# "Your puppy is so beautiful....and....."



## wakefield622 (Aug 17, 2009)

...and small!

I feel like this is all I EVER hear! Mandy is around 22" tall and she is lengthy! She has a longer torso and she seems smaller than she is. I know she's not done growing yet...She'll be 6 months in 2 days. I may be a bit more sensitive to it being my son, Evan was born a few weeks early and has always rode the 3-5 % for weight. Mandy is 50 lbs. Has anyone else had a smaller GSD? I am happy with her & that's all that matters! But, of course I let it get to me!!


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

It's not that Mandy is "small" it's that people have no idea how big a GSD should be. Not to mention, they are used to seeing dogs that are bordering on OBESE, so anything normal-sized they believe is small...


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

there is a member, Liesje, who has a female that is 21" and 50lbs as an ADULT (i believe she's 4?)...

your dog is not the wrong size, but rather the correct size and like Dainerra said - most people are just not used to seeing that. I was told that my boy Tilden looked "weird" because he was standing next to a male GSD who is 4" over standard for a male, and thats what the family was used to seeing.

Mandy is within standard now, and she'll be within standard when she's done growing


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## wakefield622 (Aug 17, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: DainerraIt's not that Mandy is "small" it's that people have no idea how big a GSD should be. Not to mention, they are used to seeing dogs that are bordering on OBESE, so anything normal-sized they believe is small...


I think you are right









I feel like she looks wonderful! We have 2 cats and when they were on the verge of becoming overweight we put them on a better high quality food and they couldn't be doing better now weight wise!


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## wakefield622 (Aug 17, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Camerafodderthere is a member, Liesje, who has a female that is 21" and 50lbs as an ADULT (i believe she's 4?)...
> 
> your dog is not the wrong size, but rather the correct size and like Dainerra said - most people are just not used to seeing that. I was told that my boy Tilden looked "weird" because he was standing next to a male GSD who is 4" over standard for a male, and thats what the family was used to seeing.
> 
> Mandy is within standard now, and she'll be within standard when she's done growing


Thanks for helping me understand! I love my baby girl and wouldn't have her any other way! I just wish other people who not be so quick to jump on the fact that my dog is "small" or as we know "normal".


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

I love smaller GSDs. Everytime I see pics of Carolina's Aslan, I go "I want!!!!!!".

Our club has a SchH3 female that can't be more than 50lbs and, boy, does she kick butts and look great doing it.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

All of my previous GSDs have been towards the top of the breed standard or even a couple of pounds over, and it seems most people are used to seeing oversized dogs so they've come to assume that's the norm. 

Halo is the smallest GSD I've ever had, and to us she looks so little, especially compared to Keefer. My hubby jokes that I got him a miniature shepherd, lol! But at almost 14 months old and a hair under 60 pounds she's smack dab at the midway point for an adult female, which ranges from about 48-1/2 to 70-1/2 pounds. 

Keefer is also close to the midway point for a male, which is 77 pounds. The male standard ranges from about 66 to 88 pounds, and he's usually 80-82 pounds. He's also big boned, very broad, with a huge head and a long coat, so even though I keep him lean he just looks big. Halo has a very slender athletic build and has yet to fill out, so she looks thin, even though there's more meat on her ribs than on Keef's, and I get the "skinny" comments a lot.


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## KCandMace (Apr 8, 2008)

Hexe is "small". She is just under 50 lbs and a year old.
She may be small but man is she fast and hits hard!


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## Tbarrios333 (May 31, 2009)

I get it all the time with Denali.








She's only 9 months old! She can't be full grown yet LOL.


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## wakefield622 (Aug 17, 2009)

This thread makes me feel better! Thanks everyone!


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## Zisso (Mar 20, 2009)

> Quote: The male standard ranges from about 66 to 88 pounds, and he's usually 80-82 pounds.





> Quote:adult female, which ranges from about 48-1/2 to 70-1/2 pounds.


Looking at these figures means I am the one with the odd balls...LOL...Z is 60 lbs at 2yrs(small-24" at the withers) and Nadi at 2yrs now, is 72 lbs and 26" at the withers. I am now monitoring her food intake as I think she does not need to gain anymore weight. She also has the long torso. Side by side tho, they look pretty close in size, so no comments on how small he is


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

don't worry Zis... i've got oddballs too! Gia is oversized for a female and at the tip top of the charts for a male. Tilden is within range height wise for a male... but has to be freshly fed and soaking wet to ensure he makes the weight cut.

i love his size tho!!! didn't think i'd get used to it after having Gia's big butt for 10yrs.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

I used to get it with Morgan all the time before she filled out. She's 23 1/2" tall - "Why is she so small and skinny" Gave up trying to educate people that she's actually on the tall end of what a female shepherd is supposed to be.

