Dutch Shepherd Forum

I wasn't sure where to post this. At what general age does the dog fully develop it's body mass. I feel like pepper is all leg still and her muscle mass isn't increasing as much as her length and height. When she's hungry she eats like a pig and she eats a high protein diet so I don't think that she is being deprived of the right fuel to let her grow. I do know that lean and fit is best for her frame and she isn't going to be a tank.

they grow til about 18 months. of course, like the rest of us, they ''fill out'' over their lives depending on diet and exercise. but i think the positive, muscular filling out that you refer to is mostly after 12 months.
after turning 12 months in Feb, Xander had a huge growth spurt for 3 months - and in the latter part of that period and the month since has been filling out to look more like a ferocious and powerful adult, though he still has the demeanor of a puppy most of the time.

usually they keep getting a bit wider in the chest as they get older. Sadie is all legs too and very lean.

How old is Pepper now? 8-10 months? H was all legs until about 8-9 months (so just recently) and he suddenly started filling out. Still growing upwards now but getting more mass so he's almost proportional… ish.

Thor was 18-months when I adopted him. His chest grew wider in the months that followed, which is what Lisa referenced in her post. He also gained some bulk/mass (muscle?).

She just turned 8 months. I thought it was around 2 years or so until they reached there full size. I was just concerned that I wasn't giving her the right stuff to help her grow at first.

One day you'll look at her and wonder where all those muscles suddenly came from.