australian shepherd weight
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The Australian Shepherd is a breed of herding dog from the United States. Developed in California in the 19th century, it is claimed the breed descends from a variety of herding breeds including collies imported into California alongside sheep imported from Australia and New Zealand, the breed taking its name from the former. Originally used solely as a herding dog, the Australian Shepherd has become one of the most popular companion dog breeds in North America.
History
The Australian Shepherd descends in part from pastoral dogs brought to herd Spanish flocks in North America as early as the 1500s. There is some speculation that these dogs included the Carea Leonés, a mountain sheepdog that can display the eye color and merle coat found in many contemporary Australian Shepherds. It is sometimes claimed that the Basque Shepherd Dog and the Pyrenean Sheepdog were also among the ancestors of the breed. The breed as it is known today developed in California in the 19th century, as a sheep herding dog for Californian shepherds. The Australian Shepherd is believed to have developed from a variety of herding dogs imported to California with sheep imports, including collies from Australia and New Zealand, it was from these ancestors the breed took its name.
The Australian Shepherd spread from California throughout the Western United States where it became extremely popular with ranchers who valued the breed’s sheep working qualities, as well as their ability to handle cattle and other livestock. A purely working breed for over a century, the Australian Shepherd was virtually unknown outside of the livestock industry until the mid 20th century when the breed was popularised by Jay Lister, a rodeo performer, at rodeos across the western states with his Australian Shepherds performing all manner of tricks. A breed club was soon formed to promote the breed, the Australian Shepherd Club of America, and kennel club recognition followed in 1979 when the breed was recognised by the United Kennel Club. The breed was subsequently recognised by the American Kennel Club in the 1990s and later the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.
From the late-20th century the Australian Shepherd has increasingly been seen in conformation shows and it has become an extremely popular companion dog, in 2019 it was ranked by the American Kennel Club as the 15th most popular breed of dog in the United States.
Australian Shepherd Growth & Weight Chart: Everything You Need To Know
The Australian Shepherd is the perfect ranch dog and favorite dog breed for many cowboys. Between their intelligence, endless energy, and hard work ethic, this dog breed is not ideal for a sedentary dog owner. Despite their name, these “Aussies” have nothing to do with Australia. The Australian Shepherd breed actually has roots in Europe, and then the breed was perfected in California as a top herding dog and regular rodeo circuit helper.
To this day, Australian Shepherds remain ideal working dogs and they perform tasks ranging from herding to working as therapy dogs and service dogs. If you’re the lucky pet parent to one of these versatile dogs, you may be wondering how large will my Australian Shepherd grow and when will they stop growing?
Australian Shepherd Dog Breed
Australian Shepherds are medium to large dogs with a well-balanced appearance. The following Austrian Shepherd weight numbers are estimates, so please keep this in mind when comparing your Australian Shepherd puppy to them.
Like humans, all puppies will grow at different rates. Your Australian Shepherd puppy’s health is the most important thing. If you notice that your pup is way behind or ahead of the following numbers, consult with your veterinarian so they can assess your individual puppy’s growth.
How big should my Australian Shepherd be at 6 months?
At 6 months your dog will weigh somewhere between 25 and 40 pounds depending on his gender and genetics. You should not worry that your growing puppy’s weight is problematic unless he is unusually skinny or lethargic. Puppies go through different growth spurts, and simply being light does not mean that anything is wrong with your Australian Shepherd pup.
Australian Shepherds are highly athletic dogs that will exert a lot of energy running around, playing and exploring every day. They love to play frisbee, do dog agility or swim! It is normal that they appear slender and lean as pups. In fact, you want a 6 month old puppy to be trim – weighing too much puts a lot of strain onto growing joints and can lead to problems later on.
Around the age of 4-8 months, an Aussie will also show his final ear set. The standard asks for them to have floppy ears, but an Australian Shepherd’s ears can also stand up!
Gender and alter status
Of course, females tend to be lighter and smaller than male dogs. The dog’s alter status (whether you spayed or neutered early in life) also plays a role.
While our intuition usually is that an intact dog should grow up to be taller, that is not true! Performing a pediatric spay or neuter causes the dog to not close the growth plates in their joints early. This means that they end up growing for longer and become taller and thinner dogs.
If you neuter or spay your dog after about 1 year of age, he or she is more likely to be a bit smaller and heavier.
Especially males tend to become less active and more cuddly and food-driven after being neutered. Take care that your Aussie does not pile on the pounds after his neuter surgery by feeding him a balanced diet and keeping him in athletic condition.