LOL Otto is 80lbs and 25" tall. Joe Average, right? Oh he's small too. Depending on my mood and the tone of the other person I ask them if they're mistaking german shepherds for Shetland ponies.


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## GunnersMom (Jan 25, 2008)

I agree that many people really have no idea how big a GSD should be.

It's funny, because I usually get the opposite reaction to Gunner. I get the "Wow, that's a big Shepherd!" or "He's a big boy!" comments. And he's really not. He's about 24" inches, give or take, and has been weighing-in at around 82 lbs (again, give or take.) He's not the least bit stocky or heavy-boned either, so I don't know why people think he's so big for a GSD.
It's just another example of how little some people understand about the GSD. Don't let it get to you!


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## [email protected] (Dec 9, 2009)

As a matter of fact, I do have a smaller GSD considering your Mandy is 6 mo. old and Nomie is 6 yr. old. She weighs 53#, and built like a cheetah. Runs like one too. I never thought the words "petite" or "delicate" could describe a GSD, but in her case they seem to fit. I have people ask me what breed she is and why is she so small. I just smile and say "That's the way she was born, but I love her anyway". Most people don't have a clue. 

This is a photograph of Nomie to give you a comparison for your pup. Not a good photo, but she was intense that day, and I love this picture.


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## trudy (Aug 25, 2008)

Sin is 25"and 70 lbs and 4 yrs old, he always is thought of as small but is extremely fast and agile and right in the middle height wise and while light is in fact lean at that. I just posted a pic taken today in critique section, he doesn't look small


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## wakefield622 (Aug 17, 2009)

Trudy, he is so handsome!!! I think he looks wonderful!


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## trudy (Aug 25, 2008)

I see you have a Maine **** too, you should go to my facebook page, I have just added pics of my dogs sleeping and in one is my female dog, large 26' and about 75 pounds, any way she is sleeping with Cayenne my Maine **** boy. He takes up the same space, any way its Trudy Calvert in Barrie Ontario. I'd love ot see your pics of dogs and cats


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## wakefield622 (Aug 17, 2009)

Are you the one with a picture of a GSD as your profile picture? If so, I requested to add you!


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## trudy (Aug 25, 2008)

yep that would be me, please resend as I think I lost you. I sometiems click the wrong button or maybe it never came through. I don't know, but yep I almost always have a GS pic


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## wakefield622 (Aug 17, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: trudyyep that would be me, please resend as I think I lost you. I sometiems click the wrong button or maybe it never came through. I don't know, but yep I almost always have a GS pic


I requested again









I love the profile pic!


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## onyxena (Oct 24, 2007)

I still get that small comment on Dasher. He now weighs 92 lbs! People always say how they grew up with one that weighed 160lbs, 130lbs. Really? Where are all these mastiff sized shepherds then? I have never seen one that was more than maybe 110, I am sure there are some, but they must be invisible or something.....
Your pup is perfect!


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## ch3ckpo1nt (Nov 30, 2009)

Well here is your new record, this is my pups father.

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/487877.html

115 LBS

Doesn't look like it though.


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## ch3ckpo1nt (Nov 30, 2009)

As far as 130 -160 LBS, I know what your saying. Its pathetic how dumb some people are. 

My grandmother just told me a story about a conversation she had with one of her friends. My grandmother is clueless about the breed so she believed her friend completely. My grandmother was talking to one of her friends about my pup (Damian) and she said her friend told her she used to have an all white GSD that was a LITTLE overweight at 200 LBS. 

I laughed.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

I had a female 22" at the shoulder. People thought she was small but she wasn't.....standard size. I like them correctly sized and fast like that!

The giant shepherd stories are like fish stories aren't they?!


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## Achielles UD (May 26, 2001)

Achielles was a taller boy but not really ... he just had legs lol at about 24". Axel was about the same, but lower, shorter upper arm but much stockier. 

Now I have Malfoy who must be at least 26 (but haven't measured) and is a pound dog but he is tall and lanky and leggy lol. He really makes my girls look like dwarfs! 
But my girls are correct









"Little" Moxie is about 23" (guestimating haven't really measured) and she is FAST Super Fast and I think it is fun! She is agile and quick and is a blast to play and work with. 

Hella is still a puppy but she looks smaller too lol I think she is stockier than Moxie and has a shorter leg but she's in that akward growing stage too.. We'll see how she turns out but in the end, she'll be correct! (she isn't too small nor will she grow to be a monster... well in height anyway.. temperment/activity/drive... we can only hope







lol)

Cold outside today and snow predicted... perfect day to work on uploading/sizing pictures!


