# Small for his age?



## cocolopz (Oct 16, 2013)

Hello everyone, I have a question regarding my 3 month old male german shepherd. He's name is ghost and he only weights 17 lbs. When I see other 3 month old GSD they weight about 27-30 lbs. So is he small for his age?What can I feed him so he can gain weight?


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## trcy (Mar 1, 2013)

He doesn't look to skinny to me. If they grow to fast it can cause problems. My vet said whether they grow fast or slow they will get the size they are going to be and it's better for them to grow slowly.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

He looks normal to me, I wouldn't be concerned about it.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

maybe he's a smaller GSD. don't try to make him gain weight.
what are you feeding him?


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## Msmaria (Mar 2, 2013)

From the picture he doesnt look small. Some pups grow slower, so ive been told. People always commented that my gsd was small at that age, hes 27 inches now and 85 pounds. I hope hes done growing. Give your pup some time. Mine grew very fast between 4 months and 7 months.


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## BellaLuna (Jan 27, 2013)

Aww he's perfect the way he is, what a cutie he is. He looks great to me they are vary in size so I wouldn't stress it at all 

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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

If he's eating, drinking, pooping normal & alert leave him be...seriously. He looks fine. Cute pup.


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

Those dogs "look" 20-30 lbs, but they're not, they're probably in the same ballpark as your boy-- who looks great. Most people are extremely inaccurate when guessing how much a dog weighs. I get comments all the time about how my dog must be over 100 lbs, but he's 73 lbs. Don't try and get him to gain weight- as long as he is healthy, all that is going to do is hurt his joints.

If he is healthy otherwise, it really doesn't matter how much he weighs.


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## CaseyandBaron (Oct 21, 2013)

I have the same concern for my 7 month old boy Baron. He only weighs 45 pounds...according to everyone else he should weigh close to 60


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

CaseyandBaron said:


> I have the same concern for my 7 month old boy Baron. He only weighs 45 pounds...according to everyone else he should weigh close to 60


Who is "everyone else"?

If it's anyone but your vet...ignore them. Most people have absolutely zero idea what a GSD should weigh. Many people think they're supposed to be 120+ lbs.

My male was about 45 lbs at 7 months. At three he is 75 lbs... pretty much smack in the middle of the breed standard. As long as he's not too thin (hips showing, his ribs feeling like your knuckles in a closed fist etc) and in a healthy condition (ribs barely visible, some tummy tuck, etc), then he is perfectly fine.


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## CaseyandBaron (Oct 21, 2013)

*?*

Every website and gsd puppy growth chart said he should weigh more I just want to make sure he's at a healthy weight and he's not behind on growing. Like I said he's my first and I'm still learning


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

CaseyandBaron said:


> Every website and gsd puppy growth chart said he should weigh more I just want to make sure he's at a healthy weight and he's not behind on growing. Like I said he's my first and I'm still learning


Don't worry! Talk to your vet if you're really concerned about some sort of health problem. IF he is at the small end of the spectrum, that's fine too. Those charts are incredibly inaccurate anyways. Just focus on keeping him in a good body condition (don't try and put too much weight on- a little on the lean side is better), and he'll end up wherever he ends up  I know some dogs who grew quite quickly and taper off, and I know some dogs who were "late bloomers" and grew considerably after a year. My guy got very tall very fast, but didn't put on a lot of weight until he was over a year. He's taller than breed standard now, and has the gangly "early neuter" look, but he is a very healthy weight.


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## DieselPup (Aug 13, 2013)

He looks normal to me! If anything, he looks bigger than my pup who is 16 weeks old haha.


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## stmcfred (Aug 13, 2013)

He looks like a normal size to me. I wouldn't overfeed him just to make him gain weight. It's not healthy.


