# Only 63lbs!



## mynameisblc (May 8, 2012)

Just turned 9 month old and only 63lbs?! I feel like that is so small for a male German Shepherd .

He eats 2lbs of raw meat daily. Should I feel him more since he is a puppy? I read somewhere "puppies" are supposed to eat more or something. I don't know. Help meee.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

His weight is fine for 9 months He still has over two years to gain/fill out.

My raw fed male just turned two in March and was just at the vets yesterday and weighs 70 pounds. I honestly don't think he will go over 75 pounds.

Can you post an example of his menu?


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

mynameisblc said:


> Just turned 9 month old and only 63lbs?! I feel like that is so small for a male German Shepherd .
> 
> He eats 2lbs of raw meat daily. Should I feel him more since he is a puppy? I read somewhere "puppies" are supposed to eat more or something. I don't know. Help meee.


Feeding raw is not an exact science. If your puppy is too lean then feed more. If he is too fat then feed less. Feeding him more is not going to change the size he is genetically programmed to be.


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## Minoli (Jul 19, 2011)

My male, Leo will be turning 1 on June 3rd and is 62-63 lbs. He is currently sick, and may have lost a slight bit due to his change in meals. 

He is pretty tall, just very thin. He eats 2.4-2.5 lbs. a day.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

63 pounds for a 9 month old male is within the normal range, actually. As he matures, he will fill out, and will probably gain 10-15 pounds. They are usually pretty lean and gangly looking at this age. If you can see his ribs and backbone, you might want to increase his food a bit. Otherwise, I wouldn't worry too much about his weight. It's best for pups to stay lean and grow slowly.


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## mynameisblc (May 8, 2012)

Here is a picture... Maybe I'll feed him just a little more..?


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## torilovesgsds (Feb 24, 2012)

My Fynn will be 11 months soon and just at 63 lbs. We were walking at the river recently and a woman stopped to say, "My your dog is gorgeous, but he needs to eat." Imagine my horror. I already have a complex about his weight. But I echo the sentiments have been shared--everyone tells me to relax; slow growing GSDs, particularly males, is a good thing.


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## cmscott (Jun 29, 2011)

As a newbie myself, I was in your exact same situation when my boy was 8-9 months. He only weighed 54lbs a 8.5months. Now he is just shy of a year and he weighs about 72lbs. My boy is intact and my understanding is that intact dogs tend to have a leaner look to them and fill out a little later than neutered dogs. 

My boy was eating around 2lbs per day at that age and it turned out to be too little. I upped him to 2.5 then to 2.75 then to 3 over about a month and a half. 

He filled out nicely and now he is a lean mean running machine. Not an ounce of fat on him. 

If you are feeding raw, make sure you do your research. This is the perfect place to do it. The concept of raw feeding is very simple, but finding a raw diet that works for YOUR dog is not. I am still learning something new everyday about my dog's diet and have been doing so for the better part of 8 months and I still come here to work out my concerns all the time. 

BUT, raw is awesome and definitely the way to go. Good luck!


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## Zisso (Mar 20, 2009)

Zisso is nearly 5 years old and only 66 lbs. He is healthy and eats well. Just a light weight boy and that is fine with me.


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## mynameisblc (May 8, 2012)

I started feeding raw about 2 weeks ago and I seen no change, except his stools are less and more firmer. I feed 2lbs daily. 50% RMB, 45% MM, and 5% OM. Egg once a week and Oil daily.
He just looks skinny(head, legs, and body). I want him to look more thicker, but I heard this is normal for his age... I guess I'll have to wait


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## mynameisblc (May 8, 2012)

Freestep said:


> 63 pounds for a 9 month old male is within the normal range, actually. As he matures, he will fill out, and will probably gain 10-15 pounds. They are usually pretty lean and gangly looking at this age. If you can see his ribs and backbone, you might want to increase his food a bit. Otherwise, I wouldn't worry too much about his weight. It's best for pups to stay lean and grow slowly.


I will keep that in mind, thanks!


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

I don't think he needs to eat more as much as he needs more muscle tone. More weight just via more food isn't going to look very nice. Lean is great, but the guy needs to be lean and muscular. What do you typically do for exercise with the pupper?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I agree, muscle tone is important. I have a 3 yr old male(rawfed from weaning) and he is still what many consider thin, but he is all muscle. I don't really want him to bulk up(fill out) too much, he is really at his optimum condition at this time.

