My friend who has been after a border collie for a while has come across a litter, the dads hip-score is 10.8 is this normal? The breeder assured her it was ok. The bitches pups are 4wks old and she is thinking of going and seeing them on Sunday.

What does she want it for? Agility, obedience, show....? What is the bitches score? Personally I would be a bit wary but then I already have one with mild displasia in spite of careful feeding and exercise when he was a puppy. There are a lot of BC's from parents with lower scores than that. It isn't as high as some I have seen but I think breed average is 13...?

If you compare a score of 18 to the US scoring system it would still be in the normal range with a rating of fair.  19 to 25 would rate Borderline, and Mild dysplasia would be 26 to 35.

As the bred avewrage score is 13 I would be looking for the bitch to be scoring low, and the dog to be outstanding inother ways to Justify using him, but I wouldn't expect such a score to be a problem.

the mother is 6.6 they just seemed a bit high she wants it for agility, maybe a bit of showing on the way.

My new BC's parents have 6:4(sire) & 4:3(dam)(they are both ISDS reg & ISDS only bloodlines)as scores & to be honest a dog would have to be outstanding for me to consider a puppy from him but the bitch to a lower scoring dog would be ok

Thanks so much i will pass this on to my friend, i think ill advise she gives it a miss, especially as she wants a active border collie for agility etc.