Doberman Size Chart | Growth & Weight Chart (2024)

The Doberman make great family pets as they have a loving personalities and are happy when they are made to feel like a family member.

To ensure that your puppy is maintaining a healthy weight, keep a Doberman size chart with you to monitor them.

The growth of a Doberman can be affected by some factors like health, genetics, exercise, and diet.

To ensure that your Dobermans achieve optimal growth, you should feed them a balanced diet that is full of nutrients and provide them with adequate exercise to remain healthy.

Continue reading to understand more about the Doberman growth chart, health issues that can affect them as a breed, and many more!

When DoDobermansStop Growing?

Dobermans reach their full-grown height in 1 year and their full-grown weight in 2 years.

Some will get their stable weight by 18 months but they don’t stop growing until they are three years old. At 18 months, their bodies can handle strenuous activities.

The growth of a Doberman can be slowed down by certain factors like bad health, poor nutrition, and lack of physical activity which can cause illnesses.

Doberman Size Chart

To monitor your Doberman’s weight, you need a weight chart like the one below. The figures shown in this Doberman weight chart show the averages of the Doberman’s weight.

When you understand how big your Doberman will get, you will know what to expect and understand the factors contributing to their full size.

Weight charts give you an understanding of their growth, and you can tell your dog’s age and the weight range to expect them to be in. Ensure that you find the right Doberman size chart for your accuracy.

This will tell you the ideal weight the Doberman needs to have. Your dog could have a little weight difference because of several reasons.

Therefore, consult your vet to know the action you need to take.

Doberman Weight Chart

DobermanPuppy Development Stages

Birth – 2 Weeks

Doberman puppies are very tiny when born. They weigh about 10 to 20 ounces. Doberman puppies’ eyes and ears are sealed when born hence cannot see or hear anything.

Newborn puppies depend on their moms for everything. They nurse frequently and stay close to their mother.

Puppies should be allowed and encouraged to nurse as much as possible. Talk to the veterinarian if find that they don’t get enough sustenance so you can get the right puppy milk substitute.

3 Weeks – 12 Weeks

By the first month, the Doberman puppy is no longer tiny. They will weigh about 5 to 10 pounds. Their eyes are fully open and can move a little.

They can show their personalities at this stage. At two months, puppies are very active and now sturdier on their feet and playing and exploring this is the time to start weaning. They are about 10 to 25 pounds.

The Doberman at three months is a sized dog by now, the males weigh between 23 and 33 pounds and the females weigh about 22 to 30 pounds.

House training can be done at this time. When house training understand that they are puppies and do not understand why they need to go to the bathroom, therefore, offer positive rewards. Your puppies will start teething

4 Months – 9 Months

At four months, your pup is growing bigger and males weigh between 35 to 45 pounds while females weigh between 33 to 35 pounds.

Dobermans grow big fast. Dobermans are giant breeds well known for being protective and aggressive hence need enough training to put them in shape.

Dobermans are very sensitive when left alone and cause destruction. Therefore, plenty of toys stimulate them.

At 9 months, the Doberman can be mistaken for an adult dog. They weigh between 68 and 75 pounds and females are between 55 to 65 pounds.

10 Months – 18 Months

The difference between females and males is significant because of their sizes.

Training provides positive reinforcement and redirection. Dobermans need a high-quality meal, plenty of exercises, and mental stimulation.

11 months puppies should be well-trained and well-established in their daily routine. The Doberman’s growth continues to grow for several months. They are transitioning into adulthood.

Adult

Dobermans reach maturity by 24 months with males weighing between 75 and 100 pounds and females weighing 60 to 90 pounds.

They stand between 24 to 28 inches. Male Dobermans are larger than female Dobermans. Throughout their life, your Dobermans need proper vaccinations and medical care.

How Big DoDobermansGet?

Dobermans grow into large dogs. Male Dobermans are usually larger than females. Male Dobermans weigh 75 to 100 pounds and are 26 to 28 inches tall.

