Labrador hip and elbow scores

Tomm

Well-Known Member
Hi all,

I am interested in getting a lab dog from someone local to me, I have been and had a look and like the look of a yellow dog! The dad has great hip and elbow scores and has also had Dna tests for any other diseases etc, although the mother has had no tests what so ever! A friend of mine shoots with the mother and says she is a good worker and the father is also a good worker. Would you let the fact the mother has no tests done make you walk away? Also the grand parents of the mother have food hip scores.

Not knowing a lot about labs I feel a bit lost and don't want to buy a dog only to get trouble years down the line if I can avoid it by choosing a dog that has had the checks.

Any my help would be appreciated

thanks
 
Both parents should be health checked. Not the latter In the gene pool, may I ask how much Is the puppy. The tests are a lot of money, any good breeders will go though theses tests . But nothing Is a 100 %.
 
If I knew the untested dog and seen it work and move, and liked it and was in the market for a new dog I wouldn't hesitate, each breeder who health tests does all they can to prevent any diseases but it's no guarantee whatsoever, you only do what you can. Of course if you want to breed yourself you should ideally health test beforehand.
 
DNA tested and low scored on hips end elbow mean nothing if you don't know what the other half of the mating is. If you mate clear dogs to clear dogs you get clear pups (on DNA issues) granted no total guarantee about hips and elbows but it is a good indication of low scoring offspring.
 
Personally, I would walk away! A lot of the health test DO guarantee pups will be free from certain diseases. Hip and elbow scores do not guarantee good hips and elbows but they do certainly help. Hips and elbows can be ruined during the first 15 months of a labs life by their lifestyle such as too much exercise, walking up and down stairs or constantly standing on their back legs to see out of the kennel. They could also of cause be born with bad hips or elbows. You're going to own that dog for upwards of ten years. Why not lesson your chances of getting a bad one by buying from known healthy parents? There are plenty out there!
 
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I've just had my lab' bitch mated. I thought very hard about having her scored first, but as others have said good scores from the parents don't guarantee the same from the pups. I have a friend who's lab' puppy had terrible scores, despite her being from superb lines on both sides. The main thing (as mentioned by Baguio) is that the pups aren't over-faced in the early weeks of their lives. To my mind, this is directly responsible for bad hips and elbows, and hereditary influences comes a long way behind.

Long and short of it is there are no guarantees, but if you like the look of the dam and sire, and there are no obvious health concerns then why not? (and good luck :thumb:)
 
I've just had my lab' bitch mated. I thought very hard about having her scored first, but as others have said good scores from the parents don't guarantee the same from the pups. I have a friend who's lab' puppy had terrible scores, despite her being from superb lines on both sides. The main thing (as mentioned by Baguio) is that the pups aren't over-faced in the early weeks of their lives. To my mind, this is directly responsible for bad hips and elbows, and hereditary influences comes a long way behind.

Long and short of it is there are no guarantees, but if you like the look of the dam and sire, and there are no obvious health concerns then why not? (and good luck :thumb:)
+1
didnt score my bitch but was careful with the sire and the linage
pups have been fine
 
I think the vets would disagree over mechanical and hereditary damage to hips and elbows, they're looking for different things on the X-rays, sure they may exhibit signs of wear but that's not necessarily the signs of hereditary displascia they are trained to spot.
 
I think the vets would disagree

Of course they would. It's a massive money-spinner for them. I'm now standing by with tin hat, safety specs, and chain mail on so all the arrows bounce off ;)

I've seen them get it wrong far too many times to be convinced, to be honest. My other half is a veterinary nurse of many years experience in both large and small practices, and she doesn't rate the tests all that highly, to be honest. At the end of the day though, it's up to both breeder and buyer to decide what they're happy with :thumb:
 
Sadly I did not breed from my lab due to dreadful hip scores .Despite being one of the most outstanding labs I have ever known. This was the correct decision for the breed.
Bavarian mountain hounds have to pass health and ability tests prior to being selected for breeding this means they don't suffer the same issues as labs in this country
 
I have since said no to the pup in question and I am still on the look out for a nice lab from good working lines.

thanks
 
Bavarian mountain hounds have to pass health and ability tests prior to being selected for breeding this means they don't suffer the same issues as labs in this country

in the UK there are no medical or test requirements to breed the BGS, the UK kennel club does not recognise testing for these dogs and only recommends health checks it is not manditiory, also there is no selective breeding, it is only down to the breeders to make the lines are correct.

There is only strict health and testing requirements for breeding within the KBGS in Germany and within the other clubs that hold the ISHV stamp on their pedigrees.

If anyone wishes to learn more, please contact the UKSHA by clicking the link to our website below or drop me a pm.

Were only too happy to help.
 
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Hips and elbows aside. It is in my opinion irresponsible to breed a lab without at least a basic eye test and ideally the PRA DNA test. Watching a dig go blind because a breeder couldn't be arsed spending £100 in the DNA test must be hard for an owner.
If everyone tested these diseases could be eradicated in one generation yet they are still here?!
Why? Money. Breeders to arrogant to health test their dog's.
 
Hips and elbows aside. It is in my opinion irresponsible to breed a lab without at least a basic eye test and ideally the PRA DNA test. Watching a dig go blind because a breeder couldn't be arsed spending £100 in the DNA test must be hard for an owner.
If everyone tested these diseases could be eradicated in one generation yet they are still here?!
Why? Money. Breeders to arrogant to health test their dog's.

Couldn't agree more. My wife's lab dog has hereditary cataracts and these were identified via an eye test. We were considering using him for stud work but now won't. Both sire and dam were clear.
 
Agree

I speyed bitch I got from m brother because of bad scores , to prevent unwanted accidents etc , he won't breed from a dog he had PRA checked due to carrying the gene.
If everyone did the same it would breed out quickly

Pity as both outstanding dogs but sentiment aside

Unscrupulous breeders maximising profits

Paul
 
I think what puts a lot of people off health testing is the cost, I have been quoted £600 to have my labs hips and elbows done, ok he's a big lad but by Christ £600!!!!

In Germany to have my BGS hips done (requirement being a dog with ISHV stamp)100 euro, so next year I will be taking both the lab and the BGS over and get it all done there!

Both dogs done for around 500 euro.

So my plan is to tie the lot in with a family holiday in Bavaria.
 
Just going through the process of hip and eye tests for my lab bitch, certainly is not cheap but to ensure that we only breed as fault free pups as possible is the only route to go for us.
But there are plenty of labs out there that are just bred from with no testing albeit that the quality will be uncertain.
Personally I would buy the pup with no qualms at all seeing as you know both parents.
 
Hips and elbows aside. It is in my opinion irresponsible to breed a lab without at least a basic eye test and ideally the PRA DNA test. Watching a dig go blind because a breeder couldn't be arsed spending £100 in the DNA test must be hard for an owner.
If everyone tested these diseases could be eradicated in one generation yet they are still here?!
Why? Money. Breeders to arrogant to health test their dog's.
Couldn't agree more. The cost of one pup would pay for the tests but still breeders are prepared to put cost before the health of future puppies. That is a very selfish attitude and should not be encouraged by buying a pup from these breeders
 
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