Adopted 2yo female and have some questions... - Page 1

Came across this forum looking for some info on the newest member of our family.  We received her three weeks ago from some neighbors who could no longer keep her and our info is limited.  (We have a 5yo Lab, but this is our first German Shepherd, so we're learning as we go.  Ideally, we would have been more knowledgeable about the breed beforehand, but she needed a home and we're happy to have her.) 

She's 2 and hasn't been spayed (appointment next week) and at her first vet visit weighed 55lbs.  Vet was mildly concerned about her being underweight.  Previous owners told us they had a hard time getting her to eat, which we did see initially - although they provided us a bag of puppy kibble they'd been trying to feed her for extra nutrition.  After some food trials, she's eating well and seems to be filling out a bit (ribs not nearly as prominent as before).

She has a slight, lean build but appears...weak?...to us.  I'm thinking poor or inadequate nutrition has impeded her muscle development, but that's just my uneducated guess.  She has great spurts of energy and loves to play, but the stamina isn't there yet.  Her movements remind me of a puppy.  She's 'floppy' when she plays and is kinda gangly, but to be fair, we haven't wanted to overdo anything with her until she puts on a little weight.  (My experience is with the Lab, who is solidly built and has very efficient/effective movement - so my perception may be skewed.)  She gets two walks a day and play time whenever she wants it.

We were also told that they didn't feel she was bonding well with their family.  Thus far, she's doing well with us.  She loves the Lab, is intrigued by the cat, and enjoys being with the humans.  Initially, we were mildly concerned that there might be some behavioral issues, but nothing so far. 

We're not concerned with anything other than her health and wellbeing, but I was just curious about her physical development or lack thereof, if that's the case.  I realize all dogs are different, but I'm just looking for general info.  Any thoughts?  Thanks in advance.

German Shepherds are not as big as most people think they should be.  If you could provide a few pics, that would be helpful, but many times the dog is healthy lean.  If you're used to a Lab, it may be that she is just a different body type and you're thinking the best thing is to fatten her up.  Many vets are also not familiar with the correct weight for a healthy GSD, so I'd even question their opinion.  Typically, you should be able to see the last rib or two. 

That said, it also sounds like she may lack muscle due to not being exercised properly.  If they stated she didn't bond with the family, it could well be that she was confined to a crate for a good part of her existence, you just never know.  If she's adjusting well and doesn't seem to have any temperament issues, she's probably going to make a fantastic addition to your household and family.  I would suggest taking her for walks and also allowing her to run off-lead if you have fenced property.  GSDs are wonderful playmates, they excel at fetching and playing ball.  I'd get her off of the puppy food and put her on a good quality kibble, not the kind you can purchase in the supermarket.  Give her attention, affection an respect, combined with some training and discipline, when necessary.  There's no reason be harsh or cruel with discipline, but you must be firm.  No means no and there should be no compromise.  They're smart and will learn easily as long as you treat them fairly.

It sounds like you've had a good start with her already and I thank you for caring enough to take her in and provide a secure, loving home.  She will pay back everything you put into her and you'll most likely become hooked!  Welcome to the breed and the forum.  Pics are always welcomed!

Thanks for the feedback.  We've transitioned her to adult kibble and after trying a few different add-ins have finally found her preference.  It was foreign territory for us to have a dog walk away from a bowl of food (that's NEVER happened with the Lab  ).  We do portion feeding twice daily to prevent overeating and now that she's got something she likes and knows when she'll get it, she eats.  We're cognizant of weight issues and don't want to promote them in either dog, but she just seemed so incredibly thin and fragile.  We could easily feel the vertebrae, ribs, and see the hips and had more than a couple folks ask us if she was a 'rescue'.   The vet thought she definitely needed a little more weight.

Here are a couple pics from today - I didn't think to take any the first couple of days when she appeared the thinnest.








We're working on exercising her more to develop the muscles.  After seeing the Lab play catch, she caught on pretty quickly to how to play, but she's clumsy - as if she hasn't played fetch before.  Like I said - her movements remind me of a puppy, floppy and a bit uncoordinated.  I'm sure it'll come in time but I was curious about her physical development.  I appreciate the feedback and any more is appreciated.

Thanks.

