# OFA vs NO OFA



## Anita11811 (May 10, 2011)

I dont know which section to post this in. Well Before i start I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL BREEDER if i breed my dog this will be my first breeding i would have ever done.If i do breed i would get PROFESSIONAL help. so please dont be mean.! BTW (i own a male). So before i got my dog i was E-mailing his breeder and in between our convo i asked if his parents were OFA'd and she said yes male was Fair or good ( i forget) and Female was Exc. So when we went to pick up my dog i asked her again and she responed with the same answer which sounded pretty legit. now my dog is 11 months old and is in schutzhund and his trainer did some pedigree research and found out that there was no evidence that either mother nor father were OFA'd. What do i do? I have ALWAYS wanted to breed my GSD but now i hear that i cant. If he gets titles in Sch will that help? If he gets OFA cleared, would that help? Can i breed him? Please let me know what you think about this.


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

Get him titled, get him certified, and see if female owners come calling. But female owners up to the standards of your dog, not some guy off the street. Most breeders with amazing females probably won't call because you don't have a history of OFA, but some might over look that if your dog is OFA excellent.

I guess my only question is, do you have a registered pedigree of your dog? AKC pedigrees say OFA___ right after all dogs names that have had it done. So I'm just wondering how you were "duped" into thinking they were OFA'd and they weren't.


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## Anita11811 (May 10, 2011)

martemchik said:


> Get him titled, get him certified, and see if female owners come calling. But female owners up to the standards of your dog, not some guy off the street. Most breeders with amazing females probably won't call because you don't have a history of OFA, but some might over look that if your dog is OFA excellent.
> 
> I guess my only question is, do you have a registered pedigree of your dog? AKC pedigrees say OFA___ right after all dogs names that have had it done. So I'm just wondering how you were "duped" into thinking they were OFA'd and they weren't.


 



Well Yes he does have a AKC pedigree but even his generations dont say OFA next to the name on the ped. But only mother and father arent OFA'd Grandparents anf all the way back Are! and this was my first purchase of a GSD from a breeder my others were rescues so i didnt have any pedigree. so i was unaware of the OFA next to the name


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

If its not there it means the parents weren't OFA'd. You can try to get an updated pedigree or call AKC and find out if the parents were OFA'd after your pup was born. But as of the date that you registered your dog, they weren't.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Here's a good chart to follow whether to breed or not.










If you want to check OFA records and have a pedigree, go here: http://www.offa.org/search.html

And out of curiosity, why are you so determined to breed this dog? Any specific reason?


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## Anita11811 (May 10, 2011)

martemchik said:


> If its not there it means the parents weren't OFA'd. You can try to get an updated pedigree or call AKC and find out if the parents were OFA'd after your pup was born. But as of the date that you registered your dog, they weren't.


 



See thats where im confused because the trainer said only parents werent OFA'd but grandparents and great grndparents and so forth WERE .. . but no names on AKC have OFA next to their name


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

Go to the OFA website. You can put in the sires name or AKC number and it will show if it was done. Same as dam of your dog. If the breeder did OFA on the parents it will show up on the site if she didn't it will say No records found.


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## Anita11811 (May 10, 2011)

Lucy Dog said:


> Here's a good chart to follow whether to breed or not.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


Thanks . um the reason i want to breed my dog is because my dogs temperment is great and so is his Schutzhund abilities for a American Line. And i would love to have one of his puppies and not spend another 800-1500$$ on a new dog.


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

Ok, I read that wrong then. I don't know why they wouldn't have that next to them if they were OFA'd. If you OFA you send it in to the AKC so they update. Its like getting a title and then deciding not to put it on the dog's pedigree. If you're a breeder its how you charge more for your pups (in theory) so why its not on there if it was done I can't tell you. Something seems odd about this whole thing. Just do what the others have told you, those databases should have the information. If the OFA website doesn't, then none of the generations had it done.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Anita11811 said:


> Thanks . um the reason i want to breed my dog is because my dogs temperment is great and so is his Schutzhund abilities for a American Line. And i would love to have one of his puppies and not spend another 800-1500$$ on a new dog.


Well, follow the chart and if he passes all the way through it, maybe think about breeding him then. 

