My father has two beautiful German Shepherds named Buck and Lady, but I think they weigh too much. Buck weighs 150 lbs and Lady weighs 110 lbs. They both appear to be big boned, but I feel they should weigh less. They are very well behaved, but they don't get any exercise. They are either in the house or chained up outside. What is the ideal weight for both?
Add your voice! Click below to answer. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
Take them to the vet.
This depends so much on the individual dog. The "standard" weight may not be appropriate for your dogs because they might be smaller or larger than the standard.
An easy way to gauge if the dog is overweight is to check their ribs and waist. To check the ribs, run your hands across their chest, in the head-to-tail direction. You should be able to feel the dog's ribs, but you shouldn't be able to see them sticking up out of the skin (that would be too thin). If you can't feel the ribs easily, the dog is likely too fat.
To ckeck the waist, you might need to wet the dog down first if it has long hair like yours do. Stand over the dog, and look straight down at it. You should notice a "waist" at the equivalent place that a human's waist is, between the lowest ribs and the top of the hip bones. If there is no waist or if the waist is actually bulging outward, then you are probably safe in assuming that the dog is overweight.
These are just guidlines, not set-in-concrete ruies.
Of course, the best way to make sure that the dogs are (and stay) healthy is to get them some exercise! I don't mean to presume, but why does your dad keep such strong, energetic dogs like German Shepherds, if he doesn't want to exercise them? It's very unfair to the dogs. All dogs need exercise, but breeds like German Shepherds are bred to be working dogs and really need to move. If your dad is disabled and can't exercise them himself, could he possibly hire a dog walker? If they are well-behaved, as you say, there would probably be some young people in the neighborhood who would like the job.
this is a very late response. Did you ask your vet what to do? German Shepherds are herding dogs and need exercise whether it's a walk around the block or playing and running in a fenced in area. If your dogs aren't getting any exercise, they may be over weight and this will become a health problem.
I keep my German Shep on adult large breed weight control food (Purina One). It's mostly protein and she's nice and trim. I have had German Sheps for many years, and they need mucho exercise. They will get hip dysplasia and other problems if they are overweight. If they don't get enough exercise they will get into trouble and cause problems, etc., etc.
Both these beautiful animals are overweight and what are you thinking tying them on a chain these are herding animals and if you can't care for them give them to someone who can.
Since your Shepherds weigh so much, are they really the King Shepherds. The weight your listing seems more like the weight of a King Shepherd to me.
little younger on here, maybe 5 yearsSince your Shepherds weigh so much, are you sure they aren't the King Shepherds. The weight your listing seems more like the weight of a King Shepherd to me. My son keeps saying our white Shepherd is over weight, she's 84.4 today at 9 years old. She doesn't exersise either.
Add your voice! Click below to answer. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