Australian Shepherd Puppy Growth and Weight Chart (Male)
| Weight Range | Height Range | |
| 8 weeks | 5-7 lbs. | 3”-5” |
| 9 weeks | 7-12 lbs. | 5”-8” |
| 10 weeks | 15-19 lbs. | 7”-11” |
| 11 weeks | 18-23 lbs. | 9”-12” |
| 3 months | 21-27 lbs. | 11”-13” |
| 4 months | 28-35 lbs. | 12”-14” |
| 5 months | 34-43 lbs. | 13”-15” |
| 6 months | 38-49 lbs. | 15”-17” |
| 7 months | 44-55 lbs. | 16”-18” |
| 8 months | 47-58 lbs. | 17”-19” |
| 9 months | 49-63 lbs. | 18”-20” |
| 10 months | 51-65 lbs. | 19”-21” |
| 11 months | 53-67 lbs. | 20”-22” |
| 1 year | 54-68 lbs. | 20”-23” |
| 2 years | 56-69 lbs. | 20”-23” |
Australian Shepherd Puppy Growth and Weight Chart (Female)
| Weight Range | Height Range | |
| 8 weeks | 4-8 lbs. | 3”-5” |
| 9 weeks | 6-11 lbs. | 5”-8” |
| 10 weeks | 10-15 lbs. | 7”-11” |
| 11 weeks | 12-19 lbs. | 9”-12” |
| 3 months | 14-21 lbs. | 11”-13” |
| 4 months | 19-28 lbs. | 11”-14” |
| 5 months | 23-35 lbs. | 12”-14” |
| 6 months | 26-39 lbs. | 13”-15” |
| 7 months | 29-44 lbs. | 14”-16” |
| 8 months | 31-47 lbs. | 15”-17” |
| 9 months | 33-49 lbs. | 16”-18” |
| 10 months | 34-51 lbs. | 17”-18” |
| 11 months | 35-52 lbs. | 18”-20” |
| 1 year | 36-54 lbs. | 18”-21” |
| 2 years | 37-55 lbs. | 18”-21” |
3 Weeks – 12 Weeks
The puppy’s hearing and smell develop more and the eyes are now open. Teeth also start to grow. The puppy can stand on its own and show signs of being a dog by wagging its tail and trying to bark.
By the fourth or fifth week, he can see properly. At this stage, the puppies in the litter start socializing with each other, growling and wagging their tails.
By the fourth week, puppies start cutting their back teeth as they begin to wean. They now get most of their nourishment from puppy food.
Puppies are normally completely weaned by the end of the 6th week, when they should get 5-6 small portions of puppy food throughout the day. At 8 weeks, puppies are at the peak of their puppy life and ready to leave the breeder and go to their new family.
8 week old (2 months) Australian Shepherd
From birth to the time that they develop into an 8 week old Australian Shepherd, they will probably be with their breeder. As you can see from the charts above, they grow quite quickly. When they come to you at this age, depending on whether they are male or female, an 8 week old Australian Shepherd is usually between 4 and 8 pounds.
At this point, they are typically deemed old enough to leave their mother. It is also the time that they are mentally developed enough to begin housetraining. They should be introduced to solid food, and the rest of this adjustment will fall into your hands.
At about 2 months of age, it is essential to start socializing your puppy. Everything is going to be new to them, and the world is a large place for such a small dog. Get them accustomed to different people and other animals, especially if you intend for them to live in a house with more dogs, cats, or other pets.
4 Months – 6 Months
At about four months old, a puppy starts to look more like a dog and less like a puppy. This is still an optimal time for training.
When the puppy reaches 5 months it can go on short walks with you, but don’t let him overdo it. Just playing with toys and socializing with people is enough exercise at this point.
6-month old puppy – At this age, your dog will have reached about ⅔ of his adult weight and he will start his adolescent period.
His adult coat will start growing and he will show increased independence, but also fear and disobedience. Proper training and socialization at this stage are very important.
10 Months – 12 Month
Australian Shepherds reach sexual maturity around the age of 10 – 11 months. If you have a female dog, be aware that she may experience her first heat around this time.
There is no consensus on when an Aussie should be spayed or neutered. Some vets recommend that owners should have their Australian Shepherd spayed or neutered between the ages of four and nine months.
It is thought that spaying a female dog calms them down while spaying too early can cause health problems later on.
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