At What Age Do German Shepherds Stop Growing?

By Nathan Young on June 21, 2022

When you get a fluffy German Shepherd puppy, there are a few things you always consider. You consider their food habits, medical requirements, growth, and development. You always want to know how big your fluff ball is going to know.

It is an established fact that German Shephards usually stop growing when they are about 3 years of age. Although most of them stop growing by their second year. At about 18 months, a German Shephard is usually considered as fully grown as an adult.

When Does A German Shepherd Stop Growing?

Here in this article, you are going to learn a lot about your German Shepherd pup, like their size, height, weight, and development.

This dog breed originated in Germany and is an extremely loyal, friendly, and approachable dog. They are medium to large-sized dogs, that may seem reserved in the beginning but after spending time with them. They get highly attached and approachable.

They are a highly protective breed with courage, ferocity, and high strength. Hence they are an asset to the police and the military. They are a very energetic breed and very easily trainable.

They are very outdoorsy dogs, they get a lot of exercise through playing outside and running around. They grow up to 25 inches in height and weight up to 90 pounds, usually live up to 9-12 years.

Male And Female German Shepherds

If you see male and female German shepherds, then you will see a few notable differences among them. Male German shepherds are naturally taller and bigger than their female counterparts.

Male German shepherds are normally more emotionally stable and stronger than females. But on the other hand, female German shepherds are naturally more affectionate, and obedient, and are very easy to train.

Hence, it has been seen that female dogs are perfect for family protection, but male dogs are best for personal protection and safety.

Development Stages: German Shepherd

1. Newborn Stage

This neonatal stage lasts for 14 days. Compared to an adult dog, a newborn German shepherd’s body temperature is quite low.

When the puppy is about two weeks, the eyes and ears gradually open. Then the central front tooth on their lower jaw gradually develops. The puppy crawls for the first time and takes its first steps.

2. Socialization Stage

This period lasts for about two weeks to about two months. This is the stage when the puppy explores the world around them. This is when they interact with others as well. They also develop their social and emotional abilities as well.

During this stage, the puppy learns a few skills. They identify their species and learn to play, fight and also interact with friends and owners. They learn to bite and chew on soft foods.

3. Juvenile Stage

This stage lasts from 3 months to 6 months. At this point, they go through many growth changes. They get a bit larger and even stronger and more active, but their attention span is still short.

At this stage, you have to be careful bringing strangers or new pets around them. The training sessions at this point should be short and to the point, as puppies get bored easily and distracted.

From the fourth and sixth months, the puppy develops adult teeth and the floppy ears become straight and upright.

4. Sexual Maturity And Reproductive Stage

This stage lasts from about the 7th month till they are about 2 years old. At this stage, they reach a stage of sexual maturity.

Female GSD, usually reach this stage during their first heat period- the sixth month, males reach at- seventh month.

The male GSD body also gets larger. But they still are developing their emotional and mental capacities. At this adolescent age, they are very energetic and love to play around and run around.

5. Mature Stage

This is the point when German shepherds enter their adulthood. The female German Shepherds turn mature a bit faster than the male German Shepherds.

It takes about 2 to 2.5 years old to turn mature, while the male ones take about 2 to 3 years old. After this stage, there is no milestone left to achieve for a German Shepherd.

After they are fully developed, they get very active to do any task and are very energetic as well.

Conclusion

Due to their large size, German Shepherds usually grow slower than other dog breeds. This factor puts the GSDs at great risk for joint pain if they are overworked and over exercised as well.

You should always consult with your vet, about the exercises your German Shepherds should do according to their age, size, and weight.

German Shepherds grow up to be fiercely loyal and protective friend for life. Who grow up to be a huge fluff ball for life, until they sense any danger, then they became as fierce as possible.

Author Bio:

Hanna Flores is a passionate blogger. She loves to share her thoughts, ideas, and experiences with the world through blogging. Hanna Flores is associated with Content Rally, Tech Trends Pro, Rsl online, Real Wealth Business, Online News Buzz, Top Preference, Big Jar News, Tour And Travel Blog, Dream And Travel, Smart Business Daily, Sb News Room, Finance Team, Dream Land Estate, Follow The Fashion, Online Health Media, Emblem Wealth & Online Marketing Tools, Search Engine Magazine, Social Media Magazine, Mashum Mollah, Blog Stellar.