Not sure if my dog is a GSD like I was told - Page 3

Finally someone noticed  what the OP wrote  Now can we show this new member some mercy and stop running her dog down and commenting on any faults and or how you would not want this type of dog.  

The dog looks happy now let's try to be nice and see if she needs help on his issues

Many Ambred  have this type of color and in the past as Linage pointed out many German dogs

I also say purebred, and the weight just means he eats good.

   I have had dogs  from 'direct imports' go over the weight standard. Some dogs look half starved to me for the sake if keeping them within standard.

This female of mine, who now lives with my mom, is well over 100lbs. She's pretty much pure German Shepherd. She just eats real good.

Thank you all for your comments.  For those of you who read and understood my question, thank you.  I thought he looked more Mali but I have seen many GSDs that look like him.  Either way and whatever breed he is we love him.  We got him for a family pet and he has fulfilled that purpose perfectly.  Our family adores him and he is wonderful.  We are not concerned with his lines or where he came from.   As far as his aggression, yes we are working with him (and always will).   He is very protective of our famiy and our property and that is the breed.  He is very loyal and very smart as well.  As far as him being fat, on the contrary, he rarely eats.  I feed him very well (Orijen only) along with a raw marrow bone daily and only natural treats.  He is just a BIG boy.  Here is a better picture of him and you can clearly see he is not fat.  Thank you again. 

Keeping in mind (until I was educated otherwise), in US, GSDs are considered a "large" breed and 90 + weight is considered "normal."  I vaguely remember being told my GSDs were not normal because they are small when I 1st joined this site.

OP, keeping in mind that your GSD is on the larger side, watch closely for HD and take into consideration what you can control to prevent it (weight, good muscle tone, minimize walking on hard cement surfaces).

He looks happy.  Enjoy.

Again more misinformation.  They are not considered large.  22 -26 inches tall per the AKC standard. not a large breed here in the US either. And 90+ lbs is not a normal weight for a GSD.

Working folks and pet folks have a very different idea of what fat is. If he were my dog, he'd lose 10lbs pronto, but again, this has nothing to do with the original question of whether he's purebred, which he appears to be. My statement that he's fat was not meant as an insult so much as to justify how a dog can indeed be purebred and be over the standard, as bzcz is griping about. I see a purebred, Am. lines, neutered GSD with light coloration.  Not a mixed breed. 

My old male was a very lean 98ish most of his life. In a regular, average American home, he'd easily have been in the 120-130 range based on the difference in how I keep my dogs and how most of America keeps their dogs, weight-wise. If he'd been in a different home and weighed 120lbs, would he then be a mixed breed? LOL Weight is a very silly gauge- too many variables. Bone accounts for a bit, too, so lighter-boned taller dogs can be in the standard weight-wise and their shorter counterparts who are a better example but have heavier bone can weigh the same. Not a good method of judging, imo.

Going by the OP first picture, we could be forgiven for thinking Kodiak is a bit (not grossly)

overweight, those ribs look SOLID from the way he is lying.  However, with him standing at

the shore - last pic posted - I'd say that is somewhat illusary;  he clearly is a bigger-than-

average specimen,  and in my judgement he is of a bit more deep chested construction than

I'd personally prefer to see.  That also indicates to me early ASL (or even UK Alsatian) somewhere

back in his past ancestry.  Thing that strikes me most though, Kodiak'sMom, is how very like

his father he looks, in pictures 2 & 3 !  So if there is no doubt associated with the sire, and the

dam is clearly a "normal" GSD, how can he be anything except a German Shepherd Dog ?

He may not be a dog that I find particularly attractive or breed-typical, but I don't have to live

with him.  I am sure he is a great dog, and much loved by the owner, even if some behavioural

issues need working on.  Continue to have fun with him; keep us updated on his progress, more

news and pictures always welcome !   And nice to 'meet' you, Kodiak'sMom.  Hope you continue

to use this Board as a resource for any questions.

I will not specifically comment OP's dog. If they are happy with their dog, than that is all what they need. Good for them good for their dog!

What I will comment on / state  is following:

1. If you don't have official pedigree papers for a dog, you will not know for sure if he/she is pure breed or not. Without official pedigree papers everything is just a guess. If this was otherwise, why would we need pedigree papers to begin with?
2. There is a specific official standard for GSD which describes how a GSD should be built. It does not specify a weight of a dog, however it does specify a height. Male size is between 60cm (23.6inch) to 65cm (25.6 inch) in most cases male GSD should not be bigger than 66cm (26 inch). Everything above this size is considered to be at fault.
3. Let's just imagine a GSD male with an height of 66cm (26 inch) and weight of 120 pounds (55.5kg)....This dog, whose height is within the standard, would be in my opinion about 30 pounds overweight! 
4. Lets assume that the upper weight for a male GSD, who is within standard height, is 40kg (88 pounds) . Comparing this with the weight of 120 pounds brings us to 36.36% weight increase.
5. Comparing this weight increase with humans, average human male weight in USA is 88.3kg (194.7 pounds). Let's add 36.36% to 88.3kg. Result is that human would have 120.5 kg (266 pounds). Average human height in USA is 178 cm (5ft, 10 inch). Do you think that human male of 5ft, 10 inch height would not be considered over weight if not obese with an weight of 266 pounds? 

I hope that I did not confuse anybody with these numbers, but that is just my thought in regards to weight/height ratio of a GSD dog which is within standard.

A gsd is longer than tall.  He's taller than long.  I can go into greater detail, supply pics of similar.  blah blah blah.  He's not a pure, doesn't really matter, but quit trying to twist the breed to what it's not to make yourself feel better.

Just as everyone goes after the OP for the dog overweight.  They didn't ask for anyones advice on that but people are going to judge a dog laying down and decide he needs to lose weight.

Someone else commented about "us" concentrating on his "issues".  They didn't ask for our help on that either.  They have it under control and "we" have no business deciding for them what they need to work on with their dog.

They did ask if we thought he was pure.  He's too tall, too big, and his structure is off.  Doesn't matter if he's "well bred" or not.  The areas he has different speak to us "inexperienced" folk of influence outside of a GSD.  F3 and greater Malamute cross look very similar to the OP dog, esp when crossed back to GSD.

Question for the OP, what is his hair coat like? I'm betting I know the answer to this as well.

Purebred GSD, I am with Jenni on this one.