Karlo is 27" and 90#(sable) and Onyx(bi-color) is 26" and 90#....she has filled out @ 5.5 yrs~I don't want her to gain any more! They are both fed just over 2# per day....Karlo gets more with training/tracking treats.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Your dog looks fine from the top pic. Please post more pics.


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## mynameisblc (May 8, 2012)

DianaM said:


> I don't think he needs to eat more as much as he needs more muscle tone. More weight just via more food isn't going to look very nice. Lean is great, but the guy needs to be lean and muscular. What do you typically do for exercise with the pupper?


I take him on walks on a big field for about 20 mins that's about it... What can I do to build muscle tone for a 9 month old? Then what should I start doing when he matures?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Can you take him anywhere to swim? That is the best body workout! Do you play fetch? Have him chasing after balls is a good workout too.


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## mynameisblc (May 8, 2012)

I'm looking for places for him to swim, once he learns how . I play fetch sometimes though.

Here are some more pictures. His legs look like twigs! Also people say his eyebrows make him look innocent haha...


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Ok... I'm gonna say more food and a LOT more exercise. If I only walked my dog he would probably remodel the house. Fetch does build a lot of muscle, especially if you can find hills or sand. As soon as he is around a year of age, biking is a great muscle booster. Your dog looks like he can run like heck and turn on a dime. Check out an agility class and see if it is something you both like; all that running and moving up and down will also build muscle. Grab a doggie backpack, put a water bottle on each side, and then go on your walks. That will build muscle. 

He looks like he would be a lot of fun for active sports. That's the kind of build that won't say no to a challenge. Just remember that he is still not quite physically mature so limit the high-impact exercises and sustained jogs. You can start getting him used to biking. A trip around the block won't hurt. A vet will be able to tell you what you can safely do and I'm sure lots of members on this forum have a better idea of what a pup his age can safely do.


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## mynameisblc (May 8, 2012)

Biking? What do you mean by that?
And I have a big field right in front of my apartment, literally... I'll start playing fetch with him more often .


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

He looks fine to me. My GSDs are 68lbs at 21 months and 71lbs at almost 4 years and I don't think they look small or puny.


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## Bear L (Feb 9, 2012)

My puppy is 6 months and around 45lbs only. Since I started to play more fetch with her (I throw a stick on the walk and she catches and I enticed her back with another stick, repeat) on our walks it seemed like her back legs are more muscular and her torso is bigger. Could be just part of her normal growth, but there is definitely a visible difference and it's not because she's gained a lot more weight. She used to look like the wind can blow her.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

you could feel him more but i'm not sure if that will help
him gain weight. use the charts as a guide line. your
pup is probably at the perfect weight for him.



mynameisblc said:


> Just turned 9 month old and only 63lbs?! I feel like that is so small for a male German Shepherd .
> 
> He eats 2lbs of raw meat daily.
> 
> ...


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## mynameisblc (May 8, 2012)

doggiedad said:


> you could feel him more but i'm not sure if that will help
> him gain weight. use the charts as a guide line. your
> pup is probably at the perfect weight for him.


Haha... I don't know if that's a joke, but I mean't to say feed.


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## sirius (Dec 15, 2010)

Bigger than mine. My puppies somewhere between 10-12 months and around 50-55 pounds, definitely no more than 60 pounds.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i was being funny.



mynameisblc said:


> Just turned 9 month old and only 63lbs?! I feel like that is so small for a male German Shepherd .
> 
> He eats 2lbs of raw meat daily.
> 
> ...





mynameisblc said:


> Haha...
> 
> >>>> I don't know if that's a joke, <<<<
> 
> but I mean't to say feed.


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## robk (Jun 16, 2011)

Your dog is perfect for the size of his frame. My dog is 1 and is only around 64 lbs. He also has a very light frame. I feed 4 cubs of Acana per day plus raw a couple of times a week just to mix it up for him and he is VERY lean.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

I think he looks just about right for his age and his stage of growth! However, if you exercise him more, you'll need to feed him more, too. Exercise burns calories, of course, so if you're playing a lot of fetch, swimming, biking, hiking, etc. you could increase his ration by about 1/3. Meaning, if you're feeding 2 pounds now, you could feed about 2.7 pounds with increased exercise.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Freestep said:


> I think he looks just about right for his age and his stage of growth! However, if you exercise him more, you'll need to feed him more, too. Exercise burns calories, of course, so if you're playing a lot of fetch, swimming, biking, hiking, etc. you could increase his ration by about 1/3. Meaning, if you're feeding 2 pounds now, you could feed about 2.7 pounds with increased exercise.