The female Dobermans weigh about 60 to 90 pounds and are 24 to 26 inches tall.

The Doberman size is determined by:

• DNA testing is the most accurate way to know your dog’s adult size.
• The paw size of your puppy can also give you an indication of how big they will get when they grow up. A puppy with larger paws shows it will grow into a large dog.
• A weight chart is important in telling you what to expect when your puppy becomes an adult dog. Weight charts give you the weight ranges and respective ages.
• Knowing about your puppy’s parents will tell you what to expect when your puppy is fully grown. If you know the parent size, you have an idea of how big your pup will be. Your breeder can help you know the parents of your dog.

Male Vs FemaleDobermanGrowth Chart

Height: to find the Doberman’s height, take your tape measure and place it at the base of the front paws and extend it to the top of the dog’s head and record the reading.

Length: To get the dog’s length, put the fabric tape measure at the tail base and extend it to the neck base and record the reading.

Weight: To measure your dog’s weight, use your bathroom scale and encourage your dog to stand on the scale and record the reading.

Will Neutering/Spaying MyDobermanAffect HisGrowth?

Spaying is a surgical procedure done on female dogs where their reproductive organs are removed to prevent them from getting pregnant while neutering is done on male dogs to prevent them from impregnating intact females.

These procedures can affect the growth of your Doberman if done too early. The bones will grow taller than they should, and the joints may be misaligned causing issues with musculoskeletal development.

Therefore, it is recommended that you neuter or spay your Doberman once it has reached its adult height, which is around the age of 12 months. Consult with your vet to know exactly when to do this.

Neutering is beneficial for your dog as it reduces behavioral problems and prevents testicular cancer while spaying helps to reduce the risk of mammary and cervical cancer.

German Shepherd VsDobermanSize

The German Shepherd and the Doberman are almost similar in size with a slight variation depending on the individual dog.

A male German Shepherd weighs between 65 and 90 pounds with a height of around 24 to 26 inches while a female German Shepherd weighs between 50 and 70 pounds with a height of around 22 to 24 inches.

The male Doberman weighs between 75 and 100 pounds with a height of 26 to 28 inches while the female Doberman weighs between 60 to 90 pounds with a height of around 24 and 26 inches.

Factors That AffectDobermanGrowth

Genetics & Gender

Genetics impact the growth of your Doberman in two main ways: health and adult size.

When it comes to size, your Doberman will likely inherit the physical traits from its parents including size, so the final size of your puppy will be the average of its parents.

The health of your puppy can also slow down its growth. If your puppy inherits genetic health issues from the parents, their health can be compromised.

Therefore, speak to the breeder about the health history of the parents to be prepared in case there is an issue you have to deal with.

In terms of gender, female Dobermans grow to be slightly smaller than male Dobermans.

Nutrition

Nutrition is also a necessary factor that can affect the growth of your puppy. Your Doberman needs to be fed a diet that is balanced and full of nutrients to achieve optimal growth.

Check the packaging on the manufactured food for guidelines on how much to feed your puppy and how many times you should give them the food.

Ensure that the food contains all the necessary nutrients and that high-quality protein from meat sources like chicken is the first ingredient. Seek advice from your vet to know the best nutrition for your Doberman.

Physical Activity & Health

To ensure that your Doberman maintains a healthy weight and stays healthy, add exercises to their daily routine.

Ensure that the exercises are not intense to prevent causing issues with their joints and bones. Daily walks and playing fetch are great activities to keep your Doberman active.

Health is important for your puppy to develop well.

Taking your Doberman to the vet regularly for medical assessments will ensure that any illnesses are caught at an early stage before damaging your dog’s health.

How Much To Feed A GrowingDobermanPuppy?

The amount of food your Doberman needs to eat depends entirely on its activity level, age, and weight. Generally, growing and active puppies need more food than adult Dobermans.

