i forgot that you were asking about how much they would weigh at a year.....25lbs is a small dog it will be way over that weight

I can't believe how many nay-sayers there are. You can definately have a GSD in an apt. My boy is from working lines, I live in a 3/2 apt with 2 roomates and we do just fine. Yeah at 9 months and 80 lbs he's a psycho, but if you want a GSD from working lines you have to give a little. But DEFINATELY can be done. I went through a lot of places that said the 25 lb rule, but as time goes by, there are plenty of complexes that allow any size with a certain deposit. Good luck.

Didn't say it *couldn't* be done-just pointed potential "issues" <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />. Caleb lived in a condo for the first 9mos of his life. I just think if he'd had more opportunity to release some energy, he wouldn't have tried out his demolition skills on the walls. Now that he has a big yard to just romp around and be a maniac in, he's much more likely to not be on the lookout for "something to do." <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

1 year old a pup looks like an adult but not filled out yet, so close to but not quite at fully weight.

I don't understand people who don't crate their puppies, thats just asking for chaos and destruction regardless of what breed dog it is, a lab puppy will destroy the house too!

As for apartments vs. houses, unless you consider the fenced in yard factor that not everyone has -- and not having to walk up/down stairs constantly to let the puppy out, I don't see what the difference is.... because in a house the pup does the same thing he does as in an apartment, most people spend all their time in one room other than walking to the kitchen every once in a while, pups are never left unsupervised unless you want everything destroyed... so that means the pup is also in that same one room that you are in most of the time... an average/larger than avg room is usually smaller than an apartment living room.... so how is an apartment and a house different?? The benefit of a house with a fenced in yard and no 2nd story is the only difference I see, but many people don't have the luxury of a fenced in yard, and many people have a 2 story house so stairs are still a factor. Whats the difference between a house and apartment other than neighbors right on top of you and stupid apartmental rules dictating the size of your dog? And perhaps neighbors who'll complain about the dog barking, which has nothing to do with space.

I would worry about noise and neighbors complaining. I guess it all depends on where you live and what kind of neighbors you have. Where I live, you can't have GSDs in most apartments.

Any puppy can be destructive, but I definitely think bloodlines play a role. Many pups will just go to sleep when they're left...and some will do everything they can to find something to do. I was very lucky with mine in that he was never crated and never did anything to my house. He did sort of go through a wall at my ex's, but that was after being left for 12 hours! Accident on the tollway, and he couldn't reach anyone to let the dog out of the bathroom. Who could blame the little guy? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Even though we have a house with large fenced yards(back and front)we still have lousy neighbors <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />I guess it just depends on your circumstances and what you decide to put up with. In my earlier post I didn't understand that you already had the pup.The breeder that we got our dogs from wouldn't let us even buy one of her dogs if I couldn't show proof that we had fenced yards <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I can sympathize, Beth. My neighbor has the gall to complain whenever Caleb barks (and I mean if he barks ONCE), yet I can never sleep because she's screaming at the top of her lungs at her 7yr old-CONSTANTLY:p.

My next-door neighbors are like that too!I wish there was a human muzzle <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

 Quote:

....I don't understand people who don't crate their puppies, thats just asking for chaos and destruction regardless of what breed dog it is, a lab puppy will destroy the house too!.....As for apartments vs. houses, unless you consider the fenced in yard factor that not everyone has -- and not having to walk up/down stairs constantly to let the puppy out, I don't see what the difference is.... because in a house the pup does the same thing he does as in an apartment, most people spend all their time in one room other than walking to the kitchen every once in a while......... so that means the pup is also in that same one room that you are in most of the time... an average/larger than avg room is usually smaller than an apartment living room.... so how is an apartment and a house different??....And perhaps neighbors who'll complain about the dog barking, which has nothing to do with space.

I gotta say that this makes sense. If you live in an apartment where dogs are allowed, chances are others will have dogs too, which would lessen the angry-neighbor thing. People with dogs are a lot more tolerant of people with dogs, I've found! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

All the rest is true, too.

It's a lot more important, IMO, that the dog has tons of exercise and training than what kind of dwelling his human has.

I think that number one is that you want to make sure you will be able to give the dog the exercise and training he needs, so that he'll be sleeping in his crate in the other hours.

"More opportunity to release energy," from Jenni's post, is spot on. A well-exercised dog, tired out from structured exercise, isn't generally the dog who is eating walls or barking constantly in bored frustration.

So if you can give him what he needs and if you can find a place where the normal occasional barks will be tolerated -- that's what matters. JMHO!

Beth-I think they're called socks, but I don't that would help my relationship with her much...