Radiograph Xray - Page 2

Good post and advice, Preston.  I wouldn't call a 6 year old with hips like these severely dysplastic either. IMO he's moderate. If he were 2 years old, then I'd agree with the severe diagnosis.

Hello Everyone,

Thanks so much for your honesty. Well I took him to get him xrayed because there was guy who wanted to breed to him and I didn't feel comfortable breeding him to an outside dog without being xrayed. When I first got him I was told his parents should not have been bred because their combination would produce bad hips. I had him xrated at 24 mos and the vet said he would be dysplastic but I was 16 and I thought he was lying because my dog had no problems. And plus he was my very first 100% German dog that I purchased with my first job. So now at 22 and more mature I felt like I could handle it and try again. Here is a link to his pedigree tell me what you all think.

Thanks

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/122909.html

A very nice looking GSD. Being that his parents were an OFA fair and an OFA good for hips, it wasn'tt a bad hip breeding combo.  It just turned out his hips weren't first class, something needed for a breeding animal.  That does not in any way lessen his potential value as a 24/7 in house family pet and companion/home protector.

As far as making a good pet and looking like a very good example of a GSD, he fits the bill fine. I think you acquired a very nice looking GSD and one that you can be proud to own. For a first GSD you did a very good job selecting him. Some never can get one this attractive even with numerous attempts at buying or breeding puppies.

He looks to be a very confident dog with a playful side, typical for that pedigree, probably a real character and very intelligent.  I'll bet you have a lot of fun with him.  For your first real GSD you made a very good choice and should have no regrets.  Only 5% of GSDs are really top breeding material anyway and a lot of the reasons are beyond the external visible,  such as health tested normal on many factors, joints, producing ability, etc., etc. 

Don't forget to have elbows done in any GSD that you will be using as a stud or dam or breeding a stud to.  And when you acquire another GSD of course also have a screening set of hip/elbow xrays done and have experienced breeders and/or the OFA give you an opinion and then compare that to what you are acquiring the GSD for.

He's a beautiful dog and I can see why someone would be interested in using  him for breeding. However, his hips are not normal for his breed and age and he is not a good candidate for producing normal hips in his progeny. Not sure why you were told that his pedigree was questionble, I've seen worse hips behind VA dogs. At any rate, he's still a beautiful dog and one you can be proud of. He should just not ever become a father. In today's world that might not be such a bad thing anyway. At least you have the comfort of knowing that none of his kids are going to end  up in rescue or worse .

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. I really appreciate all of your honest opinion. Samson is great dog. Everyone loves him. He is good with children and the elderly. He has been a blast to own, and I really can't believe I purchased a dog as nice as him at 16.

A dog really is so much more than the sum of his parts.  I agree, you did a great job in being able to pick such a nice dog while you were so young.  I see only good things ahead for you, I wish I had my head on as straight as you do when I was your age.  To know that you  went ahead and xrayed your dog even though the owner of  the bitch would have bred to him without it really says a lot about you and the kind of person you are.  Well done, very well done.