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## lmdurco (Sep 30, 2013)

I have my first GSD rt now too and at 10-12 weeks the vet said her weight was low but between weeks 11 and 14 she gained 11 pounds and now at 15 weeks she is 26.5. So she is good according to vet. She had a slow start but in the course if literally 1 week had such a growth spirt that family members who had not seen her could not believe it! I guess they all grow at their own pace. I was worried too but try to relax, if he is healthy he will grow  I love this breed so far how about you?


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## cocolopz (Oct 16, 2013)

lmdurco said:


> I have my first GSD rt now too and at 10-12 weeks the vet said her weight was low but between weeks 11 and 14 she gained 11 pounds and now at 15 weeks she is 26.5. So she is good according to vet. She had a slow start but in the course if literally 1 week had such a growth spirt that family members who had not seen her could not believe it! I guess they all grow at their own pace. I was worried too but try to relax, if he is healthy he will grow  I love this breed so far how about you?
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Ghost is starting to gain weight too so i am relieved hes okay and is not having any problems. i went to the vet and he told the same thing as you. He just told us he needed more quality food so we did and we are starting to see the results. This breed is awesome i love him a lot


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## lmdurco (Sep 30, 2013)

So glad all is well!!!


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## ttrelfa3 (Jul 16, 2013)

It must be in the Name! my pup named Ghost was 18lb at 12weeks. But has gained an average of 3lb a week since I had him. He goes to the vet tomorrow and Im sure he is around 21lb. He is small to those charts but he is healthy and thats what matters! His Dad was 75lb and mom 70, so im sure he will hit that.


Pictuer was at 9weeks


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## cocolopz (Oct 16, 2013)

ttrelfa3 said:


> It must be in the Name! my pup named Ghost was 18lb at 12weeks. But has gained an average of 3lb a week since I had him. He goes to the vet tomorrow and Im sure he is around 21lb. He is small to those charts but he is healthy and thats what matters! His Dad was 75lb and mom 70, so im sure he will hit that.
> 
> 
> Pictuer was at 9weeks


Hm maybe it is the name


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Your pups are the size they are supposed to be for them. They grow at their own pace. Growing too fast can cause problems. Love them and dont try to rush their growth. They are right on track for where they are supposed to end up. They're just like kids. They grow at their own pace. There is always going to be an average line with leeway on either side of that line. Also keep in mind, pups from different lines will mature faster or slower both mentally and physically than others. 

Example: My pup is just about 8 months old. He weighs MAYBE 60lbs. A pup we came across on a walk out on the docks a couple weeks ago is 2 months younger than he is and already clearly larger than him. My pup is from working lines while the other pup is showlines. My adult female is from showlines/pet lines and she was a smaller pup. She's 75lbs now at 3 years old. 

They all grow differently. Stop being so stuck on the charts and how your dog stacks up size wise to others. What matters most if how YOUR dogs stacks up to themselves. As long as their body condition is good and they are growing appropriately, chill. They will grow to where they are supposed to grow for them.


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## cocolopz (Oct 16, 2013)

KZoppa said:


> Your pups are the size they are supposed to be for them. They grow at their own pace. Growing too fast can cause problems. Love them and dont try to rush their growth. They are right on track for where they are supposed to end up. They're just like kids. They grow at their own pace. There is always going to be an average line with leeway on either side of that line. Also keep in mind, pups from different lines will mature faster or slower both mentally and physically than others.
> 
> Example: My pup is just about 8 months old. He weighs MAYBE 60lbs. A pup we came across on a walk out on the docks a couple weeks ago is 2 months younger than he is and already clearly larger than him. My pup is from working lines while the other pup is showlines. My adult female is from showlines/pet lines and she was a smaller pup. She's 75lbs now at 3 years old.
> 
> They all grow differently. Stop being so stuck on the charts and how your dog stacks up size wise to others. What matters most if how YOUR dogs stacks up to themselves. As long as their body condition is good and they are growing appropriately, chill. They will grow to where they are supposed to grow for them.


Your right thanks a lot. Those charts really made me worried that Ghost was probably sick or had a disease that made him small. But I took him to the vet and he told me he was fine and that he needed a little more nutritious food.


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