Before German Shepherds grow to become large dogs, they go through different stages of growth. In this article, we’ll discuss those stages along with other aspects of their growth, such as expected heights, weights, and when German Shepherds eventually stop growing.
When Do German Shepherds Stop Growing?
A German Shepherd’s growth rate declines from about one year of age before eventually stopping when they’re between two to three years old. Male German Shepherds tend to stop growing when they reach between 2 ½ years to 3 years of age, whereas females usually stop growing when they reach 2 to 2 ½ years. Either way, German Shepherds aren’t generally considered to be mature before reaching the age of 3 and are considered puppies before then.
German Shepherd Stages Of Development
Before we get into the numbers, let’s first look into a German Shepherd’s stages of development, as doing so will provide you a better understanding of your dog’s expected growth and will help you monitor and determine if your dog is growing as intended.
Neonatal Stage
This stage consists of the first two weeks of a German Shepherd’s life and is characterized by the puppy’s helpless nature and its reliance on its mother.
During this stage a German Shepherd puppy may grow between 65 to 90 grams.
Transitional Stage
The transitional stage occurs from the second to the fourth week of the puppy’s development and is characterized by the puppy becoming extremely sensitive to its environment.
During this time, the puppy starts developing its sense of smell and hearing, opens its eyes, and its first teeth start to appear. It will also begin to stand, walk, wag its tail and even bark at this stage.
Socialization Stage
This stage lasts from the German Shepherd’s third week to its first three months.
At this point, a puppy will start to interact with the world and its environment. It also starts to learn social skills from its mother, and thus should ideally remain with its mother during the entire period.
This stage is also ideal for socialization. And so it’s crucial to expose the puppy to different sights, smells, sounds, people, and other pets during this stage for it to become completely comfortable with its surroundings.
At the end of this stage, a puppy should have developed a fear response and full use of its senses, which will allow you to begin housebreaking and elementary training.
Juvenile Stage
During the juvenile stage, which occurs during the third month to the sixth, the development will begin to slow down, and the puppy would typically be around two-thirds of its adult size.
From this point, changes would be very gradual and will mainly involve the maturity of the puppy’s motor capabilities.
Other than that, the puppies will also start teething at this stage, so expect heavy chewing.
Sexual Maturity Stage
As the name of the stage implies, this stage, which occurs from 6 months to 16 months of a puppy’s development, is characterized by the puppy reaching sexual maturity.
From this point forward, a male German Shepherd will be capable of siring puppies, and a female German Shepherd will start having heat cycles.
If you don’t plan on breeding, this would be the perfect period to spay or neuter your German Shepherd.
Transition To Adult Stage
In transition to the adult stage, which occurs from month sixteen to month thirty-six of the puppy’s development, the puppy will continue to fill its body and grow in size before eventually achieving physical maturity.
How Big Do German Shepherds Get?
German Shepherds can grow into large dogs with male German Shepherds growing up to 88 pounds or 40 kilograms in weight, and 26 inches or 65 centimeters in height, while female German Shepherds can grow up to 70 pounds or 32 kilograms in weight, and 24 inches or 60 centimeters in height.
For a more in-depth look at a German Shepherd’s size, the following charts show their average height and weight by age.
Average Weight And Height By Age For Male German Shepherds
| Age | Weight (lbs/kg) | Height (in/cm) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Month | 5.5 – 9 lbs / 2.5 – 4 kg | 4 – 6” / 11 – 16 cm |
| 2 Months | 16 – 20 lbs / 6 – 9 kg | 7 – 9” / 17 – 22 cm |
| 3 Months | 22 – 30 lbs / 10 – 14 kg | 9 – 11” / 23 – 27 cm |
| 4 Months | 35 – 40 lbs / 16 – 18 kg | 11 – 14” / 29 – 35 cm |
| 5 Months | 40 – 49 lbs / 18 – 22 kg | 14 – 16” / 35 – 40 cm |
| 6 Months | 49 – 57 lbs / 22 – 26 kg | 16 – 18” / 41 – 46 cm |
| 7 Months | 57 – 62 lbs / 26 – 28 kg | 19 – 20” / 47 – 52 cm |
| 8 Months | 62 – 66 lbs / 28 – 30 kg | 20 – 22” / 51 – 56 cm |
| 9 Months | 64 – 71 lbs / 29 – 32 kg | 21 – 23” / 54 – 59 cm |
