cow hocked puppy - Page 1

hello there , i have purchased a nice looking large boned male german shepherd , he was 3 months old when i got him and now he is nearly 5 months of age . Ever since i brought him he was extremely cow hocked and whenever he walks or stands his rear toes keep pointing out especially when reaching out . due to all of that i keep seeing him rotating his legs out when walking . the vets opinion was that he is young and needs good nutrition and exercise and mostly he'll grow out of it . i have started him on vitC daily and the chondroitin sulphate supplements for dogs . does anybody had similar dogs ? should i worry ? is it an extreme fault for a young puppy who is still teething to be cow hocked ? thx all

It is impossible to say whether what you are seeing is really cow-hocked and how much there is, if it is present. Some puppies do have some degree of cow hock and do grow out of it. Others do NOT grow out of it. Sometimes it is really bones and other times more ligamentous issues that will correct. Yes, in the strict sense of the word, if the dog is full grown and being shown and he is still very cow hocked, it would detract from his rating. Some dogs have a small degree and yes, while noted, it does not detract if all things otherwise are in order. I would not worry about it at this time. Feed him a quality food, give him only appropriate exercise for his age, keep him lean, be careful about supplements, and let him grow. There is no evidence that Vitamin C does squat in dogs, just like in humans. Same for the supplements of glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate. The evidence is anecdotal. I personally never use supplements in dogs unless their is a specific condition and a specific remedy, such as dogs who have EPI conditions. Good luck.

Ditch the supplements. A young pup doesnt need Vit c or glucosamine and chondroitin s. Get a good dog food and keep slim and do some research. I had a pup that sat sideways on his rear and the vet she took him to said Oh he has HD cant u see how he Sits? He wanted to sell her a bottle for $65.00 of Gluco and Chond and my vet said wont help a thing. Thats not necessary . This is a pup and hes still forming and growing. All kinds of problems will arise if u add all those extra unneeded and even too much calcium is a no no. on a german shepherd unless it is sick and in a terrible health crisis. Vets dont have the answers. Search and ask these breeders on this site and they will back up the real way to handle ur problem if it is one.

Hodie , nice post on the issues.

give him cottage cheese amd yogurt

If you want the truth the answer is that your puppy will be cow hocked no matter if you give any Glucosamin or condroitin.Usually is a genetic problem which is transmited by some dog lines more than other.¿From which lines comes your puppy? In the last Congress of the SV this topic was included because of the great importance. Breeders should avoid using this dogs but for a pet is no problem. Wish you luck with your puppy.Regards

agreed Soli

I have found that sometimes the cow hocks are caused by the actual hock being quite long - I have a young female around 6 months the same. I have just concentrated on the good diet and strengthening the muscles around that area with swimming and free running in sand obviously not overdoing it. There has been a marked improvement in the last weeks.

I believe with five months there is possible the dog will get back on track! The condroitin does help a lot! I had a problem with that and this medicin was really helpfull. Try not to let the puppy confined in the kennel, let him play and run by himself, a dog of the same size would help to mantein him active. keep him lean! and believe in your dog, a good dog always have a good owner! Give him your best, he will do his best too!

My male is the same as well. infact even his front toes point slightly outwards. he is 9 months old now and although we have given all the exercise and it has improved quite a bit he still does have a small degree of this present. My 4 month old female is perfect though(orbit vom huhnegrabe daughter). It is a shame the male has this slight fault because otherwise he is fantastic. He is a Pakros son. I am somewhat devastated as I did plan on mating him with my female pup in the future. But maybe its not a good idea anymore. Any suggestions anyone?