It’s important to know how much your puppy weighs at different ages, and this Australian Shepherd growth chart has all the information you need. The average size of an Australian Shepherd is 35 to 45 pounds for males and 30 to 40 pounds for females.
At birth, a male cub weighs between 1 and 1.5 pounds, while a female weighs about 1 pound. By the time they are 6 months old, they should weigh between 25 and 30 pounds; At one year of age, they will likely weigh between 40 and 45 pounds (18 to 20 kg), which means it will take them a bit longer than their peers to grow into those huge paws of theirs.
Birth – 2 weeks
During this stage, a puppy will have fully developed senses of taste and touch, but its eyes and ears will be closed so it cannot see or hear. The pup is totally dependent on the mother and cannot control her body temperature, so he needs his mother’s body heat to survive. By the end of the first week, the pup will have doubled his birth weight.
During the second week, the puppy’s eyes will begin to open, but his eyesight will not be fully developed. His legs will get stronger and he will continue to gain weight.
When do Australian Shepherds stop growing?
Australian Shepherds, like most dogs, don’t stop growing until they are one year old. Until they reach this age, they are likely to gain pounds and inches rapidly. Most dogs will gain most of their weight during the first few months of life, only gaining a few extra pounds and inches later.
However, some Australian Shepherds may continue to grow after a year if they have access to top-notch nutrition or have a medical condition that causes them to continue growing.
Why is the growth cycle longer for a standard size Australian Shepherd?
As mentioned above, a standard size adult Australian Shepherd will have a lot more to do than a Miniature Australian Shepherd – going from a tiny newborn pup to a full size adult dog takes time!
This tends to be true across the board for large dog breeds. The bigger the dog, the greater the growth in every way, including the bones, the skeletal system, the soft tissues, the organs, everything.
Diet, eating habits and nutrition
Feeding your puppy high-quality food that his body digests well will have an impact on his growth potential.
Puppies should eat a diet that is made specifically for puppies, as it will contain higher levels of calcium, vitamin D, healthy fats, protein, and overall calories. Avoid «all life stages» of growing puppies.