How Much Does Your Adult Sheepie Weigh?
I know there's been quite a bit of discussion about puppy size and how many pounds they are at what age, etc., however, I'd like to know from those of you who have fully matured dogs, how much do your dogs weigh? Call this my own personal little poll! I've done a lot of reading but I'd really like to know from real people since who knows better than someone who actually has one? The reason I even thought of it was because I went to the Detroit Kennel Club show and was talking with a sheepie owner and their 3 year old male was about 75 pounds. At 6 months, Clyde is already 55 pounds. I've heard they grow fast early but even when I looked at the dog show sheepie's paws, Clyde's were still huge in comparison. I think I'm going to have a monster...  |
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| Our Shayleigh just turned three and is normally a svelt 48 pounds. A tad small in frame, perhaps, but loaded with personality. Also, in her defense, there is normally no moticeable fat on her as she gets TONS of exercise.
The current maternal experience, however, has not been good to her waistline. We'll work on that after the pups are weaned. The pups' sire, otoh, is a whopping 90 pounds. |
| Norman is 12 years old, compact and 95 pounds of pure muscle. Carl is 2 years old, very tall and only about 70 pounds. Our vet also said that he will probably gain some weight/fill out once he is fixed. |
| Beau age 8 110lbs
Luke age 8 110 lbs Rosco age 6.5 97 lbs. Daisy age 6.5 Last year weighed 85 lbs., but since being spayed probably closer to 95 Beau is just big, Luke looks like a linebacker, Rosco(compared to the others) looks like a skinny butt and Daisy ......she has to go on a diet. |
| ButtersStotch- How was the show this year? They usually get some good entries. Did you happen to see if the OES Club of Greater Detroit was there? Someone here asked about it but I don't know if it's still around.
Lots of good shows coming up in MI. |
| Wow bestdogsx4, you have some big dogs! LOL
My first OES was about 65 lbs at full grown, but by about age 4 or 5 she was about 75 lbs and looked kind of fat. After some food changes she slimmed down to a healthier weight. Dancer is my tiny one, at about 45 lbs. She is 15 months, so not quite full grown, but she will probably never be more than 50 lbs, 55 maybe. Her sister is a little girl too, same height, a little heavier since she has had pups ( her sister is 3 years old, and just had a litter of 7 beautiful babies on the 13th) Her first litter last year was a litter of ten, and after that she got quite chunky and is probably a 65 lb dog. Her diet will be adjusted after she is done raising this litter to help her slim down a bit. Dancer's mom is 65 lbs, and her dad is about 95 lbs, so we're not sure why two girls out of that mating are so small, but they are still within the standard for height and we still think Dancer will do well in show next year. The boys from that mating are average size, about 70-75 lbs. I believe they vary so much because of the many breeds that created them also vary so much. I believe that with the bearded collie, the russian owarcek (sp*), possibly some italian spinone, other collie type dogs, there is a lot of room in there for all different sizes. |
It's lots of fun when all 4 want to sit in your lap at one time  |
| I've got an itty bitty sheepie at 60 lbs. Though short in stature and weight, she thinks she's the boss, trying to tell off dogs nearly twice her weight and many inches taller. I've known sheepies at the other end.....about 125-130 lbs.......big hefty guys.
Remember, as they get older, or you get older, a smaller dog will be much more appreciated. I didn't believe it when I realized how small she would be........now I'm thrilled. (and they take up less room on the bed  ) |
| At one point, Drez was stable at around 85 lbs. Since her hip surgery in the fall, she's dropped to 70 lbs. She's fairly tall so she definitely looks thinner now. Our previous sheepies were around 90 lbs.
Chris |
| Thanks for bringing up the subject. It's good to get an idea of where these guys are going. I sure hope the price of dog food doesn't follow the gas prices! |
| Pepsi is 65 lbs looks thin now that he is shaved down, but is all muscle.
