Health Checks

Health Checks

All reputable breeders will carry out the following health checks as a minimum and adhere to the guidelines recommended by the GSD Breed Council Breeders Charter and Kennel Club Assured Breeders Scheme (Previously called the Kennel club Assured Breeders Scheme. See Below). Only dogs which have a satisfactory result and that are in good general health should be used for breeding.

As with any living animal, things can still occasionally go wrong despite the parents having satisfactory health checks.

Hip Scoring

Hip scoring schemes are available, whereby the hip joints and pelvis are X-rayed and evaluated for any evidence of hip dysplasia. The minimum age for having the hips X-rayed and assessed is 12 months in the UK. The hips are X-rayed by a veterinary surgeon and the plates are submitted to the British Veterinary Association (BVA) for hip-scoring. The lower the total score indicates the better hip conformation. Each hip can score from 0 (best) to a maximum of 53 (worst) and the hip score is the total of each hip added together. Therefore the best possible score is 0:0 and the worst 53:53. The average hip score for the German Shepherd is at present a total of 18. The sire and dam of the litter should have hip scores of less than the breed average.

Although hip dysplasia is considered a hereditary condition, it must be remembered that environmental factors, such as excess weight, over-exercise or even too little exercise can greatly influence the problem.

Haemophilia A

This is a sex-linked inherited condition (the same as in humans) affecting German Shepherd males, whereby the blood is unable to clot causing uncontrollable bleeding. All male Shepherds should be therefore be tested and certified clear of the condition prior to being used at stud. This condition is now extremely rare.

Elbow Scoring

Elbow dysplasia is a common condition affecting many large breeds including the German Shepherd and elbow scoring schemes exist to assess the degree of abnormality present, which enables breeders to ensure their breeding stock is free from the condition. It is similar to the hip scoring scheme, although the range of scores in the UK is 0-3, with 0 being the best (free from any dysplasia) and 3 being the most severe. It is not mandatory to have the elbows scored in the UK, but it is highly recommended. As with hip dysplasia it is not a simple inherited condition, but is influenced by several genetic factors known as a polygenic trait.

Degenerative Myelopathy 

A common condition which presents in middle to old age, resulting in paralysis of the hind legs and incontinence. It is not a painful condition but affected animals are normally euthanized in the later stages as these animals have no quality of life. A genetic test is available but is not a guarantee, so there maybe more genes involved. Tested dogs will be Clear, Carrier or Affected and at least one parent of a litter should be Clear, as the gene tested ihas a simple recessive trait.

More details of these conditions can be found in
GSD Health and Information

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Breed Council Breeder's Charter

The Breed Council in the UK has what is known as a breeders charter, which encourages good breeding and rearing practices, as well as strict guidelines for health checks, the number of puppies bred in a set period (no more than eight litters or sixty puppies in 2 years) and after sales care. The Breeders Charter is as follows:

The aim of the Breeders Charter is to encourage good practice with regard to the breeding and rearing of the G.S.D. I agree to maintain the following minimum practices:

a) To maintain the best possible standards of health, environment and quality of life for my dogs, not keeping more than I can properly care for. I will endeavour to breed only to the GSD Standard and before mating any bitch I will ensure that I have suitable conditions to whelp and raise a litter.

b) To refuse to sell to any dealers or buyers where I have reason to believe the dog will not be properly cared for.

c) To keep and to pass on to buyers of stock accurate records of health, pedigree and registration and to advise on feeding and rearing, and to suggest a Training or Breed Club.

d) If required by the purchaser to agree for the puppy to be examined by a qualified veterinary surgeon on the Breeder's premises to certify the puppy is healthy. (Buyer to meet costs).

e) To sell only puppies and adult dogs of apparently sound health and temperament. Puppies to have been wormed twice and will not be sold until at least 8 weeks.

f) To replace any puppy (or refund purchases price if no replacement is available) which develops an inherited defect before 12 months old to such a degree that on the advice of two independent qualified veterinary surgeons the puppy has to be put down. Breeder to be properly notified before any action is taken.

g) Not to mate any bitch under 20 months or before her third season or over 8 years without prior permission from the KC, my own vet's approval and certificate of health for the higher age. No bitch shall have more than one litter born in less than any 12 month period.

h) To refuse a stud service to any bitch that I know to be suffering from any defect which renders it unsuitable to breed good normal puppies. Nor do I knowingly use a stud dog which has these failings, I will only breed from scored stock within the criteria laid down for Class 1 and Class 2 in the Breed Council Survey or that which has foreign hip grades passed for breeding in its own country. Outside this range I will seek advice in writing from the breed geneticist. I will mate compensatory and will include hip scores of Sire and Dam on pedigrees.

i) To limit stud services to a maximum of 60 per year per dog and not offer dogs at Stud until tested clear for Haemophilia 'A' . I will not accept bitches for mating that have not been hip-scored.

j) To allow a repeat service when a bitch has failed to conceive, provided the stud dog is in good health and available. If this is not possible to allow the concession with another dog owned by myself whose stud fee is similar or less, providing the original KC mating form is returned.

k) To allow an appropriate selected person to visit my kennels if requested by the Breed Council, when notified in advance and a reason given.

l) To restrict breeding to not more than 8 litters or 60 puppies in any two year period. This to include any puppies from a Breeding Term Agreement.

m) To register all my puppies with the KC.

n) To endeavor to take back or assist with re-homing any unwanted GSD of my breeding.

