If you’ve just brought home a cute little German Shepherd pup or are considering getting one, there might be a question looming in your mind – how big might this puppy or dog eventually become?
Pretty big, as it turns out.
The average height of adult German Shepherd dogs ranges between 22 – 26 inches. Per the American Kennel Association, males have an average height between 24 – 26 inches, while females have an average height ranging between 22 – 24 inches.
There is no specific weight standard, but the average weight of adult German Shepherd dogs ranges between 47 – 88 lbs., with males weighing an average of 65 – 90 lbs while females weigh an average of 50 – 70 lbs.
German Shepherd’s should be 10 to 17% longer than they are tall. A German Shepherd that stands 24-inches tall should be 26 to 28 inches long from the top of the shoulders to the base of their tail.
However, it all eventually comes down to the dog’s lineage, genetics, and type of German Shepherd.
American bred show line German Shepherds are taller and longer than West German-bred show lines.
West German show line Shepherds have denser bone structure and weigh less than American lines.
Working German Shepherds come from East German, West German, and Czech linage.
Czech working line German Shepherds are smaller than their counterparts coming in at 20 to 25 inches tall at the shoulders.
The numbers quoted above are averages.
German Shepherds originated in Germany and were initially bred to herd sheep. Fully grown German Shepherds are one of the larger dog breeds belonging to the herding group.
As stated before, a full-grown German Shepherd’s weight is in the 50 – 90 lbs zone, and their heights are in the 20s range, which makes them a ‘large’ dog, but that doesn’t hinder them from being great working and herding dogs.
They are also powerful, fast, and smart enough to do amazing things in sport work, search and rescue, law enforcement, and service dogs due to their superior genetics and breeding.
How Fast Will A German Shepherd Puppy Grow?
At four weeks of age, a German Shepherd puppy will stand four to six inches between their shoulder blades or withers.
When a German Sheperd puppy goes home with their new owners at eight to ten weeks of age, they will be seven to ten inches tall at the withers.
By six months of age, a German Shepherd puppy will be at 70% of their adult height, weigh around fifty pounds, and stand about 17 inches tall.
A German Shepherd puppy will enter their largest growth spurt between six and ten months and end up around 70 pounds and 20 inches tall.
By 18 months of age, a German Shepherd has reached 98% of its adult size. Some Shepherds will continue to mature and fill out for up to three years of age.
The Benefits of German Shepherds
German Shepherds are incredibly hard-working, agile, and muscular.
Although they’re not really used to herd sheep anymore, they’re still bred in large numbers for their versatile and intelligent behavior.
German Shepherds are trained and used by the military and police to participate in a wide range of operations.
Their shape and size give them an advantage when it comes to working in harsh conditions.
German Shepherds are inherently driven to train and please their owners, which is a huge reason behind their popularity.
German Shepherds’ popularity makes them easy to come by since they’re bred in large numbers everywhere worldwide.
The downside to German Shepherds is they require training, attention, and a lot of exercise. If you’re not looking for a big dog that requires an active lifestyle, you should probably look into other breeds.
