# How Much Did Your GSD Fill Out...



## Melina (Feb 20, 2010)

After 18 Months? (In pounds, approximately, if you remember)...


I wasn't sure where else to post this, so it's going here if that's alright. We sent some pictures of Koda to a family friend back East who has GSD's as he heard we adopted one and wanted to see him, and he said that he wouldn't be surprised if Koda put on some weight in time and got up to around 80 pounds (He's somewhere between 65-70 right now) as it looks like he has "fairly big bone structure". We're not entirely sure how old he is as he was a stray, but per the Vet's suggestion of him being between 1 and 2 years old, we're saying 18 months. Now, it's my understanding that he's reached his adult height by this time and that he won't be getting any taller, but would 10 or more pounds be feasible for "filling out"? That, to me, would just seem to make him overweight, hence why I'm making this thread.

How much did your dogs fill out after a year and a half, or even two years of age? Weight wise, if you can remember, so I can get an idea of what might happen, or be reasonable, for Koda. I understand every dog is different, and I know what an overweight dog looks like (Which I won't let happen), I just didn't know if him getting up to 80 pounds by age 3 or so was realistic, or just plain silly for someone to suggest.


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## doxsee (Jun 14, 2007)

You should put up some pictures! Jayda is 19 months and she just started filling out and still has some more to do.


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## Melina (Feb 20, 2010)

I suppose pictures would help for you guys to tell me if 10+ pounds would be ridiculous on him


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

Large breed dogs can continue to get taller and fill out until an average of 3 years and then some can even take up to 4 to fully mature! Both Tessa and Logan were a year old when I adopted them, Tessa really matured between 1-2 and Logan slowly continued maturing up until his death at 3.5 years.


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## Melina (Feb 20, 2010)

I guess what I'm asking is, how many pounds is "filling out" after about a year and a half? Is 10 or so reasonable? Or would that just, more than likely, make for an overweight dog?


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

My dog didn't put on any weight after about a year. He was heavily muscled at that time and is still heavily muscled due to massive amounts of exercise. He's just turning three and his head is starting to get meaty, but no weight gain.

I suspect that dogs that put on weight after 1.5 years of age either weren't well muscled to begin with or are putting on fat.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

Here was Logan at 1 yr









And 3 yrs


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## brembo (Jun 30, 2009)

"Big" dogs can hide 10 pounds pretty easily. Remember that GSDs often have broad chests covered with thick muscle. My guy looks wicked skinny but tips the scales at a hefty 95 or so pounds. He could tack on 10 pounds and I'd be hard pressed to notice a change.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Lin
I am so sorry to hear that your Logan passed away at such an early age. Please dont find me rude, but how did he pass away? Again I'm sorry for your loss


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

Its not rude. He had a disorder called SIADH, syndrome of inappropriate anti diuretic hormone. In feb of 2009 he was admitted to the ICU for a week after his first seizure. The medication to treat SIADH in dogs is not FDA approved in the united states. So it is treated with water restriction to prevent the dog from drinking so much that the sodium levels in the blood drop severely. This is what caused his first seizure. When the sodium level in the blood doesn't match the level in the brain, water will rush in or out of the brain to equalize. This can cause brain damage or death. He had been doing great but on Nov 7th I found him having a seizure, and he passed away without coming out of the seizure.


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

Molly is 3 now and I think she is starting to fill out, she looks more buff or big.lol I don't know how to put it.lol.Is it normal for GSDs to start filling out at 3?Tanner is normal and hasnt grown since we got him.

Btw, I love shelties!lol.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

After 1.5 years, I don't think any of my dogs gained much more than 5 lbs. As far as fillin g out, there was some but it was fairly subtle and seemed to have more to do with those secondary sex characteristics. The boys widened up in the chest and neck. I would assume your boy is altered since you adopted him? HAving not had an altered dog at this stage in life I cannot say how that will affect him.

I would be inclined to agree though that 10lbs may be a little much.


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## Melina (Feb 20, 2010)

Koda is actually still intact. He was a stray, so he didn't come from a shelter where they would have done it before adoption. Anyway, we got him checked out at the Vet, got him his shots, neutering was next on the list, but we had him tested for heartworm and it came back positive. The heartworm treatment takes priority over neutering him, so we have to wait until he's done with that to get him fixed. Considering that the Vet put him in the age range of approximately 18 months, is it better/worse/inconsequential to have him neutered this late in life?


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

depends on who you ask. I would say better, especially for a male. Most of the things I've been reading say to wait until the dog is fully mature before neutering as the hormones affect more than just reproduction. With females though there is also the risk of pyometra (infection in the uterus) with being intact, and there IS a benefit of reduction in the risk of mammary and uterine cancers for spayed animals. My Emma isn't spayed yet, I'm going to wait until she is at least 2.


