Is Your Doberman Fat?

Gretchen the fat Doberman

This is a fat Doberman!

First of all please don’t let your Doberman get morbidly obese. This overweight Doberman, Gretchen, was owned by an elderly couple who let it eat too much and weren’t aware she had a thyroid condition. The Doberman was 9 years old, couldn’t walk, and weighed over 175lbs. Luckily she was eventually rehomed and received medical care including hydrotherapy.  It’s heartbreaking the condition she was in.  Please take this issue seriously and if you need help exercising your Doberman, please read these articles.

Easy Way To Exercise Your Doberman >>

Exercise Alternatives To Dog Walks >>

Doberman Size Estimates

How big will your Doberman get?

Doberman size charts or weight guides are pretty rough estimates. There are full-grown Dobermans who at their ideal weights are 50lbs and others 90lbs. So you can see the wide weight range difference here. On average an adult female is about 65-80 lbs and an adult male is about 80-95 lbs. That’s a pretty big range for both male and female Dobermans. Also, consider that the European Doberman is larger and heavier than the American Doberman.

I did find this Doberman weight/growth chart. You can use it as a guideline for a male and female dog from birth to eighteen months. Using this graph along with the body condition guide below, you should be on the right track. This chart is from the Doberman book by Mark Ladd (1989).

doberman growth and weight chart

Doberman Size Chart

Here is the same data in an easier to read chart.

doberman size chart with average medium dog weight

Ideally, Doberman breeders should aim for the standard of the Doberman breed.  They should not be trying to create giant Dobermans to sell to people who are just looking for an intimidating dog. Giant Dobermans are poorly bred Dobermans.

As a very general guideline to Doberman’s growth while a puppy, you can use this weight as a guideline. You want to see slow, steady growth in a puppy.

Doberman Growth Stages

2-month puppy = 15-20 pounds

3-month puppy = 25-30 pounds

4-month puppy = 35-40 pounds

5-month puppy = 45-50 pounds

6-month puppy = 55-60 pounds

So as you can see at 2 months a pup can be 20 pounds and keep increasing about 10 pounds each month after that.  Again this is just a general estimate, give the numbers a 10-pound range up or down. Also, consider that some Dobermans will have all their weight in their first year while others will keep growing. This will depend largely on the dog’s genetics.  For a more accurate guide to your Doberman’s growth, talk to your Doberman breeder. Ask them what you should expect. Again European Dobermans are usually larger and more muscular than American Dobermans.

A better option for judging your Doberman’s weight, whether a Doberman puppy or adult dog is to use the body condition chart. You judge your dog’s weight by its physical appearance. This weight chart is really helpful since you don’t need a scale, just look at your dog’s body shape.

How can you tell what is a healthy weight for a Doberman?

The ideal Doberman weight is seen when:

  • Ribs are palpable without excess fat covering.
  • The waist is observed behind the ribs when viewed from above.
  • The abdomen is tucked up when viewed from the side.

Here is a good body condition poster you can use as a guide to whether your dog is fat or thin.

doberman weight chart

So, if you’re not sure if your adult Doberman is fat, look at him from above, does he have a waist?

Then look at him from the side, does his stomach tuck up from the ribs?

I hope this helps you. Do you have a chunky Doberman?

10 thoughts on “Is Your Doberman Fat?”

  1. I have a 2 year old European Doberman that is 98lbs and is a beast!! My vet says he could go to 102 and be perfect. Euros are a working breed that is really big.

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  2. Thanks!!! I have tried to tell many people that the Min Pin and Doberman are 2 different breeds and they all say I am wrong!!!! Glad to see something in writing to show others that I am right.

    Reply
  3. My 3 year old dobie destroys all toys and chew toys , I was wondering if you could make any suggestions on what I should purchase.

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