This is true.

We are way more active in the warmer months and I am increasing by boy's intake to adjust. He was 72 pounds a few months ago and 70 this week. Not a big deal but he's burning more calories right now.


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## Minoli (Jul 19, 2011)

The pics aren't the greatest, but how does Leo's frame look to you? 

I think he's so skinny. He'll be 1 on June 3rd, and weighs 62-63 lbs. He eats 2.4-2.5 lbs a day. His activity level is moderate.


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## bocron (Mar 15, 2009)

My show line male is 84lbs at 30 months old and is absolutely huge to me. My WL female who is 17mo is 60lbs. My husband has 2 WL males. The older one is 4.5yo and weighs 74lbs and the younger is 3yo and weighs 71lbs. Both of his males were skinny teens until they hit 2.5yo and then they started putting on muscle mass. We didn't up their food or add anything special, it was just the time they filled out. I wouldn't worry about a 9mo pup, he has a LONG way to go until he is fully mature.


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

Minoli said:


> The pics aren't the greatest, but how does Leo's frame look to you?
> 
> I think he's so skinny. He'll be 1 on June 3rd, and weighs 62-63 lbs. He eats 2.4-2.5 lbs a day. His activity level is moderate.


He looks a little too thin to me..


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Minoli said:


> The pics aren't the greatest, but how does Leo's frame look to you?
> 
> I think he's so skinny. He'll be 1 on June 3rd, and weighs 62-63 lbs. He eats 2.4-2.5 lbs a day. His activity level is moderate.


Handsome boy, I think he looks fine


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## bocron (Mar 15, 2009)

Minoli said:


> The pics aren't the greatest, but how does Leo's frame look to you?
> 
> I think he's so skinny. He'll be 1 on June 3rd, and weighs 62-63 lbs. He eats 2.4-2.5 lbs a day. His activity level is moderate.


Looks pretty much like all my males looked at that age.

If you "fatten" him up at this stage, it is putting unneccessary stress on his frame. The body naturally stays lean at this stage because that is what his frame is built to withstand. As he matures, he will start to hold onto more weight and his body will be ready for the weight then, not now. My male put on about 10 lbs between the age of 1 and 2 1/2 years old. His food and the amount stayed exactly the same, maybe even went down by a bit. I was just at the vet today for his hip X-rays and had them look up his weight just out of curiosity. At 13 months he was 73.5 lbs and today at 2 1/2yo months he was 84lbs. 
His brother, who we also own, was 61 lbs at 13 months and is now 73lbs. (I prefer the smaller male's size, a nicer size to work for sure!).


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## mynameisblc (May 8, 2012)

Minoli said:


> The pics aren't the greatest, but how does Leo's frame look to you?
> 
> I think he's so skinny. He'll be 1 on June 3rd, and weighs 62-63 lbs. He eats 2.4-2.5 lbs a day. His activity level is moderate.


Hahaha... In those last 2 pictures, he seems pretty happy if you know what I mean... My dog also tries to hump my leg every time and when I pull my leg away, he's still humping the air. It's really funny. But I think your dog looks skinnier than mine in the first picture.


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## Gilly1331 (Apr 16, 2011)

My 2 yr old male is 88lbs and lean. My 1 yr old female is 60lbs and lean. Both are raw fed I'll have to measure their height/length .

Your guy looks fine weight wise from the above photo.


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

He's eight months old, he's going to be scrawny... they all are. Don't stress so much. Make sure you CAN'T SEE but CAN FEEL his ribs, and be patient. He's just a baby, and he will fill out between 1-3 years of age.


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## Minoli (Jul 19, 2011)

Thank you all for the feedback and input. He's put on 1-2 lbs over the past 2-3 months, which seemed like pretty slow growth to me. 

Haha yes he's a happy pup. Surprisingly at almost a year old, he doesn't hump. 

