# Cow Hocked Feet in the GSD



## GSDOwner2008 (Jan 19, 2008)

So, after researching and examinations, I have concluded that Apollo is cow hocked. Anyone else have a dog that is cow hocked? If so, are you experiencing hip problems with your dog? I have read that hip problems can occur in dogs who are cow hocked. I was just wondering about this, and about how common it is and if any problems could stem from this. Thanks in advance for the help.


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## CindyM (Mar 20, 2007)

Yes, pepsi is cow hocked. The vet really didn't seem to have any problem with it, and at this time she has no hip problems (4 years old)


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## Eve-Lynn (Apr 28, 2008)

Sorry but what is "cow hocked".


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## DarkEquine (May 8, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: Link's MomSorry but what is "cow hocked".


Have you seen a cows hind legs from behind? They kind of look like this )( (The knees bend inward instead of relatively straight - the opposite of bow-legged) It can be a serious fault. Happens a lot in horses.


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

Tilden is.

I never knew there was a term for it (I just call him "slew foot"). I'm sure there are variations in severity, but I have not experienced any (hip) problems because of it aside from "clumbsiness" when he runs. He's a year and a half.

A friend of mine also has a 4yo WGSD, and as far as I know, they havent experienced any problems with her either.


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/bulletins_read/128972.html


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

STANCES IN DOGS - REAR VIEW
1 - Normal Stance
2 - Base Narrow
3 - Base Wide
4 - Turned-out Feet
5 - Pigeon-toed
6 - Cow-hocked
7 - Barrel-hocked, Spread Hocks










Hindquarters standing:
Left - Correct;
Center - cow-hocked;
Right - open-hocked.


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## GSD07 (Feb 23, 2007)

Yana is cow hocked and her OFA prelims came back as Good hips.


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## GSDOwner2008 (Jan 19, 2008)

The first chart is the same chart I looked at for Apollo. He is definately number six. He runs and jogs pretty straight, but when he walks he sorta turns the backs of his feet (heels?) in.


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## CindyM (Mar 20, 2007)

Pepsi is a #5 - The vet did call it cow hocked. I will have to ask our current vet.


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## Spitfire22 (Jun 9, 2005)

Tidus is cow hocked too, hips came back OFA good.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

Cow-hocks have no bearing on hip joint conformation. A dog either has HD or doesn't.. it's not related to being cow-hocked. I've had one dog who was cow-hocked, she was also hips OFA Good. 

Seeing as he's only 5 months old, it may just be part of the gangly growing stage and will even out with time. Pups of this age are very difficult to assess from a structural standpoint since everything is growing at different rates and often doesn't seem to fit together properly. So being cow-hocked now doesn't necessarily mean he will stay that way when he mature. He might, he might not, or he might still be a bit cow-hocked as an adult but not as severely as now. Have to wait and see.


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## GSDOwner2008 (Jan 19, 2008)

Thanks, I wasn't sure if that had been true or not about the HD along with being Cow Hocked. My Dad had read it somewhere, and I was hoping that this could just be a puppy thing. Hopefully he'll grow out of it, but if he doesn't, oh well.


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## Rügen (Mar 19, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: Chris Wildit may just be part of the gangly growing stage and will even out with time. Pups of this age are very difficult to assess from a structural standpoint since everything is growing at different rates and often doesn't seem to fit together properly. So being cow-hocked now doesn't necessarily mean he will stay that way when he mature.


Thanks Chris~ I was concerned about this same thing. I wonder how many German snowlines go through this stage because of their angulation…


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## GSDOwner2008 (Jan 19, 2008)

You know, I never thought that it could stem from their angulation, is this possible you think? I haven't read up on this, and I guess I should, but I only started thinking about this since it was brought to my attention.


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

^ just for the statistics of the thread, my boy is under-angulated & cow hocked


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## ardavis324 (Jan 14, 2008)

Rajko is kind of cow-hocked, which appears to be a result of his puppy gangliness. I can see how it is a result of angulation right now, but I think he'll grow out of it, based on the structure of his sire/dam.


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