🦴 Updated on July 12th, 2023
Australian Shepherds are some of the most lively dog breeds available, but it can be challenging to know when they will stop growing or what to expect from their growth as they age.
Adopting one of these dogs may open your life to tons of affection and adventure, but knowing how they will grow and what to look out for can help prepare you for anything.
There is not much you can do to boost your Australian Shepherd’s growth, but you can do a few things to ensure they reach their full size and potential.
For example, Australian Shepherds in a home with veterinary access and plenty of space will likely be able to hit their full size with much more ease than one without these essentials.
Read on to learn how big Australian Shepherds get and what milestones to keep an eye out for.
How Big Do Australian Shepherds Get?
Australian Shepherds are intelligent dogs who love having work to do and prefer to spend their days outside. However, these dogs are slimmer and shorter than one might imagine. Australian Shepherds will grow between 18 and 23 inches tall and weigh anywhere from 40 to 65 pounds.
These dogs are lean, which is something they need to move around and herd the cattle or sheep on farms. Although slender, these dogs are speedy and can easily outrun owners or children in the home.
Male Australian Shepherds are taller and heavier than female Australian Shepherds. Males will grow between 20 and 23 inches tall and weigh about ten pounds more than females. Females will likely be between 18 and 21 inches and won’t be heavier than 55 pounds.
When Do Australian Shepherds Stop Growing?
Australian Shepherds, like most dogs, won’t stop growing until they’ve hit the one-year mark. Until they hit this age, they will likely pack on pounds and inches quickly. Most dogs will gain most of their weight within the first few months of life, tackling just a few extra pounds and inches later.
However, some Australian Shepherds might continue to grow after the one-year mark if they have access to top-tier nutrition or have a medical condition that causes them to keep growing.
These conditions are rare, and if your dog is still growing after reaching one year of age, it will likely stop growing a month or two later.
How To Ensure Your Australian Shepherd Grows Well
You can do some things to ensure your Australian Shepherd grows well, but they may require you to search for the best products for your precious pup. Whatever you choose will be better than nothing and help your dog achieve their full potential.
Proper Diet
One of the vital factors in ensuring your dog grows to their full potential size is offering proper nutrition. Give your dog two meals daily with foods high in vitamins and minerals.
Avoid foods with fillers or by-products since these ingredients don’t give your Australian Shepherd any useful vitamins and may cause them to feel full but be malnourished.
Additionally, offer your dog foods made with whole ingredients and nothing with artificial dyes or colors. Artificial colors are often added to dog foods to give them a more appealing presentation.
However, they are known to cause some canine cancers and hypersensitivity, and some are carcinogenic.
The first few ingredients of your dog’s food should be chicken, beef, or other meats to keep your dog healthy and maintain their protein levels.
Healthy Environment
A healthy environment for your Australian Shepherd does not have exposure to harmful chemicals or hazardous conditions. For example, any dog or pet should not be in a home with cigarette smoke, which can cause cancers and respiratory issues later in life.
Additionally, the overuse of cleaning chemicals may irritate your Australian Shepherd’s airway and cause them to cough or struggle to breathe properly.
Your dog should also have plenty of access to the outdoors. Having room and space to engage in instincts will help them grow and develop. This exercise will also make their bones healthy and strong and assist with normal organ function.
Additionally, your dog should have plenty of space to rest and stretch out. Space will help their muscles heal after they’ve spent the day playing and building muscle.
Proper Veterinary Care
Dogs who receive proper and frequent veterinary care in their first year will likely be healthier than those that don’t. These dogs will be monitored for common ailments, like hip dysplasia and developmental defects.
Additionally, dogs born with defects will need more supervision from their local veterinarian to ensure they don’t have further complications that could hinder their growth. Consider monitoring your puppy’s growth chart and taking them to the local veterinarian if you see any symptoms indicating a more prevalent issue.
Your vet may prescribe medication or assist you in a plan of action to ensure your dog stays in the best possible health.
Introduce Supplements
Supplements are not needed if your dog is getting all their nutrients and vitamins through their kibbles and wet food. However, some dogs may vomit more frequently or have acid reflux, making it harder for them to get everything they need.
These dogs may suffer from malnourishment and need additional supplements to ensure they have everything they need.
Multivitamins, probiotics, or added proteins are some of the most popular choices to help your dog get as big and strong as possible. You may want to consider adding sliced meats to your dog’s diet to enhance their protein intake if they exercise often and need a boost to help rebuild muscle.
Evaluate what vitamins and nutrients your dog is missing and develop a plan of action with your local veterinarian.
Do Medical Conditions Inhibit Australian Shepherd Growth?
Some factors can inhibit or impact how your Australian Shepherd grows. Be mindful of any health conditions or symptoms your dog may be exhibiting to ensure they don’t have a difficult time growing. Your dog may also get too tall and need medical intervention to ensure proper hormone release.
Spay/Neuter
If your dog is spayed or neutered too young, its hormone regulation may change and results in a dog being much taller than average. The hormones released from their reproductive organs usually help signal to the body that they are mature and ready to stop growing.
However, when these parts are removed, a dog won’t receive that signal and will continue to get taller for a short time.
Worms
A wide range of worms is normal in dogs, especially puppies who have spent some time in a shelter. Usually, dogs in a shelter are treated for worms before they are adopted, but this condition can take time to disappear and may linger for several weeks.
Although common, these parasites can cause your dog to stop growing and may permanently inhibit its growth if they are around too long.
Parasites inhibit growth because they eat everything that goes through your puppy’s intestines and essentially steal all the vital nutrients your puppy needs to grow big and strong.
Infections
Many infections can cause your puppy to stop growing and prevent them from reaching its full size. When your dog has an infection, it may not be able to properly grow and fight off the infection at the same time, meaning your dog’s body will choose the best route for survival.
