noah wrote in message . ..
On Fri, 12 Sep 2003 14:54:26 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

From what I've heard from 3 Lab owners, hip problems are as common with them
as glove compartments are in cars. True?

From my experience, many of the larger breeds are prone to
hip-dysplasia, Labs and Sheps being the most notable. I'm no dog
expert, just relaying personal experience.

Then again, I have known a few labs that were healthy, and hunted,
well into their old-age. If you're interested in a dog, check out
its' lineage carefully for hip problems.

Based on AKC registrations, the Lab is the most popular dog (154,616
registered in 2002) in the US. Second place is the Golden (56,124).
These are huge numbers compared to most other breeds.

Numbers like that lead to sloppy breeding. You offer good advice
about checking lineage. For problems like hip dysplasia, you can't
really tell if a puppy has a problem, even with xrays. You need to
look the parents and grandparents. Respectable breeders will have
there breeding dogs evaluated and graded by the Orthopedic Foundation
for Animals (OFA). You're rollng the dice if you are not seeing OFA
good or excellent. You should also research the breeder's standing
with the local or national breed organizations - make sure you are not
buying from a puppy mill.