*** Loose hocks/cow hocked *** can she be corrected??? BEAUTIFUL BITCH - Page 2

I agree. Can't be fixed; but I agree with Jenni about no correlation between cowhocked and dysplasia. I've seen some cow hocked dogs have OFA excellent hips. 

Thanks. I will try and get better pics and mayge a video.

 

@ khalid , i was told the exact the exact thing before as well. I've now come to realise that it is best to do your own investigation and at the same time seek the help of the experts.

Many dogs that appear cowhocked while standing do not move cowhocked.  There is a big difference.   A true cowhocked dog will not only stand but will move cowhocked.    Lack of conditioning can cause it.  I do not believe that anyone can without seeing a video of this dog moving say without a doubt whether this dog is cow hocked or not.  I have seen some breeders breed dogs that have cowhocked appearances and they didn't produce it.  On the other hand hand I have seen straight dogs with no signs at all, produce horribly cowhocked pups.  I am not saying its ok to breed this dog, but just giving an opinion just as everyone else has.  

As long as you just "like" her and want to own her, why not ???
As soon as you want to breed her - breeding is not about structure only, it´s about temperament, too.
It´s far more difficult to breed for correct temperament than to breed for correct hindquarter angulation -
breeding for both should be the ultimate goal.
Don´t reduce a working dog to its appearence.
 

For a while now,  I am starting to believe that one reason we see more

dogs with weak, 'close', rears is that it is some by-product of trying to reduce

the incidence of HD.  As others have said, there seems to be no medical

justification for believing a cow-hocked dog will have poor hips;  and many

seem to be just the opposite.

 

If there is an increased preponderence of pups coming from Xrayed 'good'

stock which have the hock problem as soon as they stand up properly,

maybe breeders now need to be looking for better hocks in the dogs and

bitches they use,  while still retaining only those animals which score well

in the hip department.  [Sorry, breeders, yet another problem to work on !]

 

Although I agree that there is difficulty telling just how hocky a dog is

from only a still photo or two, and also that exercise and growth usually do

tighten up loose hocks in most dogs eventually,  frankly I certainly

would not want to be producing young dogs who stand as splayed in the

rear as this girl appears to, and as some other pups I have seen posted on

here.

I've heard that old chestnut about them not being cow hocked when they move so many times, despite standing with their hocks touching!  Just gives breeders an excuse to ignore the fault which is so entrenched in German showlines now, you would be hard pressed to find dogs that are not this way.

 

Margaret N-J

 For the record, I am not a big fan of showlines so if anyone thinks I am making excuses or defending them I am not.  I will say that I have seen MANY MANY workingline GSDs also that are cowhocked. Actually in my opinion, I think it is becoming more and more common in the working lines in the more recent years. 

Since so very many 'working line' dogs in America seem to have been

sired, or grand-sired, by German or Czech etc imports, themselves mostly

carrying at least SOME  West German Show blood, perhaps that is no

surprise ?

But I think Margaret exagerates a bit !

 

However - there IS no room for excuses about continuing to breed-in this

fault !   I was one of the strongest critics of the UK  Kennel Club and

media and Jo Public's  loud insistance that cowhocks were a terrible,

disease-related, thing, around 2008.  I still say that some degree of it is present

in all lines  - actualy in all BREEDS, and none - and that by itself it is not a

huge problem.  But I have to admit it is getting worse rather than better, with

some truly dreadful examples being produced - remember that Kennel Gim

puppy ? - and while I still do not believe it involves any other conditions, it

is clear (to me at least) that it is restrictive on stability and movement, and is

not going away while nobody does anything to correct it. Plus it looks horrid