5 month old GSD growing too fast? - Page 1

Hi, I'm a new owner of a german shepherd and I'm worried my pup might be growing too fast. I've had him since he was born and around 2 months he really seemed to shoot up in growth. He's now 5 months old (almost 6) and he weighs 68lbs. His father full grown weighs about 120 but I still worry that my baby (Chance) is growing too fast. I feed him Blue Buffalo large puppy breed food and sometimes I put milk in to help him gain some bulk and for his teething. Just recently I started to her his joints pop in his wrists should I be concerened? I want to do everything I can to help him grow properly. Any advice would be great!
Thanks!
Katie

He does sound rather on the large size for his age...... Though his sire is way too big for the weight standards for the breed.   How tall is your puppy at the shoulders? Any pictures?

Better answers will follow but I would say keep him thin enough to feel his ribs, but heavy enough that just the last one shows. Feed him adult dog food if you don't feed raw. Don't run him too much, or encourage jumping. aybe swiming and a little jogging on sand might be good. Beyond that I don't think you can do much more so worrying won't help much either. 

He's 24 Inches from floor to shoulders. His Father had incredibly long legs for the breed and they're not AKC registered its a breed from czechoslovakia. How do I put pictures up I would if I could figure out how

He was a big puppy when he was 7 weeks old, the largest of his litter weighed almost 20lbs. He was actually the smallest of the litter.

The two pictures on top are recent taken today, the one on the bottom with his ears up are of him around 3-4months.

And the one with ears down are him at 7 weeks old.

I think GSD pups should be thinner than you being able to feel the ribs.

The ribs should be faintly seen, that is just the vague outline of the ribs can be seen.

If you are concerned, this pup can be a little thinner, IMO, by about 5 pounds, it appears.

Feed a little less gradually and choose a food with no more than 1.2% calcium.

Nearly all commercial dog food has more calcium than ideal, except during lactation of a bitch.

Bones are ground up with the meat.

No need for additional calcium source for a pup.

I never use "large breed" pup food.

I feed a dense food but measured amount so as to restrict energy and calcium.

I forgot to mention he's grown about 10lbs every month.

XKAT7X

You said "..........and they're not AKC registered its a breed from czechoslovakia." Is he a German Shepherd? Or is he a Czech wolfdog? The reason I ask is because this could explain the size of him too. Or is he a German Shepherd pup from Czech lines and just hasnt been AKC registered?

I am not trying to bash him at all, just am curious what you meant! He is a nice looking pup!

No he is 100% German Shepherd but instead of being registered through AKC he's registered through something else and has a tattoo on his ear in case I ever end up showing him