Hip Dysplasia in German Shepherds:

Hip dysplasia, which is the deformation of the hip joint, is very common in German Shepherds. A study was done to examine the progress of improving hip quality of dogs maintained in a closed breeding colony.  Three full generations of dogs were examined from 1980-1996, and each dog was given a perspective hip score and those with good hips were selected to become the parents of the next generation. After the study was completed, it was determined that in less than 5 generations of selection, the percentage of German Shepherds with hip dysplasia at 12 to 16 months of age decreased from 55 to 24%.