Czech GSD's with bad hips - Page 52

Susie: The second quote is useless. We are talking about LIVING ANIMALS.
IF a dog isn´t allowed to play or run or jump during his whole puppyhood to avoid HD, there already IS a predisposition...

Susie, I think you missed the whole point in Hans' post above.  Nobody is advocating putting a dog in a cage during its entire 1st year of existence to make it HD free.  It was just a laboratory experiment to illustrate the big role that environment plays in the expression of HD in a dog. 

How even though both parents were heavily dysplastic, and the sire-dam combo had a track-record of producing almost exclusively dysplastic pups in the past (HD predisposition is WAY higher than the norm and thus worthy candidates for this particular experiment), by modifying the environment they were raised in, the pups turned out to be non-dysplastic.  Not saying that the resultant HD-free pups were useful in the real world but they were produced in the laboratory to prove a point - that's all.

So genetics does strongly indicate a predisposition to produce HD in the progeny, but the environmental aspect cannot and must not be ignored, seems to be the message from the above experiment.

Would I or anyone I know indulge in crating a puppy/dog to keep it HD-free ? Absolutely not !  I  (along with most of us I guess) raise dogs, and not laboratory animals to prove points.

PS:  This needs emphasis.  Hans' quote was about an experiment done by a reputable institution, to prove the environmental impact on HD expression (something that is often ignored by the common populace) and NOT how to raise a dog to be HD-free.

PS2:  So the genetic aspect, which is an important component in the HD-equation, should be combined with the environmental conditions under which the puppy is raised during its 1st year of existence.  So the puppy buyer's role in the HD equation (the environmental aspect that the original breeder has no control over and is often ignored when discussing Warrantys) plays as important a role in raising HD-free dogs, seems to be the message here.

PS3: Clearly, even a dog with a very LOW predisposition for HD, when subjected to in-appropriate environmental conditions, can develop HD, and the breeder in turn has no control over what happens when the 8-week old puppy gets to its owner's premises and the conditions the raising is done in.

The environmental aspect that I do try and control with my dogs (when they are pups) are as follows:

• a) By and large I don't allow my pups in their first year of existence to do high-speed/shocky running on hard pavement or Tarmac etc and make it a point to take them to softer grassy land or thick leaf-filled areas or soft sandy ground like beaches and swimming etc for their exercise. 
• b) I do not allow them to high-jump around and land hard on their hips/elbows, during their 1st year - playing frisbees come to mind which I simply don't allow or do
• c) I control their food portion sizes, adjusted to their activity levels, to keep them slim/fit

Granted this is reducing some of the potential HD-triggers but combined with a lower HD-predisposition (via their genetics), I hope to raise healthy dogs and thus far I have not had any misses.

@J Basler.....one of the disadvantages of age and experience is that some of us have hard times changing with times....in that way, I often use old school analogies or metaphors, that could offend some people's sensibilities. If that example did that for you, I sincerely apologize, I do get caught up sometime with importance of message over delivery, but my MOM, always stressed it takes a bigger person to apologize than stand fast when you would be better served to do so. I write this post publicly to you to let others see that I am as hard on me as I am on others. thanks, J Basler!

 Susie. I am sorry . I tried to figure out what it meant for a while but misunderstood anyway. It would not be the first time someone attacked my English.  I am being attacked here so often that I feel like nervous fighter pilot in WW2 looking in jerky nervous motion over my shoulder to see who is gaining on me :).  Again I am sorry. I made mistake and then made inappropriate comment. 
Prager Hans

The title of this albeit interesting thread needs t be changed. 

Hip dysplasia is only 35% genetics! The rest has to go with rate of growth, exercise (too much / too little) how much did you feed them? How fast did they grow? All these questions. I wouldn't blame the kennel

Yes, blame the environment, food, and playing too much or too little with a puppy for HD.  LMAO, where have I heard all that before???????????

Slamdunc