer.

German Shepherds Growth Stages

In this section, we shall look at the German shepherd’s growth or developmental stages, from puppyhood to adulthood. We shall tackle each of these stages separately as they help you determine if your GSD pup is growing naturally.

Check out these 5 German shepherd growth stages:

1. Infant Stage – At this growth stage, the German shepherd pup is typically weak which means they need mother care from feeding, warming, and waste removal. Pups start to crawl at 1 week, ears & eyes open within 10 days, baby teeth (first) at 2 weeks. Self-waste elimination begins at 2 weeks at the same time they start to walk.
2. Socialization Stage – This is the stage where you introduce your German shepherd pup to the world making sure they are close to their mothers to learn dogs’ interaction skills. They start walking properly at 3 weeks, interaction with pups and humans at 4 weeks, exhibit adult behaviors at 6 weeks, fear response from 6-8 weeks, and ears begin to stand upright at 12 weeks.
3. Infantile Stage – By now, your pup’s development starts to slow down substantially and begin to grow larger. You should introduce training classes at this age as they have all pup teeth & boosted mobility at 3 months and adult teeth start growing at 4 months.
4. Puberty Stage – At 6 months, your German shepherd pup has all adult teeth, females have heat cycles, and ears stand upright independently. At 7 months, intact males reach sexual maturity and they form strong pack bonds at 16 months. Spaying and neutering should be done at this stage.
5. Transition to Maturity – By now (16-36 months), your German shepherd has no crucial milestones and starts to grow gradually. Males are considered mature at 36 months while females must be at least 24 months.

Make sure that your German shepherd eats a nutritious high-quality dog food diet that supports normal joints and hips development.

German Shepherds Growth Chart for Females

Here is the growth chart for German Shepherd females that shows their weight range and adult weight percentage as they grow.

Age	Weight Range	% of Adult Weight
1 month	4.5 lbs. – 8 lbs.	10%
2 months	11 lbs. – 17 lbs.	22%
3 months	17 lbs. – 26 lbs.	40%
4 months	31 lbs. – 35 lbs.	50%
5 months	35 lbs. – 44 lbs.	60%
6 months	44 lbs. – 49 lbs.	70%
7 months	49 lbs. – 53 lbs.	80%
8 months	53 lbs. – 57 lbs.	85%
9 months	55 lbs. – 60 lbs.	90%
10 months	57 lbs. – 62 lbs.	92%
11 months	60 lbs. – 64 lbs.	95%
1 year	60 lbs. – 64 lbs.	95%
1 ½ years	60 lbs. – 66 lbs.	98%
2 years	62 lbs. – 66 lbs.	98%
3 years	66 lbs. – 70 lbs.	100%

German Shepherds Growth Chart for Males

Below is the growth chart for German Shepherd males. It shows their weight range and percentage of adult weight as they grow.

Age	Weight Range	% of Adult Weight
1 month	5.5 lbs. – 9 lbs.	10%
2 months	16 lbs. – 20 lbs.	22%
3 months	22 lbs. – 30 lbs.	40%
4 months	35 lbs. – 40 lbs.	50%
5 months	40 lbs. – 49 lbs.	60%
6 months	49 lbs. – 57 lbs.	70%
7 months	57 lbs. – 62 lbs.	80%
8 months	62 lbs. – 66 lbs.	85%
9 months	64 lbs. – 71 lbs.	90%
10 months	66 lbs. – 73 lbs.	92%
11 months	66 lbs. – 75 lbs.	95%
1 year	71 lbs. – 75 lbs.	95%
1 ½ years	71 lbs. – 79 lbs.	98%
2 years	71 lbs. – 84 lbs.	98%
3 years	79 lbs. – 88 lbs.	100%

German Shepherds Growth Pictures

Check out these pictures displaying the German shepherd’s growth:

German Shepherds Growth by Month

Check out the charts above for more information on German shepherd’s growth by month.

German Shepherds Golden Years

When German shepherds reach their golden years, you need to take care of them with healthy diets that promote joint and hip health. How you have been feeding them as they grow defines how long they live as well as their health during this old age.

Make sure they have enough training from their 3^rd month birthday throughout adulthood and when they reach their golden years as well.

FAQs

How long does it take for a German shepherd to be full-grown?

Just like most large dog breeds out there, it takes a German shepherd approx. 18 months to be fully grown. Females, however, need to be at least 2 years old to be considered fully grown. Males, on the other hand, ought to be approx. 2 ½ years old to reach their full size.

How can you tell how big a German shepherd will get?

The best way to tell how big an adult size German shepherd will get is based on the hereditary personal history of his parents. At shoulder height, male German shepherds should be 24-inch to 26-inch while females should be 22-inch to 24-inch.

At what age do German shepherds grow the most?

German shepherds grow the most when they are 2 to 2 ½ years old. 

What is the average weight of a German shepherd?

The average weight of a male German shepherd should be between 30 kg – 40 kg, while that of a female should be 22 kg – 32 kg.

Wrap-Up

German shepherds are good dogs, but they are large and very active which means they need a lot of exercise. So, if you cannot offer that, this is not your breed to adopt. A lot of factors come into play in determining how your German shepherd will grow, but mostly genetic factors.

It is crucial to understand and interpret your German shepherd growth chart so you can tell when he is growing correctly or not. Plenty of exercise and nutrition is handy in your pooch’s growth. So, make sure that you feed them with high-quality dog food that is palatable and nutritious.

Do not allow your German shepherd to be overweight, obese, or thin. Maintain his ideal body size. Hopefully, the article was helpful and answered your main questions regarding GSDs growth chart. Ciao!