Facebook page.Grendel is now officially 8 months old and has not grown even a cm taller since just before 6 months. She is barely 22.5" tall. She has gained weight (just under 55 lbs) and is filling out, but looks like a 6 month old puppy.
While I know her height is within the standard for a DS, I've personally never seen a DS this small/short. I have had a few people tell me they've seen mals this small, but I have not. And of course, she's only half DS- I have never seen a GSD anywhere near this tiny. Her vets say she is not likely to grow taller.
What's the smallest DS you've seen or had? Anyone ever seen one this short?
Lisa G.
Smallest DS you've had/seen?
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brindledog
- Puppy
- Posts: 94
- Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2016 9:04 am
- Tell us about yourself: I love Shepherds- German, Dutch and Belgian. I recently lost my 16.5 y/o GSD mix and was hoping to find a GSD or DS mix. I totally lucked out in finding Grendel, a DS/GSD mix at 9.5 weeks old. She was filthy and flea-ridden, but still the cutest, craziest thing ever. She's going to live up to her name! First dog I've had that I've actually seen the parents and definitely know what she is!
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Dutchringgirl
- Global Moderator
- Posts: 5692
- Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 3:05 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I am a mom of 6 life forces - 2 kids and 3 dogs 1 hamster. I live in Ct. I have trained Ringsport and Agility and have 2 DS, one 15 and 7 and a Basset Hound Cookie who is 2
- Location: Ct, USA
Re: Smallest DS you've had/seen?
If she is a mix then that explains it. Full DS are much taller
Lisa, Thalie CGC & Sadie, Cookie the Basset, CT
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racingiron1
- Green Dog
- Posts: 192
- Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2013 4:35 pm
- Tell us about yourself: Hilde is a rescue that we suspect is at least partially Dutch Shepherd.
- Location: Chattanooga, TN, USA
Re: Smallest DS you've had/seen?
Hilde is tiny (19", 38 lbs), but she's very likely a mix. She also had an unknown upbringing with probably very poor nutrition for the first 5 or 6 months of life. However, when I first introduced myself here, a breeder commented on one of her dogs that was a runt and also bottle-fed. That girl at 18 months was approximately the same size as Hilde and she claimed the DS parents were 90 and 70 lbs. So, I would say genetic variation and nutrition factors could easily explain Grendel's stature.
Eric, Elizabeth, & Hilde
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brindledog
- Puppy
- Posts: 94
- Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2016 9:04 am
- Tell us about yourself: I love Shepherds- German, Dutch and Belgian. I recently lost my 16.5 y/o GSD mix and was hoping to find a GSD or DS mix. I totally lucked out in finding Grendel, a DS/GSD mix at 9.5 weeks old. She was filthy and flea-ridden, but still the cutest, craziest thing ever. She's going to live up to her name! First dog I've had that I've actually seen the parents and definitely know what she is!
Re: Smallest DS you've had/seen?
Wow! 19"? That IS tiny. To be honest, I'm not sure I am getting an accurate height on Grendel- she's quite possibly shorter than 22.5". And yeah, a mix. But the father was a big GSD, so if anything, would've expected her to be larger than her mom, not smaller.
As for the nutrition thing- she's def had issues. Vets FINALLY conceded that she may have had a chronic tapeworm infestation that had not been killed by dewormer. But only after I subjected them to the video I shot of the giant, undulating tapeworm segment in her poop just 2 weeks after she'd last been dewormed.
After another round of dewormer, a bunch of dietary changes and meds for GI issues, she gained 4 lbs. in a week and, for the first time in months, has kept the weight on. No height change, though. She still has little knobs in her front legs, but doubt that will translate into future lengthening.
She's certainly good at jumping, though. We were in a pet store yesterday and within a split second she had jumped on to the counter to steal a treat. The clerk (who I know) was very impressed. Later in the day she jumped over a fence to get to her buddy, a giant GSD. She should be good at circus school. I like larger dogs, but at least she's good size to jump through hoops.
As for the nutrition thing- she's def had issues. Vets FINALLY conceded that she may have had a chronic tapeworm infestation that had not been killed by dewormer. But only after I subjected them to the video I shot of the giant, undulating tapeworm segment in her poop just 2 weeks after she'd last been dewormed.
After another round of dewormer, a bunch of dietary changes and meds for GI issues, she gained 4 lbs. in a week and, for the first time in months, has kept the weight on. No height change, though. She still has little knobs in her front legs, but doubt that will translate into future lengthening.
She's certainly good at jumping, though. We were in a pet store yesterday and within a split second she had jumped on to the counter to steal a treat. The clerk (who I know) was very impressed. Later in the day she jumped over a fence to get to her buddy, a giant GSD. She should be good at circus school. I like larger dogs, but at least she's good size to jump through hoops.
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TimL_168
- Working Dog
- Posts: 1387
- Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2014 2:11 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I am: a father, a carpenter, hunter, runner. I have extensive experience with sled dogs, shepherd mixes, a wolf hybrid, a Shiloh Shepherd. I added Endeavor in April 2016. She was not working out in HRD. I train for game recovery and general utility.
- Location: central MD
Re: Smallest DS you've had/seen?
Endeavor is almost 1½, and she's right around 50 lbs. Not sure of her height, but she's tiny. I'll try to get a good measure tomorrow. She's all Dutch. Similarly, her stature doesn't stop her from, well...anything.
Tim L.
I hope all your dogs are well
I hope all your dogs are well