# Critique my pup please :-)



## Mach0 (Jul 13, 2010)

Does he look skinny to you? He's a year old


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## GSDBESTK9 (Mar 26, 2002)

He looks just fine to me for his age and all.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

GSDBESTK9 said:


> He looks just fine to me for his age and all.


 
i agree. he looks very good for his age.


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## Mach0 (Jul 13, 2010)

Ty I can see some ribs so I was concerned.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Hard to tell with the lighting and a black dog.

I wouldn't go any leaner, the laying down shot definitely shows his ribs. I know Glory went thru a growth spurt at about 1 yr so I upped her food for a month or so to get her to a bit better weight, and now backed it off a bit cause she just needs to maintain.


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## Mach0 (Jul 13, 2010)

MaggieRoseLee said:


> Hard to tell with the lighting and a black dog.
> 
> I wouldn't go any leaner, the laying down shot definitely shows his ribs. I know Glory went thru a growth spurt at about 1 yr so I upped her food for a month or so to get her to a bit better weight, and now backed it off a bit cause she just needs to maintain.


Yea I know 
I feel like he's lean but he eats a good portion. Maybe I'll up it till he gets some size on. He is very Active and I have not worked him out anymore other than some fetch chuck it style or a backpack with 5 lbs.


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## Zoeys mom (Jan 23, 2010)

Zoe's rib cage outline can be seen when she lies down, but not individual ribs- I thought that was good? My lab is the same way and they both are 90 lbs. which isn't small. How much does your pup weigh and how much does he eat a day?


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## Andy-jr. (Mar 1, 2010)

I agree, he looks good. Don't worry about putting weight on him that will come when he gets a little older.


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## Mach0 (Jul 13, 2010)

He was getting 1 1/2 lb raw a day then some veggies and grains. I haven't weighed him lately but was at least 75 lbs. He was much heavier but he's in alot better shape now. But i was scared of him looking too lean on raw, I started giving a cup of kibble In the morning before i leave to work. He's 28 inches tall to the whithers.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

You could safely up that to two pounds of raw a day, and keep in the kibble until he fills in a bit. What you are feeding is not much for a young, still developing, active dog his size.


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## Marissa (Dec 31, 2009)

They usually start to get more meat on their bones the second year, I think he looks ok but an overhead shot would probably be an easier way to see.


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## Marissa (Dec 31, 2009)

Its also going to depend on how you like your dogs...I like my dogs very lean and muscular. My GSD is very tall and weighs 82lbs. He could easily be a 90lb + with someone who didnt work him much and over fed.


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## liv (Sep 1, 2010)

I recently asked my breeder because my girl is on the very lean side at 17 months, but she keeps reassuring me that she's just a hyperactive teenager and to feed her as much as she will eat until she hits a good weight. She has started filling out in the lastcouple of months.


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

Molly is lean and athletic and has tons of energy.Love her they way she is. She is 3 years old and is fast, agile, athletic, and beautiful. She is not underfed, or overfed.


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

He does look like a 12 mo puppy with much filling out to do as he comes into doggy adulthood.


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## Mach0 (Jul 13, 2010)

True
Ill give it a shot- he always did eat a lot lol. I figured if he gotthe 2% body weight of just meat and the veggies, then the cup of kibble will fill him in. But I'm going to up this. He was on just raw and kibble, then just raw for a week, then back to some kibble but mostly raw( since he was leaning out). Hmmm
I'll just up the food 
This is my first sheperd(I've had several pits before) so I didn't know what he should look like.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Mach0 said:


> He was getting 1 1/2 lb raw a day then some veggies and grains. I haven't weighed him lately but was at least 75 lbs. He was much heavier but he's in alot better shape now. But i was scared of him looking too lean on raw, I started giving a cup of kibble In the morning before i leave to work. He's 28 inches tall to the whithers.


My 1.5 year old male GSD is 28' at the shoulder and he weighs 80 pounds. He is lean, no fat.


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## Mach0 (Jul 13, 2010)

Marissa said:


> Its also going to depend on how you like your dogs...I like my dogs very lean and muscular. My GSD is very tall and weighs 82lbs. He could easily be a 90lb + with someone who didnt work him much and over fed.


Yea he used to be thicker but a change in diet and now I take him out for jogs made him alot Leaner . I was curious to see what you guys might think of him


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## EJQ (May 13, 2003)

He is looking good for a 12 month old.


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## Hundguy (Apr 30, 2003)

LaRen616 said:


> My 1.5 year old male GSD is 28' at the shoulder and he weighs 80 pounds. He is lean, no fat.


 
28' at the shoulder, we are talking giants at that point.. Even if you meant 28" he is a small horse or I guess that would make him a pony... :wild:


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Hundguy said:


> 28' at the shoulder, we are talking giants at that point.. Even if you meant 28" he is a small horse or I guess that would make him a pony... :wild:


Yup, that's how tall he is. He is a very big boy


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## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

Is he just standing funny in the pics, or does he have a roached back?

Looks fine. Nothing wrong with a little rib.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Hundguy said:


> 28' at the shoulder, we are talking giants at that point.. Even if you meant 28" he is a small horse or I guess that would make him a pony... :wild:


My GSD/Husky mix Rogue is 26' at the shoulder and he weighs about 70 pounds.

His GSD parent must have been very big because the Siberian Husky standard says they should be between 20/23 1/2 inches and they should be between 35-60 pounds

I have 2 big beautiful boys. :wub::wub:


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## shannonrae (Sep 9, 2010)

A GSD is usually lean at that age. However I would recommend seeing a veterinary chiropractor to address what appears to be a very roached back (maybe just the picture?). My female had a roach back and went for regular visits to a chiropractor that resulted in a straighter back. GSD's are known for back problems, the best treatment is prevention!


