04/18/2026
As shepherds being one of our favorite breeds, it's always painful to see them carrying around way too much extra weight.
Zen, who is 9, still moves around great! No soreness, no hard time getting up. He's always been kept at a healthy weight. He's a big dog and most dogs his size sit at 90lb plus when they really should not be that much.
Zen sits at 82 to 84. Anything more he'd be overweight.
PSA 👀
A 100+ lb German Shepherd isn’t the flex people make it out to be… more often than not, your dog is just overweight.
I see this idea a lot online…bigger = better…but in reality, excess weight puts serious strain on joints, increases inflammation and can shorten their lifespan.
I keep my dogs on the lean side (with regular body condition checks + adjusting food/exercise as needed). You should be able to feel ribs easily without pressing. People are so used to seeing overweight dogs that a properly conditioned one can look “skinny” to them but this is actually the goal.
And if your vet says your dog is overweight… it’s probably worth listening.
Lean dogs = healthier joints, more mobility, and longer, happier lives 💛