His body reminds me off of Boxer. Just solid! |
| Hi ButtersStotch,
We currently have 5 OES and I don't think they are big at all. I think they were pretty much the norm years ago. I know that some breeders are breeding them down in size in recent years. My oldest male at 10 years old weighs around 105. He's not over weight. He probably is a little thin actually. I have a 7 year old female a little over weight at around 83 lbs. She's probably over weight by 5 lbs. Another female slightly over weight by 7 to 10 lbs. at 95. I have a solid two year old male at 105 lbs. and a 2 year old female at around 70 lbs. She's a little thin right now. I have two females that have passed on and both were around 80 to 85 lbs at normal weight. I love large OES and breed to have them large. My two year old 73 lb female is smaller than what I like but not tiny. I believe that your ButterStotch is gonna be one large beautiful boy. What's nice about this breed is that everyone likes something different. What's right for me isn't right for someone else. I'm 6'3" tall and a small OES wouldn't work for me. A smaller person can find a OES that fits them the same way and is right for them. Just my thoughts. Zach |
| Zach- Your dogs are big like mine. Our 1st OES was large also and was unrelated to my current guys. You are right about fitting the size of the dog to the size of the person. Mmmmm wonder what is's like to have a 65lb dog |
| Actually, it's rather nice having a smaller dog. Three of the remaining 5 top out over 115, the other 2 in the mid 80's. When I open the door to let them inside, it reminds me of a cattle drive. |
| LMAO and still laughing on the cattle drive thing! That's exactly what it is.
I have no idea what 65 lbs would be like. Might be nice huh? Zach |
| Tyler is 31 inches at the shoulder and a very lean 70lbs. Try as I might to get some weight on him, as I like him at about 75 lbs, I have had no luck. He will be 12 years old at the end of April and still going strong. I think the fact that he is light and never has been a fatty he has done very well.
Keira on the other hand is a chub. She tops 80lbs and is much shorter than Tyler, I will have to measure her height and have her weighed again soon. She turned 6 at Thanksgiving last year.... |
| Hi T M,
I have never seen a male 31 inches. 27 is the highest I've seen. At 12 I'm sure it has made a world of difference on his joints with his weight being so lite. Hope he has 12 more healthy years ahead! Zach |
| I too had never seen one so tall. We call him Stilts, Legs, Stretch and Tiny! Those are a few of his nick names that he has gained over the years with us. He does have a bit of a problem getting his legs under him these days, but with a little help, he manages. When he is shaved down in the summer months is when he looks the funniest, every inch of those long lean legs is so apparent!
People will often note how tall he is. If you are ever at Starbucks and you sit at one of the outside tables, his back actualy touches the underside, so much so that he can take the table with him. His favorite place in the world is under any table he can get under. Not fun when you have to assist him in getting to a standing position. I doubt that I will ever find one like him again, but just to know he has been a part of my life and so sweet and special, it will be enough for me! I do love my furry little boy! |
| Wow, What a wonderful passion. How lucky you both are to find each other. He looks wonderful and I'm sure he is! Your stories are cute and that's what life and OES are all about. I guess the rest really doesn't matter. Thanks for sharing. I'm still chucking at all his names. I just love it!!!
Best wishes, Zach |
| I've never even heard of an OES that tall! A great dane, yes, lol, but not an OES. Wow! |
| Thanks for all of your replies-- it's really nice to see how much the breed varies. I guess I'm secretly hoping Clyde will be really big-- he's definitely headed in that direction so far. I'm almost 6 feet tall and my boyfriend is about 6'3 so, like zach was saying, we'd love to have a nice big sheepie. We're definitely not small dog people!
bestdogsx4: I didn't see the OES Club at the show. Even the OES were few and far between. I didn't have a schedule so I missed them in the ring by an hour which was a real bummer. It was actually the first big dog show I've ever been to so it was an experience for me. I've always liked Komondors (I did a lot of research on them and decided they were too much work for me) and I got to see one up close and talk to the owner. I'm really glad I went with the OES instead! Much more personality! |
| If you want to go to more shows look at the back section of any dog magazine for dates and locations. In Mi there are shows in Mount Pleasant,East Lansing, Pontiac, Traverse City ,Midland, Munroe , Mt. Clemens, Otsego, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids and one at the fairgrounds at 8/Woodward. I think there are more but those are all I can think of. |
| Also to find shows in your area, as well as directions and weather forecasts for each one, I suggest www.dogbiz.com |
| I've heard they're supposed to weigh 60-80 lbs.. |
| We stopped at the vet on Friday no problems, just to say hi and of course I had to put Abby on the scale. She's a whopping 80 lbs. She could stand to lose a least 5 lbs. Ruth from NEOESR stopped by a couple of months ago with her two OES Devon and Emma and I asked her about Abby's weight and she said Abby was a little on the "chunky" side. We're working on slimming her down a little. |
| ohh im so jealous of all your big boys! i always wanted a dog that weighed more than me, and walters paws were so big and his legs were so long i thought i might get my wish... but hes 2 years old and 85 lbs so i dont think itll happen.
