# 5 1/2 month old progress



## JamesAndFido (Jun 27, 2018)

My little (not so much anymore) Gaia is already approaching 6 months so quickly.
It seems like only a minute ago that we brought her home and mostly it's been a joy. 
She does well with training, is able to be alone in her crate when I go out with my other dog and has almost finished teething by now (thank god).
The only "issue" we are still facing is that she is quite anxious around dogs that are larger than her but we are working on it and I am sure we can work around that. I doubt she will ever be a dog that loves every dog she sees but I only need her to be able to comfortably ignore them.
She has now completed her puppy group and we are starting another group course now, although our trainer told us it's pretty much the basics we already trained, just for her to get more comfortable working around bigger and older dogs.
Her training progress in every other aspect though is great and its a joy to show her new things. 
I still put a lot of emphasis on exploring new smells and places but with a little more structure now than a month or two ago now that she is able to focus a little better.
Offleash training is more joy for me than for her at times as she naturally won't move more than 15 m away from me and even when she is having her puppy zoomies she keeps checking in with me every few seconds. Being used to my other dog, who not even as a puppy gave a **** about anything but his own path this has been a nice change. We obviously still work on recall but it is a lot easier than I anticipated. 
Being in training as my future service dog we obviously need to train some places I didn't go with my other dog when he was a puppy, so far all stores we have visited she did amazing and with her new vest that has now arrived, I hope people finally stop making kissing noises at her... 
Ignoring people is probably what I'd say she is best at. We were waiting in front of a supermarket the other day and a few kids thought it would be funny to jump around so close they almost hit her (lucky for them they went away quickly after I looked at them with a murderous glance lol) and she did nothing. Didn't flinch, didn't get up, just looked at them for a second and then looked at me again!
She is just incredible and my trainer already thinks about getting a dog from the same breeder although she usually only gets labradors.
Currently, she tries to sometimes initiate play with our cat but I think she is slowly realizing that neither the cat nor I appreciate that. 
With Fido, my other dog, she plays really well and I have a "stop" command that tells them to stop playing and come to me which is working well 90% of the time by now.
On a last note, she is looking a lot less like a puppy by now and her coat is changing more and more which makes her look like she has a wavy streak down her back with puppy fluff on both sides


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## CometDog (Aug 22, 2017)

She is very pretty! Love her dark face. Good luck with the training.


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## Jchrest (Jun 5, 2019)

What a doll! Mine in 6 1/2 months, all black but for a white blaze on her chest, and she has the wave down her back as well.


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## wolfmonte (Aug 28, 2019)

So cute puppy! I really like Long coat ones. However, it's hard to know what they will end up if they came from standard coat. 

How much does she weight now?

Mine will be turning 4 months tomorrow and weighs 36lbs. He was 10 lbs at 10 weeks.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Welcome beautiful pup!


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## Frisco19 (Aug 12, 2019)

What a beauty, love to see another long haired GSD pup.. Thanks for sharing your stories. It's nice to read up on how it's going from folks with similar aged pups with our lives in the same place. My guy, Frisco, was 4 months old this past Saturday, he had a Sunday vet appointment the next day and weighed in at 46lbs. He has the wave as well down the back, but we had him groomed Friday and it's much less prevalent. Training has been a breeze and I attribute this mostly to my breeder, sounds like you also got a good one. I also get knowledgeable GSD fanatics asking me where I got him after spending time with him - my daycare owner and vet both have contacted him. I'm bias, but Frisco is exceptional based on my experience with every dog in my life. My guy loves kids but could care less about adult strangers. I like this, he licks up the little kids pretty good. We don't have any issues with other dogs. I'd say he shows no fear of larger dogs, no sustainable interest in small dogs (especially once they get annoying) and he definitely will engage with pups and adult dogs his own size. Once in a while he barks at other dogs but is sweet when he meets them. He started doggy daycare a few weeks ago for two days a week. Socialized him and poops him out. We also have a cat and this is the part that isn't going well. She is a sweet cat who had the run of the house for 5 years. Now the pup is contained in the kitchen and family room with gates and he won't let her in. She is a very social cat who could not wait for us to come home at night to sit with us in the family room. He basically wants to play with her like she is a puppy. He caught her a few times and pounces on her and mouths her. I am afraid he might hurt he. Poor thing, her world has changed. I have tried everything. It's going to be a while. I am hoping he will be more gentle as an adult, but if I ever need an e-collar, this would be a use for it. Recall is also an issue as it is with every puppy. It's the last thing they obey. I am working on it. If I raise my voice and stare, he will come 75% of the time which is not enough. He definitely ignores my soft voiced girlfriend.


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## Frisco19 (Aug 12, 2019)

wolfmonte said:


> So cute puppy! I really like Long coat ones. However, it's hard to know what they will end up if they came from standard coat.
> 
> How much does she weight now?
> 
> Mine will be turning 4 months tomorrow and weighs 36lbs. He was 10 lbs at 10 weeks.


