As a Breeder I always believed That we could control Hip Dysplasia in our dogs by just breeding properly. The problem seems to be some breeders think they and their Vet can just look at X-Rays and judge if a dog has good hips NOT SO even the OFA has to have three Vet make that judgement call.
I know a breeder who was once my friend Lenga's German Shepherds I have bought three female pups from her for breeding not one nor two but all three dog by the time they where two years of age had Hip Dysplasia. So I went to her site to read the fine print as it were this is what I found.
"My name is Helene from Southern California. I breed the very sweet and gentle LARGE boned Shepherds. I breed the black & tan, and black & red colored Shepherds. My #1 priority is PERSONALITY. My dogs are excellent with children. I also train and socialize my puppies, before they go to their new home. I also breed for excellent longevity health, good hips and great temperament which I guarantee 100%."
This is the letter I received when I sent the OFA report on the last female with Hip Dysplasia.
"Oh my G-D! I can't believe it. I was so sure Puppup had good hips, or at
least fair hips. I'm so very sorry, Knowing you are a breeder, it was always my intention to sell you puppies with good hips, but at that young age, we never know....................Do we ? The great news is that your future puppy's Sire, Patron is OFA Excellent, and his Dam, Champion Jan Lorien's Ice Castles is also OFA Excellent, so I feel that your special puppy's hips will be good. I can't do better than that for you. I want to make sure all the puppies have good hips, if that is possible. I paid an arm and a leg to do this breeding with this Champion. By the way, Keira has one hip that is excellent and the other that is very good, so it looks good that her puppies will also be good."
Notice no mention of Keira being OFAed just how much it cost to have her bred to a champion.
Sounds good doesn't it but go to her site and read on her litter page this.
Champion Lorien's Patron and Lenga's Keira Von Ars De Kona"Champion Patron and Lenga's Keira had a successful breeding. Patron is already an American Champion, and now he is going for his Canadian Championship. Patron and Keira will make beautiful and healthy puppies together. Patron is outgoing, friendly, and has a confident personality. Patron is OFA Excellent, and Keira was evaluated by my vet as Excellent, too. Keira is lovable, affectionate and a very confident female. These will be Show Quality puppies. They will be fully guaranteed, including personality. Each puppy will be trained and socialized, and come to you well behaved and well mannered. Your satisfaction is guaranteed. Keira is very loyal and protective of her family, and Patron is very socialized with people and other dogs, being he has been to so many dog shows. Their puppies are due: July 17th. and will be ready to go: September 4, 2008.
Stop the presses what part of that is OFAed???
My response to her email was.
" Helene,
I have been going over our six year relationship with dogs I have spent over five thousand dollars ($5000.00) in direct cost buying dogs from you. Another Twelve Hundred ($1200.00) getting dogs OFAed not to mention feed and vet cost which comes to another Thirty Eight Hundred ($3800.00).
Also it has been six years and after Ten Thousand Dollars I still have not
one puppy from any of the dogs I bought from you so thanks but no-thanks I do not want one of your pups. As far as I can figure this is all because you will not OFA your dogs your vet is not the OFA so all the pups you have put out in the last six years have all had bad hips but since no one bothered to OFA their dogs they don't know about it yet."
But anyone with a Lenga's German Shepherd should have it OFAed and if it has bad hips demand a refund.
The problem as stated by the OFA is low number of dogs radiographed and evaluated by the OFA not the breeder and his or her vet.
It can be very difficult to get hip information on siblings and previous offspring due to the overall low number of dogs radiographed in a given litter (most dogs in a litter end up in pet homes). This is the slowest method of reducing the incidence of an undesirable trait or increasing the incidence of a desirable trait. The use of preliminary radiographs as early as 4 months of age can be used by breeders to add valuable information on the hip status of dogs they choose to use in a breeding program.
Hip dysplasia appears to be perpetuated by breeder imposed breeding practices, but when breeders and their breed clubs recognize HD as a problem and establish reduction of HD as a priority, improvement of the hip status can be accomplished without jeopardizing other desirable traits. Prospective buyers should check pedigrees and/or verify health issues with the breeder. If suitable documentation is not available, assume the worst until proven otherwise.
Do not ignore the dog with a fair hip evaluation. The dog is still within normal limits. For example; a dog with fair hips but with a strong hip background and over 75% of its brothers and sisters being normal is a good breeding prospect. A dog with excellent hips, but with a weak family background and less than 75% of its brothers and sisters being normal is a poor breeding prospect.
OFA's Recommended Breeding Principals
* Breed normals to normals
* Breed normals with normal ancestry
* Breed normals from litters (brothers/sisters) with a low incidence of HD
* Select a sire that produces a low incidence of HD
* Replace dogs with dogs that are better than the breed average
I have had customers wait as long as two years for one of my pups because I pulled a dog out of my breeding program for having bad hips when I had them OFAed if I can do it so can other breeders.
Bottom Line too many breeders are in this for the money and the quality of the German Shepherds goes out the window.
www.ASuperiorGSD.com
Lane's House Of Shepherds
Old Fashion Large German Shepherds
Intelligent, Noble, Dignified, Sensitive,
Loyal. Sound in mind and body.
LanesShepherds@Gmail.com
http://userla64.bravejournal.com/
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