I'll continue his current diet and allow time to take it's course with him filling out. 

Thanks again.


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## TitonsDad (Nov 9, 2009)

My boy is 31 months old and is hovering around 70lbs. I've been doing all I can to get him to gain weight for the last few months. He actually went down to 61lbs a few months ago, which costs me about 2K in vet bills trying to find an issue, bloodwork, meds, overnight stays, etc. Found that it was actually contaminated ToTW food. That's a story for another time.

Anyways, he's currently at 70lbs and you can vividly see his ribs. I'll be switching him to an all raw diet here soon in the next week. Hopefully the high fat content will allow him to put fat around the chest. 

He is extremely active as in an hour to 2 hours of straight fetching with a chuck-it at full speed. I sense that he has a calorie imbalance in what he takes in vs. when he burns and what he stores. 

I'll post a picture of him when I get a chance.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

TitonsDad said:


> I'll be switching him to an all raw diet here soon in the next week. Hopefully the high fat content will allow him to put fat around the chest.
> 
> I'll post a picture of him when I get a chance.


Please be aware that a raw diet is not supposed to be a high fat diet. You do get some fat from things such as chicken skin, but too much fat, such as pork tongue, will give your dog diarrhea.

Hope Tilton does well on the raw. It will add muscle and more than likely bulk him up.


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## TitonsDad (Nov 9, 2009)

Sunflowers said:


> Please be aware that a raw diet is not supposed to be a high fat diet. You do get some fat from things such as chicken skin, but too much fat, such as pork tongue, will give your dog diarrhea.
> 
> Hope Tilton does well on the raw. It will add muscle and more than likely bulk him up.


I'm aware of this. He's been on raw before. Thanks! :thumb up:

What I meant by that was a more "pure form of fat".


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

TitonsDad said:


> Hopefully the high fat content will allow him to put fat around the chest.


Why would you want your dog to gain fat around the heart and lungs?


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## TheNamesNelson (Apr 4, 2011)

Why are you in a hurry to put weight on a dog? Who cares how much your dog weighs? My dog is 2 years and topped out at 80lbs. The vet said hes in phenomenal shape and that he should remain within the 75lb to 80lb range.

Also hes 8 months old, why do you have this massive desire to have him look thick? When you were 12 years old did you look like a man? did you have a thick chest and neck?

Holy **** man, its a puppy, get a hold of yourself.


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## TitonsDad (Nov 9, 2009)

Emoore said:


> Why would you want your dog to gain fat around the heart and lungs?


*face palm*


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## TitonsDad (Nov 9, 2009)

No wonder I left this board months ago.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

TitonsDad said:


> *face palm*





TitonsDad said:


> No wonder I left this board months ago.


Direct quote from you:


TitonsDad said:


> Hopefully the high fat content will allow him to put fat around the chest.
> .


You're hoping to put fat around the chest. Which is where the heart and lungs are. Please let me know what I'm missing.


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## TitonsDad (Nov 9, 2009)

Emoore said:


> Direct quote from you:
> 
> 
> You're hoping to put fat around the chest. Which is where the heart and lungs are. Please let me know what I'm missing.


Since you want to be politically correct, I won't play that game with you... Did you miss this?



TitonsDad said:


> Anyways, he's currently at 70lbs and you can vividly see his ribs.


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## ken k (Apr 3, 2006)

mynameisblc said:


> Here is a picture... Maybe I'll feed him just a little more..?



they are supposed to have that "hour glass shape" run your hands down the side`s, if you can feel the last 2 ribs on either side, then you feeding enough


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## TitonsDad (Nov 9, 2009)

ken k said:


> they are supposed to have that "hour glass shape" run your hands down the side`s, if you can feel the last 2 ribs on either side, then you feeding enough


I can SEE and FEEL all of them, not just the last 2. Now what since I can't put "weight"/"fat" on his chest/"heart and lungs"?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Don't worry so much about it. As long as you are feeding your pup 2# per day for a 70-80# frame, and pup is parasite free, is maintaining not losing...no worries. 
Up the meal portions by a 1/2 pound per meal and see how it goes.
Muscle tone IMO is much more important than added padding.
If you don't think your dog is absorbing nutrition add some green tripe to each meal. It has natural digestive enzymes.


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