All of Health Testing Complete at 15 months?!?!

[BoxerLubber]

I was at work the other day, and things were going rather slow. So I started looking at websites for boxers, and I happened to come across this ad advertising a 15month old boxer for a stud. I must admit that he was very gorgeous....but I am no one to judge that he meets the standard. I e-mailed them asking how she could be offering her male boxer as a stud when all of the proper testing can't be completed until they are atleast 2 years old. And their reply was as follows:
Tyson has all his exams heart,thyroid, and
hips(OFA). I'm just waiting for his CERF certification.

Is this possible?? If so, I guess I am just a very confused person. Thanks for any of the help I can get on learning about this.

 

[kassa]

Technically nothing keeps you from doing all the testing before 2 years of age. The question is how meaningful the echocardiogram is before the 2 year point. Hips too, probably, though hips that are good or excellent are unlikely to become dysplastic between 15 months and 2 years old.

As a bitch owner, I'd be most concerned with the fact that the dog isn't finished growing yet. If you don't know what he's going to look like when he's finished growing, why would you breed to him?

There are some big time stud dogs whose puppies look great -- but if they haven't finished their championships by the age of 15 months, they never will, because they become lumpy and thick and gross. You'll see advertisements for all the puppies finishing, but you'll never see the dogs themselves in veterans classes, because even at 6 years old they look awful.

But a lot of people see puppies finishing and think that means quality. And it might mean a quality PUPPY but that doesn't mean the finished product is going to be particularly good. And personally, I want the dog to look better from age 3-6 than it did at 15 months. I don't care how gorgeous an adolescent or baby it is if the next 9 years it doesn't look like anybody's definition of a noble animal.

 

[JulieM]

Tyson has all his exams heart,thyroid, and hips(OFA).

I agree with kassa - but - the OFA will not give 'final' clearance on hips until 24 months of age. She may have an OFA prelim, which OFA considers to be highly reliable, but it won't be "official".

 

[BoxerLubber]

That is what I meant to say, but I just didn't know how to say it. It's probably not a good thing...but I find myself not knowing how to put things into to words quite often these days.... I didn't think that you should have your dog go through all of these tests before they are 2 years old, and that is why I questioned it. It just upset me that a lot of people here wait all of the correct amount of time, and do everything the way it is supposed to be done, just to be beat by the people who want to do it the fast and technically not efficient way. Thanks for the speedy reply.

Rachel

 

[PawPrintBoxers]

Or.............the stud owner is lying. Don't believe websites and don't believe someone's word. If this stud owner claims their young dog is fully checked out, ask to see the hard copies of these results.

If she hmmmmmmms and hawwwwwwwws.........well.............you have your answer.