Your German Shepherd will go through a super quick development in their first three years of their life. From a tiny ball of fluffy blindness to a full-grown adult dog it is important to know as much as possible about their development cycle and the milestones associated with each stage of their development.
This is purely a guide and, just like humans, all puppies and dogs will develop at different rates.
For a full in-depth German Shephard Puppy Development Stages and Ages week by week guide checkout this post
Table of Contents
The Neonatal Period. Birth-2 Weeks.
In the first two weeks of their life your puppy is mostly helpless and fully dependant on their mother. Their mother will be responsible for feeding, eliminating waste and keeping them warm. The puppies will be able to taste, touch and feel warmth but their eyes and ears are sealed shut. You should see the following milestones hit in the first two weeks.
What you should expect to see:
- Puppies Starting to Crawl
- Eyes and ears starting to open
- Teeth starting to appear
By the end of the first two weeks your puppies should be able to stand up, albeit a little shakily and have their eyes and ears fully open.
The Transitional Period. (2-4 Weeks old)
Your puppies motor skills will start to develop more rapidly. They will start to be able to control their body and temperature much better. They will start to interact with their litter mates but will still be largely dependent on their mother.
What you should expect to see:
- Puppies Walking Well
- Puppies Interacting with you and their littermates
- Puppy teeth almost complete.
The Socialisation Period (4weeks – 3 months)
The puppies will now have complete control of their body and will start exploring the world around them.
Socialising is extremely important during this stage of a puppy’s life. At the start of this period the puppy will learn from it’s mother and littermates but by the end they will mainly learn from other dogs and humans.
The latter half of this period is the ideal time to rehome the puppies as this is when they are most susceptible to learning new things and they can start to be taught basic commands. Between 8-11 weeks your puppy may start to display signs of some fearfulness. This is perfectly normal and will need to be nurtured (Not encouraged) by you.
What you should expect to see:
- Start showing adult behaviours (Wagging tails, sniffing bums)
- Start to be able to be taught basic commands
- Ears begin to sit upright.
The Juvenile Period (3months-6months)
Your German Shepherd puppy will become much more independent during this period. They will start to understand dominance and will explore their home to understand where their position is in the household. Your puppy will loose it’s first teeth and these will be replaced by Adult Teeth. At the end of this period your puppy will have reached full sexual maturity and be at around 60%-70% of their fully grown size.
What you should expect to see:
- Female puppies begin heat cycles
- Ears now fully upright
- Males reach sexual maturity
The Adolescence Period (6months-18months)
Most of your puppies social understanding and behaviours will have developed by this point but a reinforcement of these is still important. Your puppy will be at their most energetic and will require a structured training routine to help them to continue to develop.
Males are considered fully grown at 36months whereas females reach this mark around 24months.
Adulthood (18months +)
Your dog is now fully developed both physically and mentally. You will know have an excellent, loyal family pet and companion to spend many years together with.
Development FAQ’s
How big will my German Shephard Grow?
German Shepherds are a medium-large breed. Females will grow to around 22-24 inches and weigh 50-70lbs whereas the males will grow to around 24-26 inches and weigh 65-90lbs.
How many puppies is there in the average German Shepherd litter?
German Shepherd litters Usually consist of between 5 and 10 puppies.
How long do German shepherds live?
The average life span for a German Shepherd is somewhere between 9 and 14 years. their life span can vary depending on a number of factors including health diet and exercise.
Are male and female German shepherds different?
Other than the size difference already discussed females tend to be more affectionate than males where is male dogs are usually more protective of their surroundings and their families.
German Shepherd litters Usually consist of between 5 and 10 puppies.
