ZW's revisted - Page 1

 I have been looking at various dogs ZW hip scores.  I understand it's not only the dog itself used for the score but the parents, siblings, progeny, etc.  Here's the question:  If a dog has a ZW of under 100 is that acceptable?  Where is the go/no go score for being breedable?

Animules,

the average is exactly 100. According to SV regulations, the calculation for an expected litter is not to be greater than 100. For example, if the female has a ZW of 95, she can not be mated with a male who has a ZW of over 105 (105+95=200:2=100 - that is the formula to predict the starting ZW of a litter). The ZWs are newly calculated every three months and can be checked on the SV website: www.schaeferhund.de/site/index.php The current ZWs are valid until December 31, 2007. Only dogs with a-stamps are registered here. These scores can be changed by the hip ratings of all relatives (progeny, ancestors, siblings etc.). It is a rather complicated formula. What I learned about the ZW from some knowledgable people in Germany is that the ZW of 100 represents the average which is a2. A1 should be calculated as -5, a2 as +2, and a3 +5, not sure how many points a4 and a5 would be . A dog which is below the average <100, will have his score raised with a2 offspring, a dog above the average >100, would have his ZW lowered with a2 offspring (since a2 is better than the dog's own rating). The more offspring are xrayed and have normal hips, the less an individual case of a3 or even a4 and a5 weighs in. This is not only calculated by the own offspring, but rather by  the changing ZWs of parents, grand-parents and siblings etc.. As I said, very complicated.

Chris

Thanks Chris!

And talk about a typo I did.... I meant is a ZW of over or equal to 100 acceptable, not under 100..........

I find it all very interesting, my females ZW is 69 as is three of her littermates, plus the mother.  I'm guessing because all of the progeny there was a normal, etc. etc.  My male is 77 but there's also not as many in the database.