how do you measure their height? do you go from front or back legs? walter is pretty tall so id like to see how he compares |
| as far as I know you measure from the withers(shoulders) |
| I am new to the whole experience of Sheepies! We have a 20 week old male, Sam, who is about 45lbs. He seems to be getting quite tall! We also have a mini dachsund and a Tibetan Terrier...(oh, and 2 kids!), it's quite crazy around here. How do I keep Sam out of the pool? |
Charlie will be 7 months old on September 14. As of yesterday, he weighed 73 lbs. and is 25.5 inches at the whithers. YIKES!!!!!  Am I in for a really big sheepie?? How long before they're "full grown?" |
| 115lbs wow!
What are you feeding them - whole chickens? I do hope Archie slows down his growning sometime soon, he is already becoming difficult to move when he decides it really isn't time for bed and just turns the dead weight switch on and won't budge (top tip a tiled floor helps in this situtation!) |
| Mony, who just turned 3 weighs 74, Laci who is 2 1/2 weighs 69. Mony is taller than Laci, who we think didn't develope correctly when she was small. |
Charlie's Fam wrote: Charlie will be 7 months old on September 14. As of yesterday, he weighed 73 lbs. and is 25.5 inches at the whithers. YIKES!!!!!
Am I in for a really big sheepie?? How long before they're "full grown?"Yes, he is going to be big! Good news is, he won't be growing that much taller. Chewie is almost 2 1/2, is 24 inches and just hit his lifetime high weight of 71 pounds! He is definitely on the slim side, but is also very active. Depending on the dog, I would consider full grown at 3-4 yrs old. That is mostly for filling out, not just height. |
| Wow, 115. I'm not sure I'd want one that big. Jack is over 100 but I don't know how much, but not 115. |
| My Sheepie Alfie is nearly three and he ranges from 80-84lbs. He was a big boy when I got him at 10weeks he was already weighing 22lbs which seems an aweful lot to me. Hes has since just gradually put on weight. |
| SamSun weighed 115 at his yearly physical in June. |
| Hard to say exactly as he is very wiggly on the scales at the vet, but he is somewhere around 40-42 kilos which is about 90lbs. He is quite solid, and quite tall. He is a picky eater as well, and does loads of exercise. I think he must have stopped growing by now or very nearly so we can look forward to him filling out now. We help him up into the back of our car and I carry him down so that he does not jump onto hard tarmac and damage growing joints, as the car is quite high up. He is getting very heavy to lift now! He eats Royal Canin Giant dog food, plus a little boiled chicken as a little appetiser sometimes. |
| I think we have to see this in relationship to the shoulder-high of the dog.
Crossy is 72 centimeters shoulder,3 years old and round about 60 kg.But I swear to you he is not thick.I can feel his ribs easyly.The breeder of his father(Reata OES) said that a grandfather of Crossy was really big. The girls are about 35 kg. Susanne |
| So, our "little Hudson" is six months old, and a modest 44 pounds right now. He seems so tiny to me.
I finally got our breeder to respond to a portion of one of my emails, and he said that any males over 22 inches at the shoulder are too big, and that the breed standard is 22 and below. I immediately measured our older sheepie, Portage, who stands 28 inches at the shoulders, and looks just right to me. (The breeder we got him from wanted to show him and then breed him, but we declined, so apparently she was okay with him being a big guy.) I continue to worry that Hudson is not just on the small side, but that there might be something wrong with him. Our vet has done some blood tests (to soothe my mind) but doesn't feel anything more comprehensive is necessary. I now know that Hudson's parents were on the smaller side (according to the info I was given), but I did see a photo of the litter (after the fact) and he is definitely smaller than the others. I don't mind small (okay, I'm convincing myself not to mind small...I LOVE big dogs), if he's healthy. I just keep having these little nagging doubts. Sigh. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone might want to guess what a 44 pound sheepie at six months (who looks like a worm with teeth when he's wet) might end up weighing when he grows up? I promise not to hold anyone to their predictions. |
traciels28 wrote: I finally got our breeder to respond to a portion of one of my emails, and he said that any males over 22 inches at the shoulder are too big, and that the breed standard is 22 and below. Are you sure that's what he said? Because the standard is actually the opposite of that. It's 22" and up at the shoulders for dogs, not below. Below would be way too small. |
| Oh yes, that is EXACTLY what he said. I actually have it in writing from him (email).
