Breeding OFA fair dogs

[eddie1976E]

is it appropriate/acceptable for a breeder to breed OFA fair hip dogs? Is it a risky proposition?

[Betty]

Fair is passing.

[eddie1976E]

I recognize its passing, so is getting a "D" in school. Doesn't mean you should be happy with it.

[GSDElsa]

Why wouldn't it be? It's passing. However, hip scores are very complicated and the entire pedigree should be taken into advantage. I would be very leery about getting a dog from OFA fair parents that had dogs in the pedigree dominated by bad scores and bad hip producers simple because even an "excellent" score with a plethora of horrible hips in every relative is playing with fire. But certainly a fair rating with strong hips in the pedigree is nothing to be concerned with.

[GSDElsa]

D wasn't passing in MY school. And it's a bad analogy either way. You're talking genetics versus how well you study. Not even comparable.

[wolfstraum]

The differences between Excellent and Good are negligable...the differences between Good and Fair are often negligable... Fair can be a slight flat spot on a tight femoral head...Good can be a micromillimeter short in the neck of teh head....

Nothing wrong with FAIR!!! Again, look at the whole pedigree...but I have used a FN/Fair dog and got several OFA Goods and eyeballed "nothing wrongs".....and that OFA Fair produced far more OFA Goods than Fairs or Fails.....Csabre, OFA Good from that Fair, produced OFA Good (both prelim and at 2 so far). Other progeny of the Fair (Xito) have produced many OFA Goods....

I also used an FCI "B" which most people equate to FN/Fair - but without OFAs hard to say if she would be a Good or a Fair....got a ton of OFA Goods, 2 OFA Excellents and one mild....also a couple of 'a' normals...and Alice, FN produced OFA Excellent, who has produced a few OFA Goods....

Fair is NOT DYSPLASTIC!!! It is fine for breeding as long as the pedigree is overall solid!

Lee

[onyx'girl]

I wonder if an OFA fair dog was submitted again, would outcome be the same, depending on who is doing the grading?
I've heard of two recently that came back as excellent...supposedly only 4% of GSD's go excellent.

[eddie1976E]

Fair rating is borderline, being borderline is risky. Not sure how OFA ratings are determined, but if it is subjective (looking at x-rays and assigning a rating), then borderline ratings could be pass or fail depending on who is looking at them. If that is the case, and not being a gambling man, wanting to stack the odds in the favor of not have HD problems with my litters, I would breed "good" or better ratings. I realize you have to look at the history of litters and what not, and also that a breeding consisting of excellent parents could throw pups that are HD positive....the reverse is true too. If you bred dogs with failing ratings, you could end up with a puppy that has decent hips. But, given all the risk, I say you stack the odds in your favor. Of course, I'm not a breeder nor am I trying to point fingers on any breeder....just some thoughts on the subject and hoping to hear some divers opinions.

I guess if the OFA fair dog brings something to the breeding that is so rare and you can't find some other dog with better hips that has that quality you are looking for, then I suppose its ok to breed it. But given the huge numbers of quality dogs out there, how often is it that you can't find a dog that has the quality you want and has better hips?

Again, just a few questions....not directed at anyone in particular.

[Barb E]

Dante is excellent out of two fair dogs - litter mate is moderate (and the really sad thing has actually been bred, not sure if on purpose or accidental) and a half sibling that is moderate. Of course since so few of the dogs are listed on OFA....
Orthopedic Foundation for Animals

Off course if I knew then what I know now I wouldn't have Dante

[Andaka]

Fair isn't borderline -- it is passing. There is a "borderline" rating as well. You are better off with the Fair from a good background than an Excellent from a poor or unknown background.