Again, so similar in looks and markings, they could be brothers. Replied to your PM but got my answer here. Frisco is on the larger side, he will be big. For reference:

8 weeks - 16lbs
10 weeks - 19lbs
13 weeks - 27lbs
16 weeks - 37 lbs
4 months (18 weeks) 46lbs

Pretty much has gained 3lbs a week. I feed a kibble raw hybrid, fish oil once a day and NuPro supplement with dinner. Three feedings a day. Dinner is usually the kibble feeding, it's one cup, raw egg, chicken broth and NuPro.


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## wolfmonte (Aug 28, 2019)

Frisco19 said:


> Again, so similar in looks and markings, they could be brothers. Replied to your PM but got my answer here. Frisco is on the larger side, he will be big. For reference:
> 
> 8 weeks - 16lbs
> 10 weeks - 19lbs
> ...



Yes, they look a like. I saw photo of your pups sire and he looks pretty big. 

Mine is supposedly WGSL, and I was told that they tend to be smaller and weigh less than American ones. 

I feed raw. He is very energetic but extremely pretty eater. I never had a dog this picky in my life, but it's new experience for me.. 

8 weeks - ~9 lbs 
10 weeks - ~10 lbs (I got him home at this age)
12 weeks - ~14 lbs
14 weeks - ~24 lbs
17 weeks - ~36 lbs


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## Frisco19 (Aug 12, 2019)

wolfmonte said:


> Yes, they look a like. I saw photo of your pups sire and he looks pretty big.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Yeah, Clyde is a decent size GSD. He’s 85lbs. I would be good with that but I think my guy is going to be close to 100lbs. WGSL is new to me as well. Some of his lineage traces back to a showline breeder in WG that supposedly produces showlines that have some working in them. 


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## CeraDean (Jul 9, 2019)

JamesAndFido said:


> Ignoring people is probably what I'd say she is best at. We were waiting in front of a supermarket the other day and a few kids thought it would be funny to jump around so close they almost hit her (lucky for them they went away quickly after I looked at them with a murderous glance lol) and she did nothing. Didn't flinch, didn't get up, just looked at them for a second and then looked at me again!


Congratulations on such good progress towards service training and thank you for sharing. It's great to hear success stories from other people working towards a service goal.


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## Chuck94! (Feb 8, 2018)

Very cool pup! I would just focus on slowly socializing and training around bigger dogs, working on keeping the focus on you, in small increments, increasing the distractions/difficulty with each step. Since everyone is posting some growth progress - here is Rollo's weight gain chart:
*-14 weeks = 31 lbs
- 20 weeks = 55 lbs
-1.5 years = 110 lbs
He is a big dude!*


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## Frisco19 (Aug 12, 2019)

Chuck94! said:


> Very cool pup! I would just focus on slowly socializing and training around bigger dogs, working on keeping the focus on you, in small increments, increasing the distractions/difficulty with each step. Since everyone is posting some growth progress - here is Rollo's weight gain chart:
> *-14 weeks = 31 lbs
> - 20 weeks = 55 lbs
> -1.5 years = 110 lbs
> He is a big dude!*


He is a big dude. I'm tracking like that. I sure hope my guy doesn't break 100 lbs.


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## Chuck94! (Feb 8, 2018)

Frisco19 said:


> He is a big dude. I'm tracking like that. I sure hope my guy doesn't break 100 lbs.


I doubt he will! Rollo is super super tall and long, which is why he weighs that much. He is a lean 110lbs lol!


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## Frisco19 (Aug 12, 2019)

Chuck94! said:


> I doubt he will! Rollo is super super tall and long, which is why he weighs that much. He is a lean 110lbs lol!


American lines?


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## Chuck94! (Feb 8, 2018)

Frisco19 said:


> American lines?


Nope! German


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## wolfmonte (Aug 28, 2019)

Frisco19 said:


> American lines?


Frisco, do you have any photo with your puppy stacking or his parents?


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## Chuck94! (Feb 8, 2018)

frisco19 said:


> american lines?


wgwl


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## Frisco19 (Aug 12, 2019)

wolfmonte said:


> Frisco, do you have any photo with your puppy stacking or his parents?


I've got so many pictures, I will try to find one stacking, but here is a link to my breeders photos, plenty of shots of the parents stacking I believe. Where you see three dogs, one is an almost one ear old female from the prior litter. let me know what you think overall. I'm in some pics with my family.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/Avalon-Shepherds-287504085209641/photos/?ref=page_internal


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## wolfmonte (Aug 28, 2019)

Frisco19 said:


> I've got so many pictures, I will try to find one stacking, but here is a link to my breeders photos, plenty of shots of the parents stacking I believe. Where you see three dogs, one is an almost one ear old female from the prior litter. let me know what you think overall. I'm in some pics with my family.
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/pg/Avalon-Shepherds-287504085209641/photos/?ref=page_internal


Photos were nice. The dogs look really good and majestic.


