Sorry...I dont have the paper work in my hand yet but I cant remember if she said 3:7 or 4:6.

I must admit I just read of a shetland sheepdog with a 6:17 hips and I was like but when at the vets got talking to a douge owner and his was something like 42. Its different for every breed isnt it.

Like he said if everyone sent in the "real" average would be much different. But the vets give the option of sending them in or not if they think they are to high.

great that's not a bad score - I've just had my youngster 'Angel's hips scored this Monday my vet reckons around 3:3 but I'll have to wait to hear the results from the BVA - also had her and her mums annual eye test done yesterday for HC - both clear

Worryingly though mum's microchip had travelled from her neck and was eventually found round by her back leg !!!

DOH! - This is said many a time. TBH - it depends on the breed - certainly for Labs it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference - we calculated you would need (I can't remember which way around it was now) over a 1000 dogs at one extreme and over 3K at the to make a difference of +/- 1 point to the overall breed average - as the likelihood of this many dogs scoring 0/0 or 53/53 in any short period of time is virtually nil, then the overall average is unlikely to change significantly if they continue to calculate it in the current manner. Although the numbers score are lower, it is likely to be a similar story for GSDs and Goldies adding about half the above at each end of the scale.

In breeds where low numbers are scored (say below 100), then yes, a few very high, or very low scoring dogs might make a difference - but for example, in your own breed, if most dogs are scoring between 0 and 30 with the occasional high score, then - nope, even then it's unlikely to make a significant difference because within all thise, there will still be people sending plates in scoring within a relatively 'normal' range.

a 3/7 or a 4/6 unless as mentioned above, there was a 6 on one of the top joints wouldn't could me great concern - I would find it hard to believe that environmental factors could complete dessicrate one element of a joint and therefore (i.e. a non-existent femoral head).

I do have to say I am surprised you don't know the score combination, I know the scores of all of my dogs, good and bad - and this is how it should be explained to prospective puppy owners.

You also mention selling for show - you've not bred a litter yet - why would someone come to you for a show potential pup? why not a top kennel?

Would you know how to pick a good show pup, I am three litters in and been showing for nearly 6 years now - and I still need to take advice for my own pup, and certainly wouldn't dream of selling a pup as 'show potential' - because of course, that's all you can say - POTENTIAL - because pups change so much.

People with 30/40 years breeding experience don't always get it right - be VERY careful how you approach this - if you sell a pup as 'show quality' and it isn't - you could be sued.

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What you need to know before buying a Labrador puppy

My boys hips are 5:3, I'm more than happy with that

Thats great news - you must be chuffed!

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Flynn - Kali - Britches - Bruce - T-Bo - Marty



"For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack"

I dont know the exact result because the vet rang me to tell me what the BVA had sent back, I should be getting the papers in the next day or so.
I wasnt paying full attention because I was off out with Charlie to the other vet (I use a certain vet around 30-40 miles away for hip scores) because he's not been well.

As for picking a show puppy from a litter, I didnt say I know it all but I have two very good breeders to help me. My mentor has offered to come and help me pick and Alaska's breeder wants to be involved in the litter too, so I am sure between them they can help me pick.

Dog 2 (the stud dog I am planning to use) has just had a litter with a bitch that has no show experiance, no health tests (Apart from CEA) and all the puppies reserved before 2-3 weeks old. The breeder has only bred a few times before and her kennels is a pet kennels yet 2 pups have gone to potential show homes.