Good weight? - Page 1

Hello , I have a 11 month old female German Shepherd. Just wondering what is considered a proper weight ? She weighs 60 lbs. Thanks

Weight is different for every dog...It depends on how fast they grow and how big their frame is...
If she's a 11 month old GSD basically you should be able to see her last 2 ribs as she moves...You don't want them overweight...Overweight causes a lot of problems including putting a lot of unneeded stress on their skeletal system...This is a good reason to NEVER use puppy food on your puppy/young adults...
You want to feed them a good food that is good for their bodies...
I have some adult females that are 60 lbs...I've also had a couple females that were 55 lbs adult weight...
Their weight is specific to each and every dog...I don't have set goals to what they should or shouldn't be...They tell me...I don't over-feed them...

~Bob~

Thanks Bob , that was helpful. I think Beauty is right on track . She looks healthy & trim. Just thought I would ask folks who have more experience with the breed. I am still learning 🤔

LadyBoss, it sounds to me, too, as though Beauty is on the right track for her sub-adult life-stage, & I agree 100% with what Q Man wrote ^.

But just for purposes of comparison, in case you find it useful, I'll tell you that I used to have a standard coated bitch who was "medium size, medium strength" (as assessed by show judges, not just me) and right on mid-Standard height, and she weighed a consistent 27 kilos (about 54 lbs) all her long adult life.

She fit Bob's decription, i.e. you could see her last two ribs when she turned, and that meant you could feel her entire skeleton, rather than see it. Her pin bones did not protrude; she did not look like a hat-rack. [Actually I endeavoured through feeding and exercise to keep all dogs in my care at around this visual point.] My bitch was fit and pretty muscular. She was not covered in the 1/2 inch of lard most people interpret as a healthy weight based on the stock veterinary advice that "you should not SEE the ribs"; indeed many pet people said that I kept my dog(s) too thin ...

I currently have a bitch again; she came to me, aged 12, in rather tubby condition (she was obviously used to being fed tidbits of human food, as her behaviour shows), and weighed in at my Vet's at 34.4 kilos (that's about 70 lbs) ! She too is a medium sized animal, so that shows she was too heavy; she is also a fully Long Coated specimen. Allowing for about 3 lbs of hair, therefore, she should still only be in the 60 lbs / 30 kilo range, max. She didn't LOOK grossly fat; but she didn't have a waist-line, either ! She now has that back, and is down to approx. 31 kilos. She is more willing to bounce and run about a little, than when I first got her a couple of months ago. Reckon these two girls illustrate what Bob says about the extent of variation possible, even in basically the same body-size.

I feel that too many people worry too much about the weight of their dogs...I'm meaning they should be this or that...I never worry about the weight of my dogs as in a goal...I just let them be whatever they're going to be...I just want the weight that they are naturally...Just not too lean and not too heavy...
People also worry too much about a runt of the litter...That they should be what their litter-mates are (in weight and size)...I have found that most of the runts will eventually catch up and be like their brothers and sisters...
In a nutshell I let the puppies/dogs be themselves and whatever they're going to turn out to be...I don't try to dictate what they should be...

~Bob~

I only 'worry' about it in the sense that I don't want them obviously carrying too much weight for their build, because of the medical implications. There is no doubt that overweight = increased risk of Diabetes, and of heart failure; and certainly as the dog ages it will not help or improve any arthritis or other cjd.

Your dog is a good weight, each dog is different , my two 8 month old pups are 89 pounds and long and lanky ( will fill up by 3) , big heads and look thin .. There's people who think a gsd male should weight 65 pounds , I personally don't care for Anything less than 90 ( compact and stocky) is what I prefer , weight has nothing to do with hips and joints , that's genetics

A hip or other joint that does not fit well - from the dogs inherited genetics - is more prone to becoming affected by arthritic change than the joint that is perfectly formed. So of course bearing too much weight on a poorly formed joint with arthritic changes is going to be more restricted and painful, Shawni. That is Medicine 101, surely ? Unless you can produce a surgeon who says that weight does not further stress injured joints, of course.

Or unless you never expect to be dealing with any dog older than about 5 or 6 years, maybe ?

89 lbs... 8 month old pups, for GSD's ..... Geeze.

How long have you owned GSD's, Shawnicus? In years or months, will do.

Thanks to you all for posting. After reading I do believe my Beauty is right on track. She's actually muscular & trim. I appreciate it because I always learn a thing or two when I post. Thought I would be able to post a pic along with the comment but of course it will not work. IDK?