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## JamesAndFido (Jun 27, 2018)

wolfmonte said:


> So cute puppy! I really like Long coat ones. However, it's hard to know what they will end up if they came from standard coat.
> 
> How much does she weight now?
> 
> Mine will be turning 4 months tomorrow and weighs 36lbs. He was 10 lbs at 10 weeks.





Frisco19 said:


> Again, so similar in looks and markings, they could be brothers. Replied to your PM but got my answer here. Frisco is on the larger side, he will be big. For reference:
> 
> 8 weeks - 16lbs
> 10 weeks - 19lbs
> ...





wolfmonte said:


> Yes, they look a like. I saw photo of your pups sire and he looks pretty big.
> 
> Mine is supposedly WGSL, and I was told that they tend to be smaller and weigh less than American ones.
> 
> ...


Sorry for the late reply, we had so much going on I barely had time for anything.
As of today (5 months 17 days) she weighs 54 lbs, very lean, I am quite pleased with how she looks figure wise right now and she is still gaining 1 - 1.5 lbs a week.
When we got her at 8 weeks she weighed in at 13 lbs, mom weighs 64 lbs and dad 80 lbs so I suppose she'll be closer to her dads weight and height.
I am so happy that she isn't picky at all, one picky dog in the house is enough for me haha


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## Frisco19 (Aug 12, 2019)

JamesAndFido said:


> Sorry for the late reply, we had so much going on I barely had time for anything.
> As of today (5 months 17 days) she weighs 54 lbs, very lean, I am quite pleased with how she looks figure wise right now and she is still gaining 1 - 1.5 lbs a week.
> When we got her at 8 weeks she weighed in at 13 lbs, mom weighs 64 lbs and dad 80 lbs so I suppose she'll be closer to her dads weight and height.
> I am so happy that she isn't picky at all, one picky dog in the house is enough for me haha


My guy at 4.5 months and 46 lbs is looking lean too. In the last month or so he began to grow into the the GSD traditional look and posture. He is VERY long and has that great stacking slope. Definitely a little skinny around the waist. I upped his food. I healthy 1+ cup of kibble for each kibble feeding (2x a day) and three pieces of large raw chicken thighs. With the body development, he's gotten much faster and agile. Lots of jumping over things. He comes running down that trail to catch up to me with vigor and grace. It's funny how up until four months they are so "grounded" for lack of better works. Their weight distribution is all in the middle and their legs are so short. Losing that puppy look :frown2:


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## JamesAndFido (Jun 27, 2018)

Frisco19 said:


> My guy at 4.5 months and 46 lbs is looking lean too. In the last month or so he began to grow into the the GSD traditional look and posture. He is VERY long and has that great stacking slope. Definitely a little skinny around the waist. I upped his food. I healthy 1+ cup of kibble for each kibble feeding (2x a day) and three pieces of large raw chicken thighs. With the body development, he's gotten much faster and agile. Lots of jumping over things. He comes running down that trail to catch up to me with vigor and grace. It's funny how up until four months they are so "grounded" for lack of better works. Their weight distribution is all in the middle and their legs are so short. Losing that puppy look :frown2:


My girl is still very clumsy on her feet and when running still throws her paws into the air like she doesn't know where to put them exactly its hilarious but she does seem to slowly get more coordinated with her movements so I suppose that won't be the case much longer. I rather have her a little more on the skinny side than have too much weight on her, I feel like her figure is exactly how I want it right now but I adjust her intake weekly still. I am actually really happy that she is finally looking a little more like an adult GSD, I love the puppy look but it's just nice to see them grow into a proper looking dog.


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## Frisco19 (Aug 12, 2019)

JamesAndFido said:


> My girl is still very clumsy on her feet and when running still throws her paws into the air like she doesn't know where to put them exactly its hilarious but she does seem to slowly get more coordinated with her movements so I suppose that won't be the case much longer. I rather have her a little more on the skinny side than have too much weight on her, I feel like her figure is exactly how I want it right now but I adjust her intake weekly still. I am actually really happy that she is finally looking a little more like an adult GSD, I love the puppy look but it's just nice to see them grow into a proper looking dog.




I know exactly what you mean on the puppy clumsy trot! I miss that. My guy was pretty thick and stocky a month ago. I did wonder it I was feeding him too much, but the GSD gene kicked in and he got long really quick. I gauging my feeding on his hunger. If he’s still hungry after a feeding I up it. He’s got really good high value food drive but kibble doesn’t exactly make him jump up and down like raw chicken. If he had off the charts food drive he would devour the kibble. Sometimes he does and something he doesn’t. When he’s going through a devouring stage I up it. The puppy stage/look is so short. The only puppy thing he has left is when his right ear flops when he’s over tired. 


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