I got a pretty good vibe from him when we were in the purchasing mode, but have had to send multiple emails to get even the slightest response from him since. The link he has on his website goes to a breed standard that says 22 inches and higher, but he said very clearly in his email that over 22 inches is undesirable and conflicts with the breed standard. He said that "most people prefer smaller dogs" so that's how he breeds them. (The one picture we received after purchasing Hudson showed that he was certainly smaller than his littermates, so it doesn't seem like all the dogs will be Hudson sized.) This was the first time we purchased a sheepie (he's our fourth in 18 years) without being able to travel to the breeder in person. It's been an eye opening experience. The maddening thing about it is that we LOVE Hudson to pieces, and are quite willing to have a long and wonderful life with him, whether he's a giant or a teeny tiny sheepie (either way, he's still chock full o'evil). If we had been told of his smaller size prior to purchase it would not have stopped us, so there's no need to tell us incorrect information now. All we want is to be sure he's just naturally small...and that there isn't some medical problem that's keeping him from growing. And, even saying that, our sheepie Theeps (who passed away six months ago) was a special needs sheepie, who had several conditions and problems, and went through multiple surgeries. We had ten glorious years with him, and I wouldn't have traded him for anything either. We're not strangers to taking on those extra challenges. He was a most amazing dog, and worth every penny and every moment of extra stress. I would love a little more medical history on Hudson's parents so that I can be sure we're not missing anything, but it's been made pretty clear to me that we won't be getting that. (Or any paperwork that was to follow after either from what I can tell.) I'm not looking to trash anyone, and so of course I'm not naming names or anything, but I am frustrated that I'm flying blind here. Our vet says all looks good, but that it would be helpful to get some more information about the line, others in the litter, etc. That's really not likely to happen at this point. Anyway, sorry about the rant. I guess this hit a nerve for me. |
| My 10-month old is now just over 90 lbs. Is he done, or will he get any bigger? He was neutered at 7 months.
Also, short of visiting the vet, how do you weigh such a large sheepie more discreetely? I've been taking him to the gym, and lifting him up and stepping onto the scale, then deducting my own weight from the total. But he is getting so heavy, keeping balance is a problem, and it's always becomes a little bit of a circus when I weigh him at the gym. |
| Our vet encourages clients and their pets to stop by anytime to use the scale. He also encourages people to use the waiting room for distraction training and desensitization visits. I'm sure your vet wouldn't mind you stopping by on non appointment days.
If it's a distance issue that keeps you from dropping by, I'm afraid I have no other ideas. I get an image of a sheepie in the veggie scale in the produce department of your local grocery store, but I imagine that's not much help at all. Maybe do the same thing you're already doing on a bathroom scale at home? It's still as awkward, but with less of an audience. |
Cadenza wrote: Also, short of visiting the vet, how do you weigh such a large sheepie more discreetely? I've been taking him to the gym, and lifting him up and stepping onto the scale, then deducting my own weight from the total. But he is getting so heavy, keeping balance is a problem, and it's always becomes a little bit of a circus when I weigh him at the gym. Beside our vet, I also use the scale at Pet Expo (our local pet supply) and at The Paw - the training center I teach at. All 3 places have nice digital walk-on scales. I don't think I could see over Chewie and his hair to read a regular scale! |
| I just had Nigel at the vet and he weighs 69.2 lbs at 16 months. I am guessing he won't be huge, but he still has some filling out to do. He is a fussy eater too.
Bella's mom is out of the Reata line...and Bella is huge!!! She is also a bit fat due to a slowed metabolism after her spay...trying to take some weight off of her...97lbs...yikes! |
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