Companion Animal Welfare

Dog Hip Dysplasia Breeding Reform

Hip dysplasia causes chronic pain and disability in predisposed breeds, with breeding screening programmes offering significant welfare improvement through informed selection.

Key Facts

Hip dysplasia affects over 70% of some breeds including German shepherds and retrievers in severe form
The BVA/KC Hip Dysplasia Scheme scores dogs from 0-106 with lower scores indicating better conformation
Breeding from lower-scored parents significantly reduces offspring dysplasia risk over generations
Environmental factors including excessive exercise in puppyhood contribute to dysplasia severity
Gene tests for some associated variants complement phenotypic hip scoring

Welfare Considerations

Hip dysplasia causes lifelong pain and progressive disability in affected dogs. Breeding health schemes that require hip scoring before breeding can dramatically reduce incidence over generations, making participation in such schemes a welfare responsibility for breeders of predisposed breeds.

What You Can Do

Only purchase puppies from breeders who provide current health screening results for both parents
Advocate for compulsory health testing before registration of puppies in high-risk breeds
Support breed clubs that have adopted and enforced stringent hip dysplasia breeding criteria