I want to buy a German Shepard puppy so I have started to do some homework about the bread. I have been given conflicting advice concerning hip scoring, therefore, it is with some hesitation, I ask you for some more?:-)
Some breeders/and other people, who I have contacted through the kennel club, are telling me that they don't hip score. They now consider this as a pointless and an expensive activity because current thinking now believes that this particular defect is only 25% due to hereditary factors, but 75% dependant on the young dogs nutrition and handling. These particular breeders tend to keep the puppies for a longer time passing them on to new owners at aprox 16 weeks to try and give all their puppies have good start in life.
However the kennel club and the vet that I have talked to both support hip scoring and have said it should be a deciding factor when considering where to buy my puppy.
AHHHHH! Dare I say it...Please advice... thank you very much, Lisa Chalmers.

Hi Lisa.
While it is true that a percentage of hip problems are "Inflicted" rather than inherited I don’t believe that is a good reason for not scoring. Apart from anything else it could just show the breeder where they are going wrong! An acquaintance in Labradors once told me that her scores were always higher than she would have expected. It was traced to slippery floors where she kept the puppies. By taking steps to improve the floor her hip scores improved!

If a breeder keeps a note of scores over the course of a few generations it is quite easy to see the trend. Odd ones out caused by damage stand out from the rest. To not score their breeding stock is to me very short sighted and in the long term will not do their chosen breed any favours.

Incidentally, the average score for a GSD at the moment (the score of both hips added together) is 19

Regards, John

Personally I would not buy a pup from unscored parents-even if HD is only 25% hereditary.Its 25% too high!!
You are obviously going to do your best to feed and raise your pup properly so doesn't it make sense to start with the best rather with a pup that may already be condemned to a life of pain and discomfort-I've been there and its heartbreaking!!!

I bought a GSD earlier this year- and I can honestly say make sure you go for the hip scored parents- with good scores obviously:) The Sire of my little bitch was 7:7 and the Dam was 0:2:) A friend of mine bought a Rottie from one of these dodgy types and she's now 7 month old and has HD:(

Stacey x x x

with Gsds make sure you get a pup from a very good breeder who hip scores there dogs, just one of the tests that should be carried out on potential breeding dogs to produce healthy happy puppies, my Gsd was from the metropolitan police, and his parents hip scores were 7.8 you can end up with awfull hips if this is not checked, plus once acquiring a puppy looking after those hips by not letting it jump, run to much to start off with, etc, good luck in your search for a puppy.

I am currently awaiting the results of my GSD hipscore. IMO, I think it's very important to have your dog hipscored, even more so for bitches if you intend to breed from the :)