Prelim, or OFA Cert? - Page 2

MY PRACTICE IS TO DO AN OFA PRE-LIM AT 12-14 MONTHS OLD, THEN THE FINAL AT 2 YRS OLD. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL DOGS THAT GOT A FAIR IN THE PRE-LIM THAT FAILED ON THEIR FINALS. IVE NEVER GOTTEN A RATING BETTER ON THE FINAL THAN WHAT THEY WERE RATED AT PRE-LIM'S. I'VE HAD ONE EXCELLENT THAT WENT GOOD ON FINAL, MULTIPLE GOOD'S ON PRE'LIMS THAT WENT TO FAIR, THEN AGAIN SEVERAL THAT FAILED AT FINALS WHO GOT FAIR'S ON THEIR PRE-LIM'S.  TO ME IT'S JUST TOO RISKY TO KEEP ONE THAT ONLY GOT A FAIR AT PRE-LIM'S WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY NICE DOGS WITH A GOOD OR BETTER!

Not hard to believe that OFA will give one rating to one xray, a different rating on the next of the same dog. Happens all the time even when xrays are taken only a month or so apart. Not a rare thing to have a dog fail the first time and get a number the next or to have an owner decide to rexray their dog for a better rating. Had it happen to 2 of my own dogs, mild HD the first time at 26 months, both OFA good 6 weeks later.

Many times it's all about the positioning of the dog and the quality of the film. Also, IMO, too many dogs are xrayed without being tranqulized or anesthesize which causes them to resist the manipulation and MIGHT make the sockets look deeper and tighter than they actually all.  If one xray is done when a dog is tranqed and another when not, it would not be a big surprise to me to see a change.  BTW I also know of one dog that got a fair on a prelim, excellent at 25 months.  I'd use a fair and have given I have some in depth knowledge of the siblings, and other relatives. Safer IMO than using an excellent from a litter that produced some moderates and severes. It's all subjective and OFA is not perfect by any means. The worst hips I ever bred were from 3 generations of OFA good dogs, the best from an OFA fair.