Kennel Club Assured Breeders' Scheme

Sadly, the Kennel Club have decided to end this scheme from the end 0f 2024.

 Introduction of the Assured Breeders scheme by the Kennel Club is designed to encourage reputable breeders. Assured breeders must adhere to the KC code of ethics, identify all breeding stock by means of DNA testing, microchip or tattoo and carry out compulsory health checks, which in this the German Shepherd breed is hip scoring. Elbow scoring and eye checks are recommended but as yet are not mandatory. The scheme is not by any means foolproof and you would be advised to examine the results of any health checks, as breeders can still be 'Kennel Club Assured' even if the results are well outside the recommended guidelines stipulated by the breed council and regardless of how many litters or puppies are bred by any particular kennel. Assured Breeders are also subject to inspection by the Kennel Club and a copy of the findings at the inspection are given to the breeder.

Assured breeders must:

11. Draw up a contract of sale for each puppy and provide a copy in the puppy sales wallet. 

In addition there are a number of recommendations:

Kennel Club Assured Breeders should:

1. Make sure that whelping facilities accord with requirements for good practice.
2. Ensure that contract of sale clearly lays out to the buyer the nature and details of any guarantee given (eg. time limit) and/or any provisions for refund or return and replacement of puppy. If endorsements are being used the contract should also explain why these have been placed and under what circumstances they would be removed (if any). The contract should be signed and dated by both breeder and purchaser, showing that both have agreed to these terms.
3. Commit to help, if necessary with the re-homing of a dog, for whatever reason, throughout the dog's lifetime.
4. Follow relevant health screening recommendations.

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Concerns which are frequently expressed by pet owners

"Puppy has wobbly back legs"
Many puppies and young dogs can appear leggy, uncoordinated and loose or wobbly on their back legs and hocks and some may turn their hocks outwards when walking. This has nothing whatsoever to do with the hips and it is NOT a sign of Hip Dysplasia. It is often found in young dogs which are shapely and have a lot of hind angulation and most will firm up with age when 'they grow into their legs'. Swimming is an excellent form of exercise and can also help alleviate this looseness.

"German Shepherds go off their back legs"
A condition which is often confused with Hip Dysplasia is CDRM (Chronic Degenerative Radiculomyopathy). This occurs in some elderly Shepherds, starting with lameness and dragging of the hind limbs, eventually leading to paralysis. However, this condition has nothing to do with the hip status of the animal. It is thought to possibly be an auto-immune disease which causes degeneration within the spinal cord.

" I don't like a German Shepherd with a sloping back" or "I want a German Shepherd with a straight back"
Many potential owners also express concern about the 'sloping back' of the German Shepherd. The International Breed Standard states that the topline is slightly sloping from front to back and runs from the neck, into the wither, along the back and croup and joins the tail-set without any visible disruption in the flowing line. The GSD is posed in the show ring with one hind leg extended behind him, a position a Shepherd will adopt naturally when he spots something of interest whilst out on a walk. Some handlers over-extend the hind leg when posing the dog for the show ring, which accentuates the slope, making the back-line of the dog appear somewhat exaggerated. As soon as the dog stands square again the exaggerated sloping back disappears.
The correct German Shepherd topline does have a gentle slope from withers to croup. The breed standard defines the back as straight. This is not the same as level. The back is a relatively small part of the topline, in between the withers and the croup. They do not have a totally level topline as seen in some breeds. Some do have a more sloping topline than others, often due to a steep croup. This has no bearing on the health or the hip status of the dog.

"German Shepherds have problems with their hips"
This is generally not true. There are currently 12 other breeds with a higher average hip score than the GSD and we are on a par with the Golden Retriever in terms of average hip score. Somewhat worrying is the fact that many German Shepherds are incorrectly diagnosed with 'bad hips' by veterinary surgeons, after their owners have consulted them with concerns over normal puppy looseness and lack of co-ordination.
Puppies which exhibit 'wobbly back legs' should be exercised sensibly (swimming is an excellent example) and then X-rayed and Hip-Scored by the BVA at over 12 months of age if concerns still exist.