Always see a veterinarian when you suspect your dog has an infection. Your vet may administer antibiotics or other medication to relieve pain and treat the illness before it causes more damage or permanently stunts your dog’s growth.
Does Gender Impact Australian Shepherd Growth?
Gender will impact your Australian Shepherd’s growth. Male Australian Shepherds grow heavier and taller than females, on average. Although the difference is minuscule and only a few inches or pounds at a time, it can still be noticeable.
Male Australian Shepherds may act differently than female Australian Shepherds, too. Males may be more goofy and alert, but females may be more snuggly and loving. Both genders will still run around the yard and chase any other dogs, animals, or children in the home.
However, females may need more rest since they’ll be smaller than their male counterparts.
Average Weight of an Australian Shepherd by Age
Your Australian Shepherd will likely follow a growth chart as they get older, and these are the sizes you can expect to see for their age. Make your growth chart at home by marking how tall and heavy your puppy is every month.
Alternatively, stop by your local veterinary office for an updated growth chart.
Birth
At birth, Australian Shepherds are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. These newborns are usually so tiny, they can barely move their legs and will shuffle about to get to their mother’s stomach and body warmth.
These puppies will likely be less than five pounds, many being around three pounds at birth. There is no height information for a newborn Australian Shepherd puppy since these puppies won’t be able to stand.
The only thing these puppies will do for the first few weeks of their lives is learning to stand, eat, and sleep. These puppies will be too young for even the most basic training or verbal commands.
4 Week Old Australian Shepherd
At four weeks old, or one month, your puppy will likely be able to stand on its own, albeit clumsily. These puppies will likely fall all over themselves and others as they continue to nurse from their mother.
Your Australian Shepherd puppy will likely gain only a pound or two and will usually weigh around five pounds during this time.
You may finally be able to measure how tall your puppy is since it can stand on its own feet at this time. Most Australian puppies at two months will be around three inches tall, but some may be shorter.
7 Week Old Australian Shepherd
Your Australian Shepherd puppy will likely begin packing on pounds and inches by their seventh week. In just a few weeks, your puppy will likely have started eating more and gained at least two or three pounds.
You can expect your six-week-old Australian Shepherd puppy to weigh around seven pounds and be around five inches tall.
Female Australian Shepherd puppies may weigh only five pounds and be around three to four inches tall, but they will grow heavier and taller in the coming weeks.
Be mindful of these puppies and monitor what they are getting into. Puppies will likely be curious and start getting into the trash and other refuse at this age.
Australian Shepherd 8 Weeks Old
The eight-week mark will see your Australian Shepherd approaching 10 pounds and growing to around seven inches tall. Some male Australian Shepherds may hit 11 pounds and get to around eight inches during this time, and females may be a little smaller.
Keep an eye on the litter of puppies, if you can. You may be able to spot the runt of the litter. The runt will likely be a few weeks behind in its growth and may only weigh five or six pounds during this time.
Ensure the runt of the litter has access to its mother and can nurse without much fuss or fight to prevent malnourishment and neglect.
3-Month-Old Australian Shepherd
At around three months, you should see a noticeable and miraculous difference in the sizes of your Australian Shepherd puppies. During this period, your 12-week-old Australian Shepherd puppy will be more sure on its feet and more playful.
These dogs will likely weigh around 20 pounds and can be as tall as 13 inches. These puppies will start to take form and look like the adorable creatures you think of when you hear the word “puppy.”
Males will likely be a bit taller and heavier, possibly getting to be 25 or more pounds. However, these dogs will not likely grow more than 15 inches during this period.
4-Month-Old Australian Shepherd
At four months old, your Australian Shepherd puppy can get as heavy as 35 pounds but should be at least 28 pounds.
Females might be around 28 while their male counterparts will likely hit the 35-pound mark by the end of their fourth month. These dogs will likely also hit around 14 inches.
You’ll notice during this time that an Australian Shepherd puppy won’t grow much taller during this time and their height will be a steady incline while their weight has taken off during these last few months.
5-Month-Old Australian Shepherd
At five months old, you’ll still see your puppy’s growth and height on the rise, but the growth will begin to plateau a little. Your dog will be around 40 pounds and about 15 inches tall. Male Australian Shepherds may be around 43 pounds, and females may hover around 38 pounds.
6-Month-Old Australian Shepherd
At six months, your Australian Shepherd will likely gain a few more pounds slowly. Your dog will be around 49 pounds and can grow up to 17 inches tall. Females might hover around 15 inches tall and gain their height a little slower than males.
8-Month-Old Australian Shepherd
Between six and eight months old, your puppy will gain up to ten pounds and two inches in height. The growth will start to slow and your dog may not see another growth spurt. Your dog still has more growing to do but has done most of it by now.
One Year Old
At one year old, your dog is likely done growing. Some Australian Shepherds might have a few more pounds and inches to go, but these dogs will likely stop growing very soon.
At this age, your dog is considered mature and full-grown. Your precious pup is probably around 60 pounds and up to 23 inches tall.
After one year, your dog’s weight may fluctuate, but its height should stay the same.
Final Thoughts
Adopting an Australian Shepherd into your family and home can be a difficult experience, especially for first-time pet owners. However, this breed is famous for its fun-loving nature and its adoration of adventure.
You’ll likely need to know how big they’re going to be and monitor how they grow to ensure no health conditions are cropping up.
Additionally, be mindful of when you choose to spay or neuter your dog. Undergoing this procedure at a young age can cause your dog to grow much taller than usual and may impact its overall skeletal health.
Your Australian Shepherd will likely gain most of its weight within the first few months of its life, but some of these dogs may not stop growing until they are over a year old. Keep your growth chart to monitor your dog for the most accurate results.
