# Muscle definition critique



## ILoveBella478 (Mar 13, 2015)

Does this look like bella is on the right path to good muscle gain ? I'm not doing anything special just fetch and food and three walks out of the week


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## Bella67 (Jun 22, 2014)

she will start to fill out more as she gets older


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

My pup isn't showing much in the way of muscle at 5 months. He is teething heavily, still has so much skin to fill in. He's very active and agile, but not buff. What are you expecting from your growing puppy? They need the nutrients to go to their bones/growth, not building muscle bulk.


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

onyx'girl said:


> My pup isn't showing much in the way of muscle at 5 months. He is teething heavily, still has so much skin to fill in. He's very active and agile, but not buff. What are you expecting from your growing puppy? They need the nutrients to go to their bones/growth, not building muscle bulk.


I'm still wondering this too! Mine will be a year old next week and I'm still torn because of the info posted here. "Nothing but modest exercise until their bone plates close" "Growing puppy needs lots of exercise to build bone and muscle" 

Which is it? and how to achieve before bone plates close?


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## ILoveBella478 (Mar 13, 2015)

Bella67 said:


> she will start to fill out more as she gets older


So what your saying is she will lose that definition or the definition will fill out and look better ?


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## ILoveBella478 (Mar 13, 2015)

onyx'girl said:


> My pup isn't showing much in the way of muscle at 5 months. He is teething heavily, still has so much skin to fill in. He's very active and agile, but not buff. What are you expecting from your growing puppy? They need the nutrients to go to their bones/growth, not building muscle bulk.


I honestly don't know what to expect besides her parents weight her mom 92# right now her dad 135# right now I won't let her reach more than 80# but from what im seeing right now she kinda looks musclar I never had a GSD so that's why im asking does it look like she's on the path of being buff


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

ILoveBella478 said:


> So what your saying is she will lose that definition or the definition will fill out and look better ?


Pups under their age of maturity aren't just "smaller models" of a mature GSD. I don't think any 20 week old puppy looks "buff" - they're under major construction and look pretty weird while growing sometimes. 

My pup looks totally different every 3 months so far. Just from 10 to 11.5 mos her body shape changed yet again, the last vestiges of puppyhood apparently going. 

Every part about her is more defined, Head, neck, legs, tail filled out, especially her weight distribution - no more tube shaped torso, deep chest, narrower top view at back and waist, increase in shoulder and neck muscle. Muscle can now easily be seen on the rear legs - and all this in just the last few weeks.

Also, I swear, she still had some puppy coat left. Came out in the undercoat brushed out in the last couple of weeks. Sad to say goodby to the puppy, but happy at what she is becoming.


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## ILoveBella478 (Mar 13, 2015)

Stonevintage said:


> ILoveBella478 said:
> 
> 
> > So what your saying is she will lose that definition or the definition will fill out and look better ?
> ...


Hmm thanks thats the answer I was looking for. She's defintely growing weird her back legs at one point was taller than her front legs. Cutest funniest thing in the world her coat is getting rid of the white she's goinng strictly to black/tan as you see in the picture it would pretty cool looking if she did put on muscle though


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

ILoveBella478 said:


> Hmm thanks thats the answer I was looking for. She's defintely growing weird her back legs at one point was taller than her front legs. Cutest funniest thing in the world her coat is getting rid of the white she's goinng strictly to black/tan as you see in the picture it would pretty cool looking if she did put on muscle though


Oh yea, I remember, all the white mine had, it was amazing to watch the tan take over - it wasn't like the white fell out and was replaced by tan - it was so quick like the white turned to tan?. Anyway, I was pretty freaked out when she turned 10 month old. I knew weird stages happened but expected them to be over at around 6-7 months for some reason - not! Now, it's just what's left to change?

She's looking so much better than my pup at that age. Hang in and take lots of pics, you will be amazed and it's all wonderful , I think you will miss these awkward years later on, I am already.


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## viking (May 2, 2014)

My Hans was super lanky until he got to year 3 and then he started getting buff. (He was about 9-10 months old when we found each other.) Now, he's lean, very fit but no longer lanky looking. He's filled out beautifully.


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