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## Mach0 (Jul 13, 2010)

Here's a top shot


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## Mach0 (Jul 13, 2010)

Sorry he is standing funny in the pics
He's not roach backed
As soon as the photobucket app stops given me a hard time , illnpost a better pic.


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## Mach0 (Jul 13, 2010)

Here's an old pic


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## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

In that pic too, he looks a bit roached.


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## Mach0 (Jul 13, 2010)

Hmmm I have to get the definition then or illustration
How can a chiropractor fix that ?


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## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

Roaching:
"The dorsal spinous processes of the caudal thoracic and lumbar vertebrae protrude excessively giving the animal a convex topline. Called also kyphosis."

As far as I know, mild cases do not affect the dog's performance or health, but many GSD judges/breeders find it a fault and unattractive. I don't care as long as the dog can work.

You see it in a lot of breeds. 


No, there really is nothing to be done about it.

Just as an example.
Roachy dog:
http://images04.olx.org.uk/ui/1/19/94/7991594_1.jpg









One without a roached back:


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## Mach0 (Jul 13, 2010)

Thank you very much. He doesnt perform duties or actual jobs but recreationally weight pulls with the bully and goes running with us.
He has alot of energy- high drive and seems ok.
My next gs will come from ctk9services.com
They are 8 miles from me and have a good rep. The owner is nice too ;-)




APBTLove said:


> Roaching:
> "The dorsal spinous processes of the caudal thoracic and lumbar vertebrae protrude excessively giving the animal a convex topline. Called also kyphosis."
> 
> As far as I know, mild cases do not affect the dog's performance or health, but many GSD judges/breeders find it a fault and unattractive. I don't care as long as the dog can work.
> ...


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## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

Mach0 said:


> Thank you very much. He doesnt perform duties or actual jobs but recreationally weight pulls with the bully and goes running with us.
> He has alot of energy- high drive and seems ok.
> My next gs will come from ctk9services.com
> They are 8 miles from me and have a good rep. The owner is nice too ;-)


You should get some pics of his pulls. I wanted to get into pulling with J but he matured into a real crappy temperament, so there's no point. 

Always fun to see GSDs in mostly bulldog port though!


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## Mach0 (Jul 13, 2010)

APBTLove said:


> You should get some pics of his pulls. I wanted to get into pulling with J but he matured into a real crappy temperament, so there's no point.
> 
> Always fun to see GSDs in mostly bulldog port though!


i will. I have to get him a new harness lol. i was silly and left it out. The boys destroyed it. I have him do light pulls. Only like 20-30 lbs. Just longer pulls. I don't want to over do it since heis only a year. On the other hand, my bully pulls 110 uphill two times and the total pull length being about 120 yards. He's only 65 lbs @ 18 inches tall and he's ripped. He's not an extreme bully and looks very good. 

When I get another training harness, I'll show pics.


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## Marissa (Dec 31, 2009)

You should try Cani-Cross if he likes running too! You put a harness on them and they pull ahead why you run behind. If they do well with this you can hook them up to a bike and do bike-jouring or ski-jouring behind cross country skis. Its a BLAST!!


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## Mach0 (Jul 13, 2010)

Marissa said:


> You should try Cani-Cross if he likes running too! You put a harness on them and they pull ahead why you run behind. If they do well with this you can hook them up to a bike and do bike-jouring or ski-jouring behind cross country skis. Its a BLAST!!


I'll give it a shot 
He loves running. He has energy for days lol


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## Marissa (Dec 31, 2009)

Yeah it's a blast!! I havn't done the ski jouring yet but I really want to. Heres a link for a little more info  Canicross


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## Mach0 (Jul 13, 2010)

Interesting


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## Marissa (Dec 31, 2009)

LOL yeah its different. But like I said 3 times because I apparently like to repeat myself ITS A BLAST lmao !! I do not train my dogs how to pull and keep line taut until I have a consistant heel though, this is just me. My dogs know the difference between being on a walk and when to pull when the harness is on. The reason I liked this so much was because it gave me something to do with my dogs while getting excersise myself.


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## shannonrae (Sep 9, 2010)

APBTLove said:


> Roaching:
> "The dorsal spinous processes of the caudal thoracic and lumbar vertebrae protrude excessively giving the animal a convex topline. Called also kyphosis."
> 
> As far as I know, mild cases do not affect the dog's performance or health, but many GSD judges/breeders find it a fault and unattractive. I don't care as long as the dog can work.
> ...


Animal Chiropractor (existence is little known and they can be hard to find). Roached back may make a dog more susceptible to acute back injury as well as dreaded Cauda Equina syndrome and other spinal disease. I have also seen it work wonders for leg lameness and proper movement. If the spine is missalighned then the animal may show lameness anywhere. One of the doctors I work with is an animal chiropractor as well as a GSD expert, working with many of Maines best GSD breeders and showers. Sorry if my dissagreement offended, just want to share some of the little knowledge I have!


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## shannonrae (Sep 9, 2010)

Also want to add that depending on your animal, chiropractic work may or may not VISIBLY change a roached back. Lucky for me it did in my girl!


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## Mach0 (Jul 13, 2010)

That stinks for me. The closest canine chiropractor is over an hour away from me each way. 
However, I'm not sure if it will change the look. His mom is like that and my pups isnt that bad. I wish I would have known about gsd's in depth before:-/ **** byb's. He's an awesome pet tho and I love him dearly 
This is my first gs. There is a breeder around my way who has Sch titled dogs. Thats probably going to be my next source if she is still in breeding. 
I will get him checked by my vet and get the ok to continue exercising him.


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