[DHau]

My dog is 4 months old as of today and everybody keeps saying my little girl will be big. I ask how do you know and they keep referring to the size of her feet. Ok, how can you tell by the size of the feet? I never have seen a GS with small feet. lol. To me, she looks in proportion.

Her weight on Monday was 38 pounds. She gained 10 pounds since Thanksgiving. Is this too much too fast?

 

[doreenf]

Well I can only say that Izzy was 12 pounds when we got her(rescued from a puppy mill) and 4.5 months old. I would not be too concerned with your puppy she sounds right on track. Izzy was malnourished so her growth has been altered. But she is gaining weight, she is 28 pounds and 5 months old. Its been a struggle but she if finally coming around.

 

[GSDextrodinaire]

It is not the size of the feet that are important it is the size of the growth plates above the feet that give you an idea of how big the pup will be, and even that isn't 100%. I have a LARGE female who has the tiniest petite tight feet I have ever seen on a GSD. Then I have a medium female with large tight feet. However, the majority of dogs you can predict to some degree the size of the dog by the growth plates.

 

[Guest]

Frigga weighs 64 llbs and Odin weighs 125 llbs. Their feet are exactly the same size and they wear the same size dog boots from Ruff Wear. Makes things easier not having to worry who's boot is who's when it's time to go skijoring.

 

[Chris Wild]

The idea that you can tell a dog's adult size by how big his feet are as a pup is a common old wives tale with no real basis in fact.

38lbs at 4 months old is a perfectly normal size, neither big nor small. But as dogs tend to grown a differing rates, some slower than others, being normal now doesn't mean she'll be normal as an adult. She could end up maturing out large, or she could be on the smaller side. Best way to guess how big she'll be as an adult is to look at the size of her parents, but even that is just a guess. You'll have to wait and see.

 

[Romance]

I think I have a mutant. at 5 months old he is 58lbs. Height 24 inches length 26 inches.

 

[daviddrena]

What are the growth plates on their paws?

 

[DHau]

I can't answer that question because I don't know anything about growth plates. Would you please explain it to me and then I'll go from there.

 

[SunCzarina]

Don't pay the comments any mind unless the people saying such things have actually raised a German shepherd or six. My girl Morgan had big feet, thick legs and HUGE knees as a puppy. All grown up, her feet are well proportioned and tight. She's tall-ish side at 24" because those thick legs turned long and skinny.

They go through weird growth stages. LOL, just wait until her ears are fully grown but her head isn't.

 

[MaggieRoseLee]

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=218891&page=1#Post218891 is a great site to compare growth and size of our pups.

 

[daviddrena]

I was asking the question based on GSDextra... comments

 

[Brightelf]

Basset hound puppies have collossal paws-- and grow to be short dogs. Greyhound pups have tiny, petite paws-- and usually grow to be tall dogs.

"Big paws" only indicates the dog will have substantial bone, and does not indicate future height of the pup.

 

[Kasey06]

When I got Kasey at 8 weeks of age she was around 16 pounds. She gained a steady 10lb a month weighing 51 pounds at 5 months. Then the growth slowed slightly and she weighed 70lbs at 9 months of age. Her growth has now stopped and she is holding steady at 75 pounds and almost 2 years of age. She is tall for a female, above standard, and very thin although she is starting to fill out and gain some muscle.

 

[onyx'girl]

I was always told the same thing about Onyx-big feet=big dog. She is large for a girl 90 lb and 27" at one year. Her knee knuckles and ears were huge and she went thru three bouts of Pano. So far she hasn't had it since early October and then it only lasted about 10 days. She still has to grow into those ears!

 

[istie]

Is that size within the breed standard?
Because a dog at 125lb would be oversized in australia

Size/Weight

Males: Height at the wither 60 cm to 65 cm
Weight 30 kg to 40 kg.

Females: Height at the wither 55 cm to 60 cm
Weight 22 kg - 32 kg

That is over size according to this too. 125lb is around 56kg

 

[Romance]

125 is over standard here as well.

 

[istie]

Are these large dogs shown? If so ho do they go?
Over here some are about 70cm, not sure of inches i think about 30inches

 

[Guest]

Oh yes, my Odin at 31" and 125 llbs is over "standard", however so am I at 6' and 225 llbs.

There are bigger dogs than others just as there are bigger people than others.

 

[istie]

lol GSDad!
I am guessing he is a pet and not shown then.
I have seen big sheps but not Odins size. That is Great Dane size isnt it?

 

[Amaruq]

Originally Posted By: istieAre these large dogs shown? If so ho do they go?
Over here some are about 70cm, not sure of inches i think about 30inches

Nope most of the over the standard dogs are not shown and many are not worked in any way "over here". Over the standard also generally means that their "working" career would be shorter as well as the GSD body just isnt designed to woro at that size.