Rocky was below 75lb for many years. Now that he's become a senior and he's more sedentary, his weight has edged up to 77 or 78lb, but he is certainly a medium-sized GSD. Kopper's ideal weight is currently below 75lb, but at 16 months I'm not sure whether he'll be above or below that mark at full maturity.

 

If is not too much of a bother I would like to see a photo of him in his prime. And also of those within the range, thank you.

 

I am just curious, where does your definition of medium size come from?

 

The reason I’m delimiting the size of dogs by weight instead of height is because the physical conformation of dogs is so wide that you can have short dogs of heavy physic like english bulldogs or tall but lean dogs like greyhounds, so height is not a good pointer to classify dogs by size. Now, with the GSD, the wide range (too wide if you ask me) of weight that the standard allows, 66 to 88 lb for males and 48 to 70 lb for females, has made of the GSD a large dog instead of the medium size dog that is supposed to be. So by looking at other breeds that are considered to be of medium size, I delimited a range around 44 to 75 lb, then I overlap it with the standard of the GSD which give us a range of 66 to 75 lb for males and 48 to 57 lb. Hope that answered your question.

 

I think the SV standard has a weight for males of 30-40 kg (66-88lb) and females 22-32 kg (49-72lb). I guess under those guidelines OP's definition would be "medium".

 

I think the SV standard has a weight for males of 30-40 kg (66-88lb) and females 22-32 kg (49-72lb). I guess under those guidelines OP's definition would be "medium".

And the AKC standard in the US doesn't specify a weight just a height range (about the same as the SV 24-26" males and 22-24' for females.

that sounds like a good weight for that size.

My 4yo male is just about 27" (little over size) and about 87 lbs depending on when he has eaten!

he certainly seems to be medium sized to me.

 

Well Sasha hovers between about 68 and 72 lbs. Alot of the GSD's I know are right within the standard that Emoore mentioned as well. So yes. In my area at least, it still exists.

 

The midrange of the SV standard is approximately 77 pounds for males and 59.5 pounds for females. Halo is usually right around 60 pounds, so she's almost exactly at the midpoint, Keefer is usually around 80 pounds, so he's a little over the midpoint, but still well within the standard. There do seem to be a lot of oversized GSDs out there, but not all of them are.

 

Sasha seems medium size to me. I can't remember her exact height but it was within that 22-24" I believe. She's 70lbs, which to me makes her a medium sized dog, albeit perhaps on the upper end of weight for the breed for her sex.

 

Ok, I think even Milla and Ninja are out of your range for medium sized. But medium size is subjective, really. If you are accustomed to collie/shepherd sized dogs, and not a stranger to St. Bernards, Great Danes, and Mastiffs, the properly-sized GSD look kind of small in comparison. If your used to Yorkies and Chis, well then a properly-sized GSD looks huge, large breed for sure.

It really all comes down to character though. If you have matched the dog to the owner, then the size of the dog is perfect.

 

All of my GSDs fit the OP's standard. Nikon is 70-75lbs (depending on time of year and if I'm showing him in a UKC show) at 3.5 years, and Pan is 71lbs at 19 months. Kenya my 8 year old female is usually 50-53lbs.

Nikon

Pan

Kenya

 

Not to hijack an interesting thread, but I really love your dogs! So beautiful!

 

You tend to see the type/size GS you are inquiring about in some of the dog sports that emphasize agility, (French ring, KNPV,etc), and many of the non European police dogs I see are this size.

 

Clifton, would you know of some lines that tend to produce the smaller end of the size scale? I've seen a fair amount of the upper/over-standard dogs and yes, they can move if well-built but a smaller dog seems to fly.

 

I've seen a fair amount of the upper/over-standard dogs and yes, they can move if well-built but a smaller dog seems to fly.

For me this is ideal - a dog that does not have the appearance of being small or fine, but appears well-boned and masculine yet is not large or heavy.

Exactly! As I see it, being a medium sized dog is an asset for a versatile and multi-purpose working dog like the GSD, which, in contrast with a bigger dog, would mean more speed, agility, endurance and, in the long run, less stress for the body (specially the joints).

 

Dogs that size exist..my pup's parents both weigh about 75 lbs. To see the sire..goggle Jabina-Eros. It is a great size for me. I like to participate in obedience/dock diving/rally and a smaller dog is better.

 

I think that many GSDs look larger than life. I've gotten so many comments on Nikon's size, head, and bone and then when people meet him in person they are surprised at how compact he is. Most people guess he weighs 80-90lbs and he weighs 70. For me this is ideal - a dog that does not have the appearance of being small or fine, but appears well-boned and masculine yet is not large or heavy. I'm really happy with how he's matured, both his overall appearance and his actual size. Pan I believe will end up over 75lbs since he is already as tall as Nikon and only 19 months. However I did intentionally ask for a smaller male and growing up he was usually 10-15lbs lighter than his litter brothers. I like the medium size for sports. I think it is safer for the dogs (especially flyball, since all the equipment is a fixed size, fixed height, there's no way to make accommodations for a larger dog like in agility where you can run lower jump heights and pace your dog slower). I also like that my dogs are easy to manage for me, physically. I took Nikon to get a dog massage at a recent flyball event and the lady had this look of dread on her face b/c she does the massage up on a grooming table. I said no problem and easily lifted Nikon on/off her table. Smaller = less to feed, easier loading in/out of vehicles, easy for me to lift and carry when I have to, more comfortable in normal sized crates. Pan is the fastest U-fli flyball German Shepherd in history. He's not what I consider small, but there's nothing excessive about him. He's lean, a bit finer boned (for a male), and doesn't have a huge bulky head. Everything about his body is....efficient. He's not the best or most impressive looking dog, but he is fast and runs clean and safe.

