Hip dysplasia - Page 2

"I don't mean to step on any one's toes. I'm just curious and figured most of you guys and gals are the experts.
I'm also really curious why some people seek imported GSD's as well?"

HD is both hereditary and developmental.

German dogs have more standardized requirement in hip normalcy for breeding, although SV fast-normal is comparable to Borderline in OFA (so says OFA), which will not confer certification.

My American Showline girls have three generations of OFA Hips and elbow. When I looked for a stud, however, I found that the best, in general, is a stud himself and both parents OFA H&E.

So the pups will have both parents and all four grandparents OFA H&E. Unless HD is truly unusual among hereditary diseases, I’d say if both parents and all four grandparents don’t have it, the chance of a pup having it is low.

Breeders of top American lines only started to embrace OFA H&E about 10-15 years ago, the result is gradual improvement of OFA backgrounds.

Incidents of HD decrease when owners of pups feed them intelligently to avoid too fast growth of the pups.

"Puppies from good breeding are expensive and new owners often preliminary X-ray their pups, even as early as 6-9 months to know what to expect as they are usually “guaranteed/warranted”."
 
I believe it is not the price of the pup but the purpose of owning it that induces an owner to seek OFA certification or to take X-ray at a certain month of age. Invariably it ultimately relates to breeding. Warranty on the pup itself against HD means not much. The most the breeder will do is to let you keep it and help in the cost of surgery, not something that an owner wants to investigate in advance.   

Even in Germany X-ray is not needed to own a GSD, so there will be incidents of HD not reported even in Germany.