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## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

I don't know how many times I get this comment.....

I use to be in 4h Dogs before I aged out, at fair time you have to place your dogs on the bench when it's your day to show, etc and I was sitting back there with my dogs and I can't tell you how many comments I got, I was in 4H dogs for 5 years, so many people would ask me why Cody/Isa are so small, or why they're so skinny. I even had an old lady ask me one time about Isa why I was starving her because she could feel her backbone.







I did not care if she was old, I was PO'd and this was like the 50th comment I got about this subject and I just lost it. I probably shouldn't have but I did. Fair is stressful and with the many comments I was getting about how tiny/skinney they were and it being the 5th day we were there, ya I was mad.... 
I think there was maybe a few people out of that whole 5 years in 4H dogs that people said my dogs were perfect size. I thanked them over and over and told them how awesome they were because they were the few "public" people that new what a good size GSD are, lol. 

I don't get many of those comments now. Cody was done filling out at around 5years and does not look "small" or skinney anymore. He stands 25.3'' and weighs 80lbs. Plus he has a long body, but he does not have big bone at all. The only thing that people think makes him look small is his head now, it didn't really grow with his body. LOL

With Isa when she was "smaller", people seriously thought I starved her, she was maybe 55lbs. She was sleek and built like a race horse. So many people would ask me why she's small, or as one lady put it, petite, lol. When she turned 4, it was like she became a whole new dog. Her body got "bigger". She is over the standard at 25'' and she weighs 71lbs, but she's a little hefty for my taste.... She doesn't have the big bone either.

With Akbar for some reason, I almost never get this comment. I did once at a show, but they thought he was an adult and asked why my 4 month old, at the time, was so tiny. I was like WHAT, he's ONLY 4 MONTHS!!! GAHHH. They're like, oh.... People I think mistake him for being an adult because he has massive bone, not a really big head, but his paws are twice the size of Cody's. He looks small to me or at least standing next to Cody. He's about 24'' tall and weighs almost 70lbs at almost 6 months. To me, he looks tiny..... But to the public, he looks big. When I have Isa and him out at the pet store, people always ask why Isa looks so small but they never say anything about Akbar just that his coloring is pretty.....

I will NEVER understand the "public".... You can't please everyone I guess.. *sarcastic sigh*

So, you are not alone!


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## Anja1Blue (Feb 27, 2008)

Anja is 61.5 lbs and approx. 23" tall - she is an 8 year old sable shepherd from German working lines. People always refer to her as "petite", but she is a standard bitch and looks very much like the dogs of old. I have had folks say "how old is your puppy?" So, yes, it's because dogs in the US are generally oversized and overweight. I think she is perfect - but like others on this Board I know what a GSD is supposed to look like. When you get these comments you just have to suck it up or perhaps try to educate the person in a polite way.

_________________________________
Susan

Anja GSD
Conor GSD - adopted from this Board
Blue GSD - waitint at the Board


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

I get comments all the time about Tessa, and she's 24"! So I always explain she is actually at maximum standard height for a female. 

People always think she is too skinny as well, a former roommate told me I was starving my dogs and even went so far as to start feeding them kibble (when I feed raw diet.) I was FURIOUS. When I told her how my vet always compliments me on having a perfect weight shepherd rather than obese, she told me my vet was a quack! I can't stand idiots.


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## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

Maybe she's a quack....


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## EmilyK0429 (Dec 6, 2009)

I get the comments too with Meega. Except most of the time I also get do you feed your dog!? I understood when she got sick and dropped from 58lbs to 55lbs. I mean you would not think 3lbs could make such a difference but all of her ribs were showing and her hips were starting too. However, even now that she is at 59lbs and looks great imo you really only see her ribs when she has been running and is breathing heavy. She is also about 22" tall at the shoulder and built very lean.


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## rockhead (Jul 8, 2007)

Rookie is 9-months and quite tall (I'll guess at least 24"), but a lean 75 pounds.

I had someone tell me the other day, "You gotta start feeding him".

He's active and healthy and I'm thrilled that he's doing well on the prescribed amount of food for his age/weight.

People really don't have any clue.


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## rockhead (Jul 8, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: rockheadRookie is 9-months and quite tall (I'll guess at least 24"), but a lean 75 pounds.


OK, I just measured him for the first time ever. 

I was wrong. 

He's not 24".

Nowhere near it.

He's 26.75"









I really thought he was just about average. I mean, he's still a puppy, fer chrissake!

Whatever. I'm still happy with his overall appearance at 75#.


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