First time GSD owner... need advice.

[Coolhandluke135]

I work for our county's sheriff's office and I've always been stunned at the amazing work our GSD's can do. I decided to go through a recommended breeder and soon after we took home our first shepherd.

We named our little boy Tank, and so far he's exceeded all of our expectations. He's currently 6 months old and around 70 lbs, so he's grown into his name.

He has 1 floppy ear, but from reading on the forum, that shouldn't really be a concern as it will more than likely pop up.

The real concern I have is that he refuses to jump... at all. He wont jump on the bed, while playing with his ball, or getting into the car (MAYBE 2 feet at most). Sometimes he's a little slow to get up, but other than that, he's full speed. He has no issues running and his gait seems fairly normal for a shepherd. I know GSD's are prone to hip problems, but both his parents are rated in good condition and I would think this isn't an issue at 6 months, although I know it can be.

I've put pressure on his hips and allowed him to walk and it feels like a slight popping in his rear joints. I've also laid him down and very lightly extended his leg, but he immediately cried in pain so I stopped.

ANY words of wisdom from someone familiar with the breed would be helpful. Has anyone seen the jumping issue before? Should I be concerned with hip dysplasia already? The last thing I want to do is over exercise him and make it worse (he likes to go running with me and has an extreme ball drive).

I know the only real way to tell is to get X-rays, so that will in our immediate future.

Thanks in advance!!

[BR870]

You really do need to get him checked. Unfortunately 6 months is not too young for it to show up. At 6 months is too early to say that HD won't develop, but if it is there it can be identified. There is no way of knowing for sure without the XRays

You said you used a reputable breeded, if so how does the breeder normally handle HD pups?

[Emoore]

Yeah, get him x-rayed ASAP. Also, take a good hard look at his body conditioning. 6 month old pups should be LEAN, with a very obvious waistline and "tuck" at the abdomen. 70lb is pretty heavy for a 6 month old. He may just be exceptionally large, but he also may be a bit heavy for his hips to support. For comparison, my pup is 7 months, a little shy of 60lb, and you can see his back couple of ribs when he runs. The less weight on those developing hips, the better.

[Coolhandluke135]

I would say he's lean. He has the slight tuck at his waistline and his ribs are visible. He's always been a rather large pup and was the biggest in the litter.

Is it possible for them to grow too quickly and he could be experiencing growing pains? Also, should I take him off puppy food now? I know he's still a puppy, but I've heard it can cause the excessive growth and accelerate joint problems.

I'm going to swing by the vet tomorrow and see what they can do in the next week or so.

[idahospud49]

Originally Posted by Coolhandluke135

I would say he's lean. He has the slight tuck at his waistline and his ribs are visible. He's always been a rather large pup and was the biggest in the litter.

Is it possible for them to grow too quickly and he could be experiencing growing pains? Also, should I take him off puppy food now? I know he's still a puppy, but I've heard it can cause the excessive growth and accelerate joint problems.

I'm going to swing by the vet tomorrow and see what they can do in the next week or so.

Yes growing pains are very possible. Its called panosteitis. My first GSD had it quite severely. Would not eat unless I personally fed him, wouldn't move unless I walked him around. As painful as it is for them, I hope that is all it is and not something more serious!

[Emoore]

Originally Posted by Coolhandluke135

I would say he's lean. He has the slight tuck at his waistline and his ribs are visible. He's always been a rather large pup and was the biggest in the litter.

Is it possible for them to grow too quickly and he could be experiencing growing pains? Also, should I take him off puppy food now? I know he's still a puppy, but I've heard it can cause the excessive growth and accelerate joint problems.

I'm going to swing by the vet tomorrow and see what they can do in the next week or so.

OK, you've just got a big pup, not an overweight one. Yes, he can absolutely be experiencing growing pains. This is called Panosteitis and is common in GSDs. I would definitely take him off the puppy food and put him on an adult maintenance food. Puppy food has too much calcium that can cause them to grow too quickly.

[MaggieRoseLee]

Call and check with your breeder. See how the rest of the pups are doing in the litter.

Definitely get to the vets to check him out!

[lrodptl]

As an owner of a GSD with one floppy ear that taped for 4 months I'd get right on it. When that window closes,it closes forever.

[Freestep]

I'm going to echo what the others said and get him an x-ray ASAP. It could also be pano (growth pains). Sounds like he is a big puppy and growing too quickly for his own good; what are you feeding him?

[lrodptl]

My last 2 GSDs were 70 pounds at 6 months old and topped out between 90-95. I don't think he's oversized at all. But if a little rest ain't helping,I'd get it evaluated.