OFA Opinions - Page 2

Normal is normal. Often the only difference between a good and an excellent is the skill of the techs and the quality of the xray.  OFA readers also have the benefit of being able to use devices that measure important angles such as Norberg. Many people think their dogs deserve better ratings than they get.  There is little evidence that GSD's rated excellent produce better hips overall than do goods and fairs. At one time all dogs were rated "normal" by OFA and only the owner knew is it was a fair, good, or excellent. Now the ratings are reflected in the number sequence.

 OFA database actually gives a better look at the hips of relatives than the SV ratings. You don't need to scour the database looking up individual ratings.  All you need to do is bring up a specific dog and there you have the results of  health tests  done for sires, dams, aunts, uncles, siblings, etc  and registered with OFA.  In many cases there is also a 3, 4 generation clickable pedigree.  SV ratings only address hip production and as far as I know there is no SV database that lists related dogs by name, and nothing at all about any other health tests like DM, thyroid, cardiac, Pn,  CERF, etc.. Want to know how many normal hips and the ratings a specific dog produced?  If that dog was OFA certified, all the information made available will be on the OFA database. If the dog is a stamped, you will only be able to see an estimate of that dog's projected chance of producing normal hips.

There is one thing I see that may prevent this dog from getting an excellent, the pelvis is slightly tilted so that the left hip doesn't look as deep as the right. Don't get hung up on ratings, normal is normal.

Blitzen, I am fully aware that "normal is normal." I personally don't like OFA, never will, and disagree that it's in any way superior to any other rating system, due to its extreme subjectivity. The only advantage is faster results than the SV.  I have no problem with a dog who produces fairs on a consistent basis and will choose that dog over a dog who produces 1/3 good, 1/3 excellent, and 1/3 HD every time. 

My point, which I guess wasn't clear, is that while Nadeem is "hoping" for excellent, it's not given out often, even to hips we all think *should* get it or hips ortho docs think should get it, due to tightening parameters that I don't really see the point of, since this x-raying frenzy hasn't exactly eliminated HD. Hence my "kind of irritating" phrase- it doesn't matter one iota- it's just "kind of irritating" in that there will always be those ignorant, but well-intentioned sorts who only breed excellent to excellent and all that nonsense. We're just going to narrow the genepool even further if everyone is striving for excellent. 

I was looking at a stud from a bloodline I've been interested in for some time and read the breeding requirements and had to laugh- they won't breed any bitches with an OFA fair.  That tells me their entire breeding philosophy is nowhere near what I'm looking for. I checked; it wasn't just one male they were trying to improve on; they don't think fair are breedable hips.   

To your last comment, yeah, I agree, that's why I said "good" not excellent. Knee isn't rotated quite as much, either. A radiologist ought to be able to see that, but I'll be shocked if he gets an excellent due to that. That's why no one should be disappointed with a good or fair vs. an excellent. OFA is far too subjective about positioning to get hung up on which passing grade you get!

Is this Bravo?!

Shouldn't have answered...not my dog.

 

I prefer the OFA method over that of the SV.  First, the OFA won't certify until 24 months, the SV still certifies at 12 months; too young for a large breed dog IMO. OFA raised their lower age limit from 12 months to 24 months in the 70's after a follow through demonstrated that some dogs that certified at 12 months failed to certify at 24+ months.  With OFA there is the benefit of opinions from 3 readers; with the SV you get one reader. OFA will re-evaluate an xray if the owner thinks the dog didn't get the right rating. The SV's word is final. The OFA database is a valuable tool for breeders who want to consider other health tests in addition to hips and elbows when planning a breeding.  The SV is only about  hips and elbows and there is no database where hip ratings can be verified.  If one wants to learn the hip/elbow status of A stamped sibs and relatives, all that is available is the ZW  number unless the dog is titled/breed surveyed? Is that right? I assume those ratings - A1, A2, fast normal, NZ, etc effect the final ZW numbers, but only the SV knows how those number are used.

Of course I know you know that normal is normal, Jenni, but others here might have the notion that a fair is deal breaker or an excellent means that specific dog will always produce better hips than a lesser rated dog. I've not seen any evidence to support that in this breed.
 

Jenni, how do you know the SV isn't just as subjective about positioning?

At any rate, this dog certainly has normal hip conformation for breed and age.

Already saw what you wrote Jenni ; ) . Excellent!!!