Your Australian Shepherd will likely reach his full height around 12 months of age. However, they may not reach their full size until 16 months. The bigger the dog, the longer it will take. Growth will happen quickly at first and gradually slow down once they have passed the 6 month mark.
Australian Shepherds, as working dogs, are intelligent, energetic animals that make excellent pets for individuals and families who are always on the go. These medium-sized dogs need some space of their own and should definitely have daily access to a garden. Hopefully the details provided here on height and weight standards, growth patterns and how to approximate the future size of an Aussie prove useful in helping you decide whether or not to adopt one of these delightful dogs into your home.
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 cub is totally dependent on the mother and cannot control her body temperature, so it needs its 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.
Why is my Australian so full of energy?
It looks like your Australian Shepherd works 24/7. They are up before the sun, waiting for you to get out of bed. They follow you around like your furry shadow all morning before you leave for work. Then by the time you get home they want to play and go for a walk. This continues until you go to bed.
Do you take a sip of your morning cup of coffee and watch your Aussie run in circles? Don’t you wish you could have even a little of his energy? Where does it come from? Here are a few reasons why your Australian Shepherd can go on and on and on.
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.
Australian Shepherd Growth Chart (male)
Weight RangeHeight Range (at withers)8 weeks5 to 7 lbs3” to 5”9 weeks7 to 12 lbs5” to 8”10 weeks15 to 18 lbs7” to 11”11 weeks18 to 23 lbs9” to 12”3 months21 to 27 lbs11” to 13”4 months28 to 35 lbs12” to 14”5 months34 to 43 lbs13” to 15”6 months36 to 49 lbs15” to 17”7 months44 to 55 lbs16” to 18”8 months47 to 58 lbs17” to 19”9 months49 to 63 lbs18” to 20”10 months51 to 65 lbs19” to 21”11 months54 to 67 lbs20” to 22”1 year54 at 68 lbs20” at 23”2 years56 at 69 lbs20” at 23”
This chart details the growth cycle from puppy to adult for a standard size female Australian Shepherd.