Question about HD - Page 7

Preston, no I don´t think it´s right to say it´s 90% hereditary, but if the hereditary is so much as about 40%, then selection against it can be very effective, thats´s the conclusion the results of the selection against HD in the GSD population for servicework in Sweden showed. 40% hereditary is enough to make great improvment in quite a short time.    

jennie, you completely missed my point.  I stated that I believe the heritability of HD is variable and can be created by the breeder within a range from 40-50% to near 100%, depending on which gene combinations are selected, mixed and matched over time. I again emphasize the variability, the range.  I suppose one could average the two outside range figures of say perhaps 90% and 40% to get an overall estimate of 65%. But use of this grand average would be misleading.  The bottom line is that the breeder can create or eliminate HD based on his breeding philosophy and control or non-control practices. 

The heritability of HD or normal hips can be determined and made predominant by the breeder over time if pushed to the limits by either total control or no control of hip breeding practices respectively, and this can be to uincrease or decrease the ratio of good hips with deep sockets and high Norberg angles. 

The questions for breeders are this:  how low do you want the incidence of HD to be in your puppies?  Are you willing to spend the time learning about polygenic transmission of HD? Are you willing to learn about the selective breeding practices that others have used to successfully increase the ratio of healthy hips with deep sockets and high Norberg angle? Then, are you willing to make the commitment, pay the price to institute that plan, and stay the course until those desired results of low HD are attained?

I agree with Blitzen, when he says: "The better the hips in the parents, g-parents, g,g-parents and their siblings, the better the hips in the current generation."

The great majority of the problem comes from genetic, the breeders are suppose to make a breed program in order to improve genetic along the generations, using only normals and fast normals over the time, generation after generation, I THINK THATS POSSIBLY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM IF IT IS DONE SERIOUSLY! I also know HD is hard to eliminate because of the diversity of genes that is said to cause it, yet with not a lot researchs about.

Generation after generation! It will take time but will do a magnific job to the breed, much biger than increase a little of lenght here and there, or much biger than get a rich collor, THE GERMAN SHEPHERD LOVER MUST CARE ABOUT THE HEALTH OF THE DOGS THAT ARE COMING INTO THE WORLD!

Hey guys I am bumping this thread up I was wondering if any of you changed your opinion, or have any addition to this very intresting topic. For many years I never though or worry about HD, and to be honest neither I am planing to, but I am not a breedere so I would def like to hear opinion of more experience breeders and where they stands. Any recent studies done on the subject? Any links? Thanks...