She is, in my opinion, about 10 to 15 lbs. under weight. Others may feel she looks ok but  the bottom shot from the rear tells me she is underweight. The other issues sound to me like she just wasn't  handled or played with very much. With exercise, good food, and time to play/hang out with/bond to you she may very well be a different dog 6 months from now. She also sounds like she has a pretty good temperment (I'm not there to see her but this is going off what you said earlier).  Good luck with her and enjoy your new dog!

Mick

Thank you for your input.  Your estimate of 10-15 lbs is about what we were thinking.  Again though, not having any experience with the breed, I wasn't sure.  Were it not for her fur, I don't think there'd be much else there.  She just doesn't look or feel....sturdy.  Yet :)  I feel much better now that she eats two squares a day - and leaves nothing in the bowl.

And yes, her temperament is great.  She's wonderfully sweet, inquisitive, and smart, with a lot of stubborn mixed in - we love it.

Thanks again.

I do agree, she could stand to gain some, but not 15 lbs., maybe 10.  I think she needs to develop some muscle and that's something exercise will fix.  She's pretty and at least her coat looks healthy, which leads me to believe her diet wasn't too lacking.  She also may have been fasting from depression if she wasn't getting the attention and exercise she needed.  Are you sure about her age?  Did they give you any documents, such as AKC registration or even a pedigree?  If not, you may want to ask if they know who her sire and dam are, you may be able to find out something about her lineage.  Congrats and thanks for sharing her with us, looks like you've got a good dog there!

Nikki04 - Perhaps she's just going to be a 'floppy' runner, LOL.  We have a small area where she can romp, but I'm waiting to take her out in a larger space to see what she does and what her gait looks like.  I'm pretty sure she's got some speed, but just not the power yet.  Not that it really matters, other than I'm just curious.

GSDtravels - interesting you mentioned her coat because it was very dry when we got her and the shedding was unbelievable.  However, we've noticed a softening of and shine to her coat lately and while she still sheds, of course, it's nothing like it was the first week or so.

As far as paperwork - I have only an AKC Dog number and registered name from a web registration.  I'll admit that I know nothing of the breeding/lineage process and wouldn't know good lines from bad.  I was told she was 2yo (this month) and have something listing her 5, 6, 8 week vaccinations, but I don't know that it was from the breeder.  The only other info I have is a receipt showing an initial vet visit (with the previous owner) and registration when she would have been 13 mos....which leads me to think that maybe they actually got her when she was a year old (unless they just didn't register her locally right away).   Is it unusual that the breeder would have still had her at a year?  I have the breeder's info, but wasn't sure if it would be beneficial or appropriate to contact them.

hi,

maybe if she has problems eating try orjen fish!!... my husky was picky with his food.
once switched i noticed he loved his meal times, and got a nice coat, good teeth rather then the cheap stuff from walmart or costco.

now for my shepherd he only eats orjen fish formula. and i have no problems with eating, even my yorkie looks his food. and he was the worst of them all.
but for are yorkie we give him acana food, less protein for him!!

hope this helps

It's not necessarily strange for a breeder to have a young dog.  She could have been kept back as a breeding prospect and didn't mature as they would have liked, for example.  Sometimes pups just don't sell and in this economy, that's possible also.   Contacting the breeder is a decision only you can make.  Some breeders do care about where their dogs end up, some don't.  Some even have contracts stating that if the dog doesn't work out, she should be returned.  In that case, I don't know if you'd have legal right to the dog or not, but I'd think as long as she's in a good, loving home, that should satisfy anyone truly concerned with her welfare.  Knowing her lineage could be beneficial also, for genetic conditions, etc.  So, it's a double edged sword, if you know what I mean.  I think you would be wise to care for her, love her and let it go.  If you ever run into a problem, at least you know where to get in touch.

If her coat has improved since you've had her, it was most likely a nutritional issue and it should be rewarding to see that improvement already!  Good for you, you know you're going in the right direction!  Keep her on a good diet, keep at the exercise and be sure of her recall before ever letting her off-lead.  It wouldn't hurt to enroll her in an obedience class.   With the love and attention she's getting, I'm sure she'll gain approriate weight and thrive in your care.  I think her movement and gangliness will change as her muscle tone improves, but it may also just be the way she moves, only time will tell.

BTW, I have a large male and he is a picky eater, so it's not unheard of in the breed and they certainly are nothing like Labs.  Enjoy her and please update us on her progress, I'd love to see her once she reaches her potential.  Again, thank you for taking her in and giving her a good home!  Way too many good dogs end up in shelters because many just don't understand what it is to properly care for them.