 

I think that many GSDs look larger than life. I've gotten so many comments on Nikon's size, head, and bone and then when people meet him in person they are surprised at how compact he is. Most people guess he weighs 80-90lbs and he weighs 70.

Very true, it's difficult to tell how large a dog is from a picture, even when near another dog or a person, unless you know how large that person or other dog is! I'd definitely have guessed Nikon to be bigger, it's hard to imagine him being 10 pounds less than Keef, who is also big boned with a large masculine head.

 

For me this is ideal - a dog that does not have the appearance of being small or fine, but appears well-boned and masculine yet is not large or heavy.

Agreed! People think Renji is much larger than he really is and tend to think twice about approaching him. Even had someone try to come into the gate only to see a faceful of angry Renji. He screamed "THERE'S A BIG EFFING DOG HERE." Renji is 50 lbs soaking wet but ridiculously fast and agile. To me, that's perfect. Have the presence of a rottweiler, the speed of a whippet, the agility of a border collie, wrapped up in a very manageable size.

Everything about his body is....efficient.

Perfect! That is an excellent way to put it. Not a small GSD, not an oversize GSD, an "efficiently sized" GSD.

Lies, do you have links to videos of Pan in action?

Ponyfarm, thanks for that. A lot of people like the Jabina dogs. I'd like to meet one sometime.

 

Lies, do you have links to videos of Pan in action?

Pan's flyball videos - YouTube

Also Debbie's Halo is doing flyball and I believe she's a medium/correct sized female,if I recall she's under or near 60lbs. Falon's Kastle is doing flyball and he's still under 60lbs I think (he's a year old next month). Nikon does flyball too but he's not as fast as Pan or Kastle (he started around 5.2 and now is getting closer to 4.5 but is never going to be a 4.0 or sub-4 dog like Pan).

 

There really are no lines anymore that seem to emphasize the smaller dog....dogs like Arek vom Stoffelblick seem to have a tendency to produce smaller dogs but it really comes down to what the general genetic composition is.

 

Yep, Halo is right around 60 pounds, and most of that is hair! :wild:

 

My breeder actually bred two dogs on the small size and out came Baby Huey (for those who remember the comics)

Actually at 9 mos Beau is not THAT big - 70lbs but I imagine he will wind up 80-85 since he is already 24 inches at the shoulder

Grim is 70-75 and that is a nice working size for me-he is 23 inches at the shoulder.

 

My breeder actually bred two dogs on the small size and out came Baby Huey (for those who remember the comics)

Actually at 9 mos Beau is not THAT big - 70lbs but I imagine he will wind up 80-85 since he is already 24 inches at the shoulder

Grim is 70-75 and that is a nice working size for me-he is 23 inches at the shoulder.

23 would be a little under the AKC standard for a male GSD (24-26").

 

Ruger is 11.5 months old and is on the smaller size. He is 24 inches and 62lbs. I know he is just a pup and has more growing to do but I expect him to always be on the smaller size. Both of his parents were dutch imports with KNVP dogs on top and bottom of his pedigree. I am not sure if that is really connected to his small size or not but it satisfies the bigger is better crowd who always comment on his size.

 

I had a couple of breeders tell me that a GSD has reached just about their adult size in height by about 9-10 mo but they will add some pounds as they get to about 2yo.

 

Masi has flunked her size standard, had her in the other day for her annual, she's 26" at the shoulders and lean 80lbs...The only other female I had was 26" and around 70lbs. Masi is longer in body I would say.

My males were 26" and around 80lbs except for the "mutant" who was 32" and 125lbs.

Oh well, love them anyway, they weren't picked for their 'size', just ended up being what they are

 

Okay, first of all thanks for all the answers so far and to come. Now, for what I’m seeing, the medium sized GSD still exist but is not your average GSD as it should be, it’s more like the oddity.

 

Singe just measured at 24" and 74 lbs at 16 months old.

 

Most of my girls are 24 inches or slightly over 24. A few are 23 inches. And Milla and a few of the others are around 60 pounds, where my heaviest girls are around 70 on fat days. So they are not gigundo dogs.

The funny thing is, I get people who say they are really large, and other people who say they are really small.

 

The funny thing is, I get people who say they are really large, and other people who say they are really small.

THIS For every person who asks why my dogs are so small/skinny there are 2 more who panic at the sight of my "huge" dog

 

According to the vet visit this morning, Pan weighs 68lbs and Nikon weighs 71. I am 5'7". They don't seem oddly small or short to me!

 

My first female GSD was big--24" and 78 pounds. My next girl was Nike -- 22" and 55 pounds.

Now I have 5 females under 65 pounds for normal weight--Jubilee (22.5) and Xita (22.5 ish) are around 59 pounds; Hunter is 65 (23"), Oda is 65 pounds, probably 23".

Young Nemi is going to be the big girl--she's 65 pounds at 8 months--but she doesn't look it. I think she's just very heavy boned.

As long as the dogs are within the standard and have good bone strength, I'm happy with the small size--tremendous agility, easier time handling the heat, and easier to have in the house. But I still love the looks of a large (but within standard!) male.

 

My first female GSD was big--24" and 78 pounds. My next girl was Nike -- 22" and 55 pounds.

Now I have 5 females under 65 pounds for normal weight--Jubilee (22.5) and Xita (22.5 ish) are around 59 pounds; Hunter is 65 (23"), Oda is 65 pounds, probably 23".

Young Nemi is going to be the big girl--she's 65 pounds at 8 months--but she doesn't look it. I think she's just very heavy boned.

As long as the dogs are within the standard and have good bone strength, I'm happy with the small size--tremendous agility, easier time handling the heat, and easier to have in the house. But I still love the looks of a large (but within standard!) male.

Both of your first ones were within the AKC standard (22-24") for females.