I have read a ton of HD info in vet med and vet college sites and books.

I am amazed that this breeder appears to believe that HD can be 100% environmental. It can't, from everything I have ever read.

Environmental factors can contribute to the effect of HD on the individual; i.e., to the progression of the disease. They cannot CAUSE HD.

QUOTE: The complexity of CHD results in research findings that appear to be contradictory. However, many aspects of the disease have been repeatedly and independently documented and are generally accepted by the scientific community. Three important ones are:

* Canine hip dysplasia is caused by the presence of many genes (polygenic). While no environmental cause has been found, many environmental factors contribute to its expression in a particular dog (phenotype).
* The only current means for reducing the occurrence of CHD is by selectively breeding for normal hips.
* Radiography is the accepted means for evaluating the hip status. END

from
http://www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/medical/medical-info.02.html#HD

Hardwood floors may (I don't know) "cause a hip problem," but they cannot "cause HD."

JMO.

P.S. Maybe the breeder meant that environmental factors can trigger symptoms where there were none.

I have been told that hardwood floors are a bad idea for dogs with HD, and that environmental influences can be up to a 70% factor in HD, but never that hardwood floors cause HD. Perhaps they speed up the manifestation of symptoms in predisposed dogs, or worsen a case of developing HD, but to say that they cause it is just ridiculous. A good set of hips will allow a dog to walk or run on a slippery floor. Mine do it all the time, and when they slip, they're losing momentum, not having their hips give out on them, as is often the case w/a dysplastic dog.

In fact, my best friend's GSD had both hips replaced and is now FINE on the wood floors. Before the surgery, he used to slide all over the place because his hips were so bad. Sounds like a cop out to me, plain and simple. What kind of guarantee do you have?

Great article Connie, thank you

Jenni - I don't have any quarantee from them. I bought the pup without papers since I wasn't interested in breeding. I had contacted them after loosing my other two dogs telling them I just wanted a 'health puppy'. They told me they had this one, that had been pre-sold, but the buyer was being relocated and unable to take a puppy at this time.

Broken hearted, couldn't deal with the loss and have never been without a dog. Live & Learn

Hey, don't feel bad. Lots of people have guarantees and end up in the same boat. There are no guarantees when it comes to this stuff.

I too am curious what kind of guarantee you have on the dog. If there were no guarantees, how or why would a breeder admit fault? Is it a BYB?

Perhaps it would be better to ask *specifically* if there are or have been any dogs with mild HD in her breeding lines. ? Also, if any other pups from that specific litter are having problems.

Given her response, it is clear she is avoiding the HD genetic factor altogether. IMO, there are 3 reasons for this:

1. Environment can play a role in HD (and she's honing in on this to avoid any fault of her own)

2. She has had no dogs with HD in her breeding program (if this is the case though, she prolly would have noted that)

3. She's not wanting to admit HD in the lines.

Just my 2cents thoughts on the subject.

I was going to add too, even with a guarantee, you've already stated you still want the dog and are willing to go the "extra mile" for the dog. (which I interpreted that you aren't looking for exchange or money back anyway)

What was posted about no guarantees (even if ya got one) is so true.

But, if you're anything like me, you're just contacting the breeder for information. My breeder offered nothing when I was just making an effort to find out anything I could about his presenting health issue. I ended up dropping the issue with her, as, like you said, I'm keeping the dog anyway.

Doesn't matter if it was genetic or not, bottom line is, I got to do what I got to do for him.

That's right, not asking anything from them. Just thought I should let them know, what they chose to do with that information is up to them.

Thanks All,
Peggy

Did she say "recovery" and "healing"? Surely there is no cure for Hip Dysplasia?

My family once raised a Leader Dog puppy turned out to be dysplastic and was rejected from the program. Our home at that time had linoleum and (you guessed it) hardwood floors. At no time were we asked what kind of flooring we had, and the Leader Dog people are VERY selective about their puppy raising homes. That dog was an American GSD. Our other dog that we had at that time, a mixed breed with Lab and GSD, lived to be nearly 18 and never had a hip problem.

I currently own two large dogs (not GSDs) and my main floor is 100% hardwood except in the kitchen which is linoleum. My dogs do not have any hip problems (even when they run through the house at 100 miles an hour and scramble around). I have only a small rug in the living room.

So I DOUBT your floors could have caused hip displasia. Your breeder is full of $%!#. She just doesn't want to accept the responsibility for the GENETIC disorder your dog has. Shame on her.