My oldest son decided that he wanted a GSD like my male Luke. I told him that he would need to find a working litter, a good straightbacked line with stable nerves. Now it is my guess that what he ended up with is a show line male pup. So, he goes looking last year, and gets himself a sable male. I will tell you now that this pup is 7 months old, and is BEAUTIFUL, but I have some reservations as to whether or not he took my advice. He brings the pup up here from Kansas and asks me as to what exactly is "normal" because the pup is sort of shakey. I look him over and he has a little "too much" angulation in the hips, and when he is laying down his legs shake as if he has an injury. The pup plays with my male out back and he moves like his joints hurt him, he favors the left front elbow, wrist joint and I'm pretty sure the hips too. To the point that it keeps him from playing. I wondered at first if my male had been too rough with him as he is brute sometimes. Anyway, his nails look long, the feet are too spread out, and not catlike at all, so I clipped his nails nice and short to make sure that that is not what the problem is. My son went back to Kansas, leaving the pup with me for the week. I am sitting here wondering whether or not to just go have him X-rayed and bill the son, but something just doesn't look right here, the pup just does not seem to be all over the place like a 7 month old should be, he is very reserved, yet you see him want to go about but yet seems to be in pain to the point that it is stopping him.
Now he did get crate happy during housebreaking him, but he told me that the pup is out pretty much all the time now. could that have slowed the pup's physical development?
I also looked the pup over to make sure that he is not carrying too much wieght, but inside that coat you can still feel ribs slightly, so that should be ok, he is around 68 lbs. Then I asked my son if he had been jumping him up or down anything, NOPE.

IMO, the symptoms you describe (ie: dog's inhibited movement, shaking, etc) are not normal for a healthy 7 month old GSD.

Further investigation by a veterinary professional, IMHO, is required.

Have you talked with the breeder or is there a pedigree?

Well, I just got one possible reason, as it would happen the son tells the wife that the pup, quote; "jumped halfway the way down a flight of stairs". Ok, well that will require some X-rays then! He is picking it up tonight, and taking it to the vet tomorrow morning. I'm, so agrivated that I'm past talking.

It is unfortunate your son wasn't up front about this to begin with. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> Whatever.

At least progress is being made in the situation. Let us know what happens with the dog. I do hope he is ok.

You should help your son out an educate him as to the proper way to raise a pup. Also, he's your son why would you bill him?

son's dog, son's vet bill, not Dad's!

Though some of what you are seeing may be from his 'show' lines with more extreme angulation.........

You may also be merely seeing 'pano'. Not uncommon in the breed and similiar to growing pains. What is your son feeding the pup? And has the pup IN GENERAL been getting the same amount of exercise as when it's at your home.

Here's info on 'pano' (Panosteitis):

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/9911/pano.htm

http://www.vetinfo.com/dencyclopedia/depano.html

Thank you for the info on pano, I will have him look into it. that would be a relief from what I have seen, like I said the pup is gorgeous, sweet, and is really laid back considering what I am used to seeing in an 7-8 month old pup. He has his moments, but is no where near as all over the place as my male Luke was at 9 months old.

To answer the other question, I would bill him because he is an adult, it is his dog, and he didn't listen the first time when I found him a good working litter. Getting what you pay hard earned money for is a hard lesson sometimes, and driving the fact home is one of those last parental jobs. As much as I might want to alleviate some of the pain, this is his responsibility. He is a smart young man and will learn from this experience, there are no shortcuts, and very few bargains.

Kevin you are a parent after my own heart.

I never did my girls' school projects or homework for them (though I do remember some rough evenings helping to explain math).....and they have to be accountable for their own mistakes.

Guess we were all young adults once -- I never knew how smart my parents were until I had been a parent myself for awhile. ... I can see this change beginning in my oldest daughter who now has two small children - the youngest, of course, at 20 still "knows it all"

Good answer. I can certainly respect that. I guess I meant it more like, don't let the money issue get in the way of helping the dog or your son learning the right thing to do with a growing pup. My pup went through something similar for three weeks, cleared up and never returned. Knock on wood. Good luck.