# 2.5 years old, 71lbs, still looks like a 6 mo pup?



## Duke-2009 (Apr 13, 2009)

Duke is now 2.5 yo and is average size for a male. I think I would call him a shorter haired shepherd, so he does not have that puffed up look. I am very happy with his weight as he is incredibly athletic and also a good weight for the hips. 

Not complaining, but he still looks like my avatar which is at 6 mos. He has a puppy face. Everyone thinks he is a puppy and thinks he is under 1. I guess it is nice to have a "puppy" for this long. Just wondering if others have experienced this? He also has really big ears and his face has not grown into them. Consistent with gsd pups when they go through that all ears look. 

I am guessing 5 more pound as he matures will make him look like an adult. 

Thoughts ?


----------



## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Abby is 2 and people think she is a male puppy. She also has that slender build, probably 68-70 pounds. She hasn't change since she was 1.
We just have to take them as they are.

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/members/paddyd-albums545-abby-picture9912-18-months.jpg


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

I think your dog's big ears make him look like a puppy. There may not be anything you can do about that. GSDs do mature at 2 or 3 years of age, so he could still fill out and mature physically.


----------



## Duke-2009 (Apr 13, 2009)

I agree, and the ears are probably my favorite part of his overall look. We are perfectly comfortable with his puppy look! Here is a more recent pic:


----------



## Deuce (Oct 14, 2010)

He's handsome none-the-less.


----------



## Todd (Sep 6, 2004)

He's a great looking dog. When I adopted Heidi, she was 2 or so and skinny as a rail. She filled out over the next year and a little too much once in awhile in the following years! Had to work on that every once in awhile...

I think he looks great and would not give it a second thought. If he puts on a few poounds and fills out some, great. If not, I would not care one bit.


----------



## Duke-2009 (Apr 13, 2009)

Deuce said:


> He's handsome none-the-less.


Thank you, as is yours. They look alike.


----------



## Duke-2009 (Apr 13, 2009)

Todd said:


> He's a great looking dog. When I adopted Heidi, she was 2 or so and skinny as a rail. She filled out over the next year and a little too much once in awhile in the following years! Had to work on that every once in awhile...
> 
> I think he looks great and would not give it a second thought. If he puts on a few poounds and fills out some, great. If not, I would not care one bit.


Thanks Todd. I completely agree.


----------



## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Good looking fella. Looks full grown to me, not at all puppy-like.
JMHO


----------



## Duke-2009 (Apr 13, 2009)

PaddyD said:


> Good looking fella. Looks full grown to me, not at all puppy-like.
> JMHO


Thanks Pat! Yours as well!


----------



## fuzzybunny (Apr 29, 2011)

I think he's gorgeous and if people think he looks like a pup then great! Obviously he's aging gracefully then . Bunny will be 5 in December and people still think she's a pup and always think that Jazz is the older one and Jazz isn't quite 2 yet.


----------



## Furricane (Feb 18, 2010)

He's a good looking dog, I love his colors! Kendra will be 4 in November and people always think she is a pup. She just has big ears and feet for her small body. The first thing people tell us when they say hi is, "oh she still has some growing to do eh?" I just laugh and say how old she is and that she will probably never grow into those ears and legs!


----------



## Veronica1 (Jun 22, 2010)

I wouldn't have thought he was a puppy - he looks like a handsome man to me. He's "fine-boned" just like my boy.


----------



## vomlittlehaus (Aug 24, 2010)

I dont think he looks like a pup, but then I have seen a lot of GSD's as well. More experienced eye. He is handsome. Some 'lines' will mature later. My bitch just turned 5 and finally looks like a filled out, stout, adult GSD.
Just wanted to add that he does fall in the breed standard as well.


----------



## brembo (Jun 30, 2009)

If someone had asked me to estimate Duke's age by looking at that picture I would have said 2 or 3 years old. My dog looked a lot like that around Duke's age. At 5 years old Banjo really filled out and it made his ears and paws look much more to scale. He's not big or fat or muscled up, he just somehow became "proportional".


----------



## Duke-2009 (Apr 13, 2009)

Maybe I am listening to the comments too much from non GSD folks. Just seems like every passer by thinks he is a puppy and is surprised when I tell them his age. Then they ask if he is on the smaller side and I tell them he is average. 

Again, not concerned one bit and it seems as you all get the same reaction. It's great we have a youthful looking breed.


----------



## brembo (Jun 30, 2009)

Just a note, Banjo is on the big side of standard. Weighing 90 pounds-ish during the winter and mid to low 80s during the summer. It's hard to articulate what I mean "he became proportional". I know his paws and ears didn't shrink, and I know he was 85 pounds or so when he was 3 y/o. Maybe the puppy-fat got redistributed and burned off and finally turned into muscle. It was a slow transition, wish I had time-lapse to really see what happened. The good news is, at 8 y/o he's still a knob that acts and plays like a pup. Any excuse to gnaw on me or play growl at me and he's on it.


----------



## shadow mum (Apr 8, 2008)

Shadow is now 3.5 yrs old and is constantly mistaken for a puppy. He averages between 65 - 70 lbs and is very slim. I don't mind it. People don't seem as wary if they think he is a pup.


----------



## CelticGlory (Jan 19, 2006)

Duke is such a handsome boy. I love his overall coloring.


----------



## Duke-2009 (Apr 13, 2009)

shadow mum said:


> Shadow is now 3.5 yrs old and is constantly mistaken for a puppy. He averages between 65 - 70 lbs and is very slim. I don't mind it. People don't seem as wary if they think he is a pup.


I find this as well with regard to people being more comfortable because they think he is a pup, however, this can be both good and bad. Duke is always kind and playful with children (loves them), 90% of the time with women, and 50/50 with strange men. So he does get protective when approached mostly by men and almost always when on a leash.


----------



## Duke-2009 (Apr 13, 2009)

CelticGlory said:


> Duke is such a handsome boy. I love his overall coloring.


Thank you!


----------