| 10 Months | 66 – 73 lbs / 30 – 33 kg | 22 – 24” / 55 – 60 cm |
| 11 Months | 66 – 75 lbs / 30 – 34 kg | 22 – 24” / 57 – 62 cm |
| 1 Year | 71 – 75 lbs / 32 – 34 kg | 22 – 24” / 57 – 62 cm |
| 2 Years | 71 – 84 lbs / 32 – 38 kg | 23 – 25” / 59 – 64 cm |
| 3 Years | 79 – 88 lbs / 36 – 40 kg | 24 – 26” / 60 – 65 cm |
Average Weight And Height By Age For Female German Shepherds
| Age | Weight (lbs/kg) | Height (in/cm) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Month | 4.5 – 8 lbs / 2 – 3.5 kg | 3 – 6” / 8 – 14 cm |
| 2 Months | 11 – 17 lbs / 5 – 7.5 kg | 6 – 9” / 14 – 22 cm |
| 3 Months | 17 – 26 lbs / 8 – 12 kg | 8 – 10” / 20 – 25 cm |
| 4 Months | 31 – 35 lbs / 14 – 16 kg | 10 – 12” / 26 – 31 cm |
| 5 Months | 35 – 44 lbs / 16 – 20 kg | 12 – 14” / 31 – 36 cm |
| 6 Months | 44 – 49 lbs / 20 – 22 kg | 15 – 17” / 37 – 42 cm |
| 7 Months | 49 – 53 lbs / 22 – 24 kg | 17 – 19” / 43 – 48 cm |
| 8 Months | 53 – 57 lbs / 24 – 26 kg | 18 – 20” / 45 – 50 cm |
| 9 Months | 55 – 60 lbs / 25 – 27 kg | 19 – 21” / 48 – 53 cm |
| 10 Months | 57 – 62 lbs / 26 – 28 kg | 19 – 21” / 49 – 54 cm |
| 11 Months | 60 – 64 lbs / 27 – 29 kg | 20 – 22” / 51 – 56 cm |
| 1 Year | 60 – 64 lbs / 27 – 29 kg | 20 – 22” / 51 – 56 cm |
| 2 Years | 62 – 66 lbs / 28 – 30 kg | 22” / 53 – 57 cm |
| 3 Years | 66 – 70 lbs / 28 – 32 kg | 24” / 55 – 60 cm |
What If Your German Shepherd Doesn’t Fit The Numbers?
The numbers presented in the charts are simply averages, and a German Shepherd can be smaller or larger than indicated while still being perfectly healthy. As long as your German Shepherd isn’t experiencing any issues, then it shouldn’t matter if your dog’s height or weight matches with the given numbers.
That said, German Shepherd’s have an ideal length to height ratio of 10:8.5.
Meaning, a German Shepherd’s length as measured from its chest to the base of its tail must be slightly longer than its height as measured from the bottom of its feet to the highest point of its shoulder blades.
So, if your German Shepherd is 30 inches long, then it should ideally be about 25.5 inches in height.
Does Your German Shepherd Have A Weight Problem?
Again, the chart only presents averages and a German Shepherd’s weight may fall outside the range despite it being completely healthy.
So to confirm if your German Shepherd has a weight problem you would have to consult with a veterinarian. However, you can also try do it yourself by following these guidelines:
A German Shepherd should ideally be lean as characterized by a well-proportioned waist and easy to feel ribs. If your German Shepherd has prominent and well-pronounced ribs, then it may be underweight. Whereas if you can’t see your German Shepherd’s waist and you can’t feel its ribs, then it is most definitely overweight.
Just note however, that German Shepherds are generally thinner than other large dogs, and that puppies also tend to be thin before they fill out their bodies.
What If Your German Shepherd Isn’t The Right Weight?
If your German Shepherd is diagnosed as being either overweight or underweight, your best course of action would be to ask your vet for actionable steps that you can take to get your German Shepherd fit and healthy. But for general guidelines, refer to the following:
For underweight German Shepherds you may have to:
- Check for medical conditions such as parasites or diseases like diabetes, liver disease, or cancer
- Take your German Shepherd for a dental check-up and address any mouth conditions that may affect its appetite
- Feed your German Shepherd the right amount of high-quality dog food
For overweight German Shepherds you may have to:
- Cut out on treats and sweets
- Feed your German Shepherd less and perhaps the right amount of dog food
- Provide a sufficient amount of exercise
- Check for medical conditions such as hypothyroidism and Cushing’s disease
- Treat possible issues such as hip dysplasia or arthritis
Please note that these are only general guidelines and are not meant to substitute for proper professional help. If your German Shepherd is indeed experiencing weight-related issues, please consult with a veterinarian.
Related Questions
Why Is My German Shepherd So Skinny?
A German Shepherd may be skinny for a variety of reasons. For one, if it’s still a puppy, then it might simply be because the puppy’s muscles are still developing. If not, however, it may be caused by improper diet or health issues such as diabetes and liver disease.
Why Is My German Shepherd So Fat?
German Shepherds could be overweight or fat for a variety of reasons, including improper diet, lack of exercise, genetics, and even medical conditions such as hypothyroidism and Cushing’s disease.
