# How much weight should she be putting on?



## Lexi'sMum (Oct 22, 2009)

I was just wondering how do we know if we are feeding her the right amount of food and how much weight should a GSD puppy put on, on a weekly basis? We are obviously feeding as per guidelines and she has gained just under a 1kg in a week but she seems a little boney?!
Thanks.


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## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

Sky was chunky when she came to me at 8 weeks but she soon went into the gangly stage where she was all legs and looked skinny.

At around 7-8 months she weighed just over 24kg (5 stone). She's now 1 years old and still looks 'skinny'. So much so my OH got some advice. Apparently she's not skinny people just want to see their dogs with a good layer of fat.

If your pup has a thin layer of fat she's fine.


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## DelboyTrotter (Nov 14, 2009)

A kilogram a week sounds quite a lot to me, you do not want her putting weight on too quickly, they don't normally fill out until they pass the teen years. What is the ideal weight when maturity is reached? guessing maybe 27-35 kgs depending on sex.


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## Natik (Mar 9, 2008)

its all depending on the type of german shpeherd and its sex obviously....

u cant really put down an exact number what they should gain weekly as it changes the more the dog gets older...

best is to ensure the pup is not overweight as this aint good for their growing bones and hips especially...

The guidlines are a good thing to follow but they are only just that, a guidline as every dog is individuall... 

Obviously u shouldnt be able to see the dogs ribs and they should be covered by a thin fat layer ...


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## WoodyGSP (Oct 11, 2009)

I've got the same problem with my German shorthaired pointer. He is 10 1/2 weeks old and weighed nearly 6kgs at 7 1/2 weeks when we got him. He now weighs just over eight. I've been feeding him a bit over the guidelines (currently what it reccomends for a 10kg puppy- 250g). He doesn't seem to be putting the extra food on as fat, I think he's just using it for extra energy I asked the vet about it and she said he could put on a bit of weight and that puppies of this age are usually a little chubbier. I know pointers are a lean breed, but I can see his ribs(slightly), which I thought was bad. Also he scavs a lot and I don't know if he's hungry or just greedy. 
Sorry, I don't want to hijack your thread, I just thought I'd let you know you're not alone.


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## Lexi'sMum (Oct 22, 2009)

Thanks for the advice everyone.
Just to let you know she weighs approx 5.6kg and has just turned 9weeks old. 
Like you WoodGsp she seems to be always hungry and i'm not sure if it's because she is hungry or just greedy, we also clicker train with treats so i am really worried that we are over feeding her yet she doesn't seem overweight.
Does anyone have any ideas if her weight sounds right for her age, i know there is variation with each dog?
Thanks again.


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## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

I wouldn't worry too much, she sounds OK 

I've got a GR and full adult weight his weight is similar to that of a medium build German Shepherd (he's slightly taller than the breed standard for goldens).

When he came home he weighed 13lbs (7 1/2 weeks old and 5.8kg) and by ten weeks old he was easily 17lbs (7.7 kgs).

When he was 7 months old he weighed about 53lbs (24kgs), and when he got neutered at 10 months old he weighed 60lbs (27kgs). The vet said he was just fine etc and that if he was a bit chunky they would want the weight off a bit before neutering, but that he was good.

I felt that Roo gained weight at a huge rate but I wouldn't worry hugely about it, for the first year they spend all their time growing upwards, after a year they broaden out slightly and the weight gain really slows down.

From 10 months onwards Roo only has gained 5 kilos (in five months) and I want two of those off him, so the weight does slow down as they get older.

Thinking about it, he went from 5.8kg to 31kgs in the year he was here, divide that up by a year and that gain is about an average of half a kilo a week, the growth slowing down the older he got.

From 7 1/2 weeks to 7 months, so about 6 months, he went from the 5.8kgs to 24kgs. Divide that by the 6 months and its a gain of about 0.7 kgs a week

So for how it went for us, from 0-6 months he gained 0.7 kilos on average and from 0-12 months he gained about 0.5 kgs on average, so you can see the growth does slow down.

the older he got the more his weight slowed down, but he would put on a kilo a week then nothing for a couple weeks and so on, I wouldn't worry too much.

This is a good guideline that I have always used:










Feeling the ribs is about 1 1/2 inches down the ribcage I have been told. It will be more use as she gets bigger but its good to have reference to! I think she sounds fine


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## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

I was just about to post that chart 

just to let you know I found this too;
German Shepherd Weight and German Shepherd Growth Chart and Puppy Development


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## Lexi'sMum (Oct 22, 2009)

sequeena said:


> I was just about to post that chart
> 
> just to let you know I found this too;
> German Shepherd Weight and German Shepherd Growth Chart and Puppy Development





Tinsley said:


> I wouldn't worry too much, she sounds OK
> 
> I've got a GR and full adult weight his weight is similar to that of a medium build German Shepherd (he's slightly taller than the breed standard for goldens).
> 
> ...


Thanks guys,that's excellent and will keep all the info in mind.


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

sequeena said:


> I was just about to post that chart
> 
> just to let you know I found this too;
> German Shepherd Weight and German Shepherd Growth Chart and Puppy Development


Does anyone know of anything along these lines for a collie pup?


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## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

Burrowzig said:


> Does anyone know of anything along these lines for a collie pup?


I will look for you!
I'm trying to find one for a bullmastiff but no luck so far!

Here you can type in the measurements of your pup to see if he/she is overweight etc.
Growth of your Border Collie weight chart Border Collie puppies weight chart, dogs, dog growth chart

That is all I can find sorry!


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## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

Lexi your pup seems to be spot on for her age!


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