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## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

I'd say Cody put on the most pounds. He was 66lbs when he was younger, at 6 years he goes between 80-85lbs. So he really filled out and gained weight. 

Cody at a year









Cody now at 6 years









Isa also filled out quite a bit. When she was a year, people seriously thought I starved her because of how thin she looked. Now at 4 years, she's at least 5-6lbs heavier then she was and definitely has a wider rib cage too. There's a major difference with her then and now.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

I would say around 3 I notice a much more substantial body coming on. But even at 4-5 I have noticed maturing in mine.


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## ShepherdHeaven (Feb 12, 2010)

I adopted a 3 year old gsd that was really low on the weight side. She was 68 pounds when I got her. She is really long for being a gsd at 29" in height. I since getting her have put on about 9 lbs and honestly dont really notice a difference. GSD'S are really broad chested I would say from the pictures that he looks healthy and wouldnt worry to much about the weight. He will fill out till about 3.5-4years. My dog panga is still filling out and she is just about to turn 4 years old.


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## Piper'sgrl (Apr 20, 2012)

I would actually like to see pics of peoples dogs from 1 yr old to 3 yr old to see the difference in how they filled out. I'm wondering about weight gain after a yr old..how much will they gain from a yr to 3 yrs old..


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## Rei (Oct 10, 2008)

Did a double take because I remembered this thread from a few years ago, but glad to see it brought back because it's a great idea.

To answer the question in the OP, my dog actually lost almost 10 lbs between 18 months and 3 years, but did fill out significantly. I became more concerned about keeping him at an ideal weight and fairly good condition, which explains the weight loss. What he did gain was a fair amount of substance.

Here is a comparison of my dog. Warning: ugly young dog alert.

1 - 2 years old 









3 years old












1 - 2 years old 











3 years old











1 - 2 years old 











3 years old











1 - 2 years old 











3 years old




















1 - 2 years old 











3 years old











He still has a baby face, though. Still 3 years old here -


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

Really good thread.. wanting to see more photos of then (1 yr) and now (3-4 yr)!! Hunter is at 19 months so I am curious how much he will fill out.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Holy gorgeous GSD Batman!

If he turns up missing, don't come to my house


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## Rei (Oct 10, 2008)

Sunflowers said:


> Holy gorgeous GSD Batman!
> 
> If he turns up missing, don't come to my house


LOL!! You bet I will! I may not so crazy about 1 year old Trent, but now that he's grown up and has a brain, I'm not letting this one go 

But thank you, that's my favorite stacked picture of him!


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

I added mine to the other thread, but I figured I'd add it here too.

Aiden at 1 year

1 by Gator_Dog, on Flickr


1y by Gator_Dog, on Flickr


1y2 by Gator_Dog, on Flickr

And now at 3 years and still intact

_MG_1419 by Gator_Dog, on Flickr


_MG_1531 by Gator_Dog, on Flickr


stack2 by Gator_Dog, on Flickr


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## Melina (Feb 20, 2010)

Holy cow is this thread old! Where on Earth did you find it?


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## Melina (Feb 20, 2010)

Oh, to answer my own question for everyone else...When I got Koda, he was approximately 18 months (Vet guesstimated for us)...He was 60-62 pounds, from what I remember. He's gone up and down in weight (At one point he gained a bit too much as I got lax on the exercise admittedly  ), but now he's almost four and at a healthy weight of about 70 pounds. He just weighed in at 69.8 on Friday, to be exact.


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## Piper'sgrl (Apr 20, 2012)

I was doing a search and found it! lol So I brought it to life again


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## Felix's Proud Mammy (Jul 10, 2012)

In the first picture, Felix is a little older than a year and is 69 lbs. In the second picture, Felix is almost 3 and he's 92 lbs.


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## Melina (Feb 20, 2010)

Piper'sgrl said:


> I was doing a search and found it! lol So I brought it to life again


You're too funny...At least you did a search, most people just make new threads and don't bother  There were probably hundreds before I made this one, haha


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## Melina (Feb 20, 2010)

Anyway, here's some old vs. new pictures of Koda. As I said, he went up in weight at one point, but that was due to lack of exercise  (Sorry Koda)...He's down to a healthy weight again now, which is about 8-10 pounds more than when we got him. Point being, he doesn't look too different weight/filling out wise, but his coat/color has changed a lot. His coat got thicker and longer, darker. I suppose he did fill out a bit, looks a little more muscular, but not heavier now. He looks more..."Dignified"...If that's the right word. Definitely a difference in his coat though.


Before:









After:










Before:









After:










Before:









After:









After:










Before:









After:










The before pictures, except the B&W, were taken the day after I brought him home...So those are nearly 3 years old. Koda was guesstimated to be 18 months when we got him (Tomorrow actually, Valentine's Day :wub...So we made his Birthday the same as my Father's 9/19/2008. So he's 4 1/2 right now and this is the difference between when we got him and how he looks now!


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