On average, your puppy needs one ounce of kibble per pound of their body weight. The food should be distributed equally throughout the day between three to four mealtimes.

However, you should adjust the amount depending on your puppy’s needs and speak to your vet to give you specific requirements.

Remember that Dobermans are prone to weight gain and overeating, therefore, be careful when feeding them. Monitor the condition of their body to ensure that they remain at a healthy weight.

How To Tell If YourDobermanIs Underweight Or Overweight?

The best way to tell whether your Doberman is underweight or overweight is to check its Body Condition Score (BCS). BCS is a scale used to determine the ideal weight of dogs.

It is similar to BMI for humans. The BCS scale ranges from 1 to 5 or 1 to 9: 1 being an emaciated dog and 5 and 9 being an obese dog. The ideal score is 3/5 or 5/9.

Another way to tell whether your Doberman is the right weight is to visually assess them. First, stand and look at them from above.

If you can see the ribs then your puppy is underweight. If you cannot see the ribs but can feel them with your hands, your puppy is at a healthy weight. However, if you can’t feel the ribs, your puppy is overweight.

You should be able to see the waistline from above and the abdominal tuck when you look from the side. If they are not visible, then your puppy is overweight.

DoDobermansExperience Growing Pain?

Since Doberman is a large breed dog, it will experience growing pains as it develops because it has large bones.

These pains can be quite painful and can cause reluctance to move and sensitivity to touch your puppy’s legs.

Most Dobermans will grow out of this stage with time, but you need to give them anti-inflammatory medication to help manage the symptoms.

If you notice that your puppy has acute lameness, lethargy, fever, loss of appetite, weakness, and reluctance to walk, take them to the vet for an evaluation and treatment.

What To Do If MyDobermanIs Not The Right Weight?

To know whether your Doberman is the right weight, weigh him and check with the weight chart.

If the weight is too high or too low compared to the weights on the chart according to their age, then your puppy is either overweight or underweight.

The first thing to do once you realize that your puppy’s weight is not ideal for their age is to take them to the vet for a medical examination.

The vet will then rule out any health issues that may be making your puppy weigh less or more than it should. Then he or she will advise you on what to do at home to help your Doberman get to the right weight.

This can be losing weight through exercise and reducing calories or gaining weight through increasing the amount of food and supplementing to get the necessary nutrients for adding pounds.

How To Properly Weight MyDoberman?

Weighing your Doberman enables you to keep track of its weight. It is recommended that you weigh your puppy twice per year, but if they have a health condition, they should be weight every three months.

If you can hold your Doberman, then you can weigh them at home using the bathroom scale. First, find your weight and record the number.

Then, hold your Doberman and step on the scale. The weight difference between the two numbers is your puppy’s weight.

Additionally, you can take them to the vet to be weight using a dog’s scale or you can buy the scale and use it at home if they are too large to hold.

DobermanGenetics And Common Health Problems

The following are the genetic health conditions that Dobermans are predisposed to as a breed:

• Hip Dysplasia – this condition affects most large dogs including Dobermans. It makes the hip socket and the head of the femur bone incorrectly meet causing rubbing and grinding which can be painful for your dog.
• Cardiomyopathy – this is where the heart of the dog enlarges and if left untreated it can lead to death. If your dog is struggling to breathe, you should take them to the vet immediately.
• Demodicosis – this happens when your dog’s skin has a lot of mites that can be localized in one part of your dog. This leads to pustules, hair loss, crusty lesions, and itchy skin.
• Gastric Torsion – this is also known as bloat where there is gas build-up in your dog’s stomach. The stomach then stretches resulting in the cut off of the blood circulation between the stomach and heart. This is a fatal condition that can kill your dog within hours.

Final Words

The Doberman is a loyal, protective and impressive dog that makes the best family guard dog.

They take up to two years to achieve their adult size and up to three years to fully mature.

Keeping growth charts will ensure that you track their weight and development, especially during the first year. Always contact your vet whenever you have questions about your Doberman.