What are the best ways of ensuring that your labrador puppy gets a good hip and elbow score when they reach 12 months of age

I don't think there are any guarantees, but a really good pedigree with low hip and elbow scores, making sure the puppy doesn't grow too quickly, or put on too much weight, limited exercise, don't let them run up and down stairs, no jumping on furniture, and a really good diet all should help.

Perry you said it perfectly.
Also don't allow the dog to jump in and out of the car. Lift him out as best you can or buy a ramp.

Do you agree....Vets who take the xrays for hip and elbows should look at them before sending them off to the kennel club panel shouldnt they and know what are healthy looking enough

> Do you agree....Vets who take the xrays for hip and elbows should look at them before sending them off to the kennel club panel shouldnt they and know what are healthy looking enough

You would still want to send them off so really you are just wanting a vet capable of evaluating that the plate is good enough quality for the panel to be able to assess properly.

I think if you have them x-rayed then you should get them scored.  Why bother just x-raying them if you are not going to get them scored?  This really annoys me that people decide that they are not good enough for scoring so don't send them off so give a breed an incorrect breed mean score.

Gosh, my dogs always jump in and out of the car, some of them there's no way that I could lift them in.  My almost 5 month old is getting quite heavy now.

I know someone mentioned diet, but I can't stress enough the importance of diet, especially with a lab.  If allowed to grow too quickly this can cause problems at the elbows too (well according to my vet & the specialist in Bristol anyway).

I am incredibly anal about hips/elbows but I must admit that I've seen completely nutty pups come out with fantastic scores (more so on the hips, still learning about elbows)

Yes look at my nutty Roxy the demented spring......eh Diane and Caroline...bouncing around, jumping up to the top of the 4ft puppypen at 7 weeks and throwing herself over, jumping everywhere, on to the worktops, chest freezer,grooming table, in and out of the van and has one of the lowest hipscores in the breed......

Nutty naughty girl !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope Calida goes the same way as she's been doing exactly the same thing and driving me crazy.

Have to say Carina shocked Lynne W when she bought Brio as she had muscles on top of her muscles at 12 months of age and she was another jumper at an early age with good hipscores when done at 6 years of age!