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Luchi
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14-06-2010, 11:17 PM

Large breed owners - Puppy Growth

My dog is 8 months old, I have always believed in growing puppies slowly but already she is at her adult weight thereabouts. (41kg) she is fed raw and has been since weaning, I can feel her ribs and spine, she has appropriate exercise for her age and breed. She still has masses of loose skin around her neck area.

Would like to hear from Large breed owners on their pups development/growth.
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Labman
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14-06-2010, 11:49 PM
At 8 months I have found my puppies growth has level off. Slow growth may continue into the second year, but you won't see much difference. Shepherds usually reach most of their growth sooner then Labs. Check the ends of the leg bones. If they are still much knobbier than an adult's, the growth plates are still open and it is still growing. If not, do not expect much more growth.

You may find this link interesting, http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/134/8/2027S

I weighed almost 9 month old Raven today and she was 50 pounds. She is in the normal 21''-22'' at the shoulder range, but a healthier lower weight. You can't see her ribs, but can easily feel them.

As that link shows, the larger the breed, the longer they grow.
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Fluffypup
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15-06-2010, 05:59 AM
If I read Labman's link right, I think it was saying growth rate is fairly breed specific so I guess my boy's growth may not be relevant to yours. Anyway, he did his main 'growing like a weed' up to about 1 year (he's also raw fed btw) and then he dropped off dramatically and is still growing heightwise at 19 months but very slowly. However, if I look back at photos of him at around a year, he has filled out so much and other leo owners tell me there's more to go till about 3. You sound like you're doing everything right so I wouldn't worry, maybe she's going to be a big girl - what height are her parents? If they're really big, there's a good chance she'll follow suit.
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Lynn
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15-06-2010, 06:11 AM
Ollie hadn't reached his adult weight at 8 months but was still a hefty dog and still has large paws to pick up and carry around. Most bernese weigh in around high 50's to low 70's kg (male) when adult. Ollie fluctuates around 70 to 72kgs.

He was raw fed till 3 then his tummy took a disliking to it he still has some raw with a good quality kibble.

A bernes's skeletal is not mature till 18 months and they are fully grown at around 2.

Ollie's dad is a big lad.
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Emma
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15-06-2010, 06:46 AM
OH's dog grew to his full height at about 12mths and didn't fill out until he was 2-3yrs.
As for the skin, it depends on the breed, but Jed still has masses that you could grab, some dogs are meant to have loose skin even when fully grown.
He use to have really noticeable growth spurts and you would wonder if he would ever stop he did at 80kg, and yes Labman you can feel his ribs easily, he is just a giant
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silv
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15-06-2010, 07:11 AM
Benson is a week off 2 yrs old now...........and i am still noticing growth outwards!
He went through lots of gangly phases where i thought he was thin and ribby.
I fed 3 times a day till bout 18 months old, now 2 meals a day.
even in the last few months he has put on another 5 kilos........now weighing 48 kilos.
8 months is no age for a large breed to even think about stoppin growin!
You're gonna have a huge beast!!
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Meg
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15-06-2010, 10:38 AM
Originally Posted by Luchi View Post
My dog is 8 months old, I have always believed in growing puppies slowly but already she is at her adult weight thereabouts. (41kg) she is fed raw and has been since weaning, I can feel her ribs and spine, she has appropriate exercise for her age and breed. She still has masses of loose skin around her neck area.

Would like to hear from Large breed owners on their pups development/growth.
Hi Luchi regarding the weight, I think raw fed dogs seem to have solid muscle as opposed to fat so may reach the full weight while still remaining quite lean.

At 8 months your puppy should still grow a little more in height . Even when they reach their full height and stop growing taller, large breeds don't 'drop in body' until they mature fully and this can be 18 months/2 years +.
As your dog matures the skin folds should fill out though some dogs retain a little loose skin. As Silv says you may have a huge beast in the making
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Labman
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15-06-2010, 10:51 AM
A lean adult won't weigh more than it did when it completed its growth. I have observed that Labs' body shape changes, but the weight shouldn't increase with maturity. If it does, it is life shortening fat.
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Loki's mum
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15-06-2010, 11:39 AM
I found that mine reached their adult height at around 12 -14 months, but haven't reached their adult weight yet and probably won't for some time. Rio is coming up to 2 years and weighs around 30 kilos. As she matures I expect she will go up to around 35 kilos. Dandy is 17 months and weighs in at around 40 kilos. I expect he will gain 5-10 kilos in the next two years or so, though he won't fully mature till he's four or five years old.
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Helena54
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15-06-2010, 11:54 AM
I have a large breed (gsd), and I've just come back from the vets for a little weigh in, coz I wanted to know what her adult weight would be so I can stick to it, she's now 19 months old and stopped growing a month ago (I hope!)

I found it quite strange, that she actually weighs the very same weight almost, as she did last November when she was only 12 months old Since when, we had her speyed, the weight dropped off, then it zoomed back up, so I cut down her food, and I would say she's a very lean looking dog, with a nice waist shape and is quite a tall shepherd for a bitch. Then again, she weighed almost 37 kgs (1 kg off what she is now), at aged about 8 months old, whereas when she was getting up to the 37 kgs, it went on quite rapidly, but then it seemed to stop, even though she really filled out after one year old and stopped looking all leggy!

She was fed on Hill's large breed puppy, and even though the vet wanted me to keep her on that for a year because it slows down the growth, I did change to adult food at around 9 months old.
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