Texoma K-9 - Page 3

yellowrose of Texas, OFA must have changed their policy. It was several years ago when we, the vet and myself accidently did the x-ray just a couple of weeks under the age of 24 months. We had to redo the x-ray with the correct date on the x-ray to get the OFA evaluation number. I had another dog which I contemplated to buy pre-x-rayed at 14 months, made the deal subject to the pre-x-ray. But we did not send this one into OFA. GSD came from two OFA rated hips, parents were OK, but the offspring was a disaster, no hope for improvement on the hips. Seller paid for the vet exam since I did not purchase the dog, that was the deal, and placed the dog into a pet home.

Uvar, Go to the source. Go to the OFFA web site. They begin doing pre-lims at 4 months old if my memory serves me right. But don,t go on what I say, go the the web site. As time passes they get more accurate but even at 4 months they give you a good idea. They will give you ratings the same as an adult dogs gets. For any one who reads this post, it you will simply go to the OFFA web site they can provide you with any questions you can possibly have, not just hear say that you will get hear. It is a wonderful site to check out if you are into getting the best, most reliable, up to date info available. If not just come to this board and get lots of mixed opinions. I don't mean to be curt, just want to encourage everyone to use the resources available. Thanks

to olskoolgsd Although I was one of the few on the American continent who got OFA numbers back in the early 80s, I was unaware that OFA now is providing preliminary hip evaluations. I had pre-x-rays done later on but never sent them in, just looked at them and evaluated them between myself and my vet. No, you are very wrong, hips do not improve, rarely they improve, they worsen, and you can tell when looking at a preliminary x-ray. As for OFA being so wonderful, indeed since the introduction of the internet we can look at a the wonderful website of OFA. Only problem is that Germany does not except wonderful OFA! I wonder why? Please remember that the purpose of your hip x-ray is to provided the breeder of your dog with the record! An OFA number does not make the dog eligible for breeding! A misconception!

Uvar, Mis communication. I did not mean that hips get better, I meant that the accuracy of pre-lims improves with age. Example, a pup X-rayed at 6 months with a score of "good" will have a certain % of accuracy that he will have a "good" score when he is X-rayed at 24 months. A pup pre-limed at 14 mo. will have a higher percentage of accuracy when X-rayed at 24 months then the 6 month old pup. It sounds as though you are not happy with the OFFA. My coments on the OFFA were intended for folks in the U.S. This is what we have here. This is the standard we have in the U.S. For those that travel to Germany, or import dogs from Germany then it's a different story. I too was sending X-rays to OFFA in 1980. If I have a dog that rates good in OFA and he meets all other requirements for breeding then I would breed him. I wish all breeders felt as you do about wanting the X-rays for their records. OF all the information I have ever been exposed to concerning the OFFA I have not heard of any hard evidence against them. Not quite sure how I offended you but it was not intentional. I am just a firm believer in getting my information from the most reliable sources I can. Hope this clears it up. Thanks

Uvar, My bad. I broke one of my own rules. I did not read your first post. I understand your position and frustration. We really do need to do more then we curently are doing. I just don't know if this should be put on OFFA though. Thanks

Good Luck, Kenny, Hurry back to the red dirt of Okla. My husband was from Valliant, Okla....I spent every vacation in Okla until our children were born and then we did other things...I plan on running up there next week to visit his only living sister and family.....I will have to check out Bill and Texoma K-9...good reports....it seems...

before someone jumps on my literal "running up there",I'll clear that up, and I will be driving up to Okla.....I dont run anywhere any longer....

olskoolgsds: Personnally, I can only see all these issues go through Schutzhund USA. Breeding laws need to go through a registry, and that is the other pitfall in USA. The breeding laws of the working breeds cannot go through AKC, it would't leave a single breeder in AKC. But, negotiations with the SV on breeding laws should be conducted by Schutzhund USA.

We have other options then the OFFA. We can send x-rays to the SV and have them rated and "a" stamped. That is our plan for our girls. I have talked with too many people that have had negative experience with OFFA. Multiple vets, breeders, and trainers evaluating x-rays as good to fair only to receive borderline or mild from OFFA.

animules: The fact that you can interact with the SV on the matter is certainly a step in the right direction. Registries of other breeds in Germany do not accept x-rays taken by a foreign vet. They do not accept heart tests either, no tests whatsoever by unapproved vets, and foreign vets fall into the category of unapproved vets. USA should aim to negotiate with thge SV on breeding laws, negotiate on how to handle the Zuchtwert, and above all start cutting out the importers and brokers. We have them on both sides. Germany is fighting the brokers but due to the numbers slipping through into other countries like USA/Canada will not help USA unless Schutzhund USA and AKC come up with a successful plan. Dogs sold/imported through brokers are second and third quality. No reputable breeder in Germany will place a dog with a broker/importer. All this backfires onto any negotiations with USA/Canada, on every aspect.