Plus it's probably going to cost you more than $800+ to get through that chart after all the titling and health checks though, so it might be cheaper to just get another puppy with similar lines in the end. Just something to consider before actually going through with it.


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

I'm not going to judge your dog's breeding worthiness since I don't know him, but you have an extremely oversized GSD that many reputable breeders wouldn't want in their lines. At those sizes, I don't think the chances are high that the parents/grandparents were OFA'd. You're talking about doing Schutzhund but many American line breeders don't care about the working ability of their dogs, they generally breed companion dogs. And if it is from American lines, many working line/German line breeders also won't breed to your dog.

In the long run, its going to cost you a lot more than $1500 to get your dog to a level that a good breeder would accept him as a stud. Your dog is 11 months old, his temperment will still change, mine changed dramatically over the past 6 months. And remember, the pup won't be like your dog. He has a 50% chance of being like the dam, and an even greater chance of just being a mix of the two personalities.


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## Anita11811 (May 10, 2011)

martemchik said:


> Ok, I read that wrong then. I don't know why they wouldn't have that next to them if they were OFA'd. If you OFA you send it in to the AKC so they update. Its like getting a title and then deciding not to put it on the dog's pedigree. If you're a breeder its how you charge more for your pups (in theory) so why its not on there if it was done I can't tell you. Something seems odd about this whole thing. Just do what the others have told you, those databases should have the information. If the OFA website doesn't, then none of the generations had it done.


 


Thanks. I dont think i will breed him though because the only ones who acomplished something in his gen. is like 3 back (wow) so idk anymore


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Anita11811 said:


> Thanks. I dont think i will breed him though because the only ones who acomplished something in his gen. is like 3 back (wow) so idk anymore


This is the same thing I'd say about my own dog... enjoy him as the great pet he probably is. Keep doing schutzhund and whatever else you're doing with him and leave it at that. Leave the breeding to the ones who know what they're doing. If you really want another just like him one day, find a breeder that breeds similar lines and save up money for that puppy. There will never be a shortage of good GSD pups in the world.


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## Anita11811 (May 10, 2011)

Lucy Dog said:


> This is the same thing I'd say about my own dog... enjoy him as the great pet he probably is. Keep doing schutzhund and whatever else you're doing with him and leave it at that. Leave the breeding to the ones who know what they're doing. If you really want another just like him one day, find a breeder that breeds similar lines and save up money for that puppy. There will never be a shortage of good GSD pups in the world.


 


You got all that right!


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## Anita11811 (May 10, 2011)

So Mothers side has all OFA except her and Father Has like one here and there But he isnt OFA'd either. So Basically im not even going to try with this. . But now... Do i NEED to get him OFA's if he isnt going to breed?


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Anita11811 said:


> Do i NEED to get him OFA's if he isnt going to breed?


Nope. It's really only for breeding and/or peace of mind unless there's something specific about getting OFA's done in the contract you signed with your breeder.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Anita11811 said:


> So Mothers side has all OFA except her and Father Has like one here and there But he isnt OFA'd either. So Basically im not even going to try with this. . But now... Do i NEED to get him OFA's if he isnt going to breed?


Good on you for choosing not to breed your dog.

No, you don't need to OFA if you're not going to breed, but if you're doing sports like agility and Schutzhund with much running, jumping, or impact you might want to get his hips and elbows x-rayed for your own piece of mind, so you know you're not putting a lot of pressure on a dog with bad joints.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I agree, and most good breeders would like to see what they are producing, so if you do have your dog OFA'd, let the breeder know the results either way. Some breeders even have it in contract to have them done(though many puppy owners don't follow thru)


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## Anita11811 (May 10, 2011)

martemchik said:


> I'm not going to judge your dog's breeding worthiness since I don't know him, but you have an extremely oversized GSD that many reputable breeders wouldn't want in their lines. At those sizes, I don't think the chances are high that the parents/grandparents were OFA'd. You're talking about doing Schutzhund but many American line breeders don't care about the working ability of their dogs, they generally breed companion dogs. And if it is from American lines, many working line/German line breeders also won't breed to your dog.
> 
> In the long run, its going to cost you a lot more than $1500 to get your dog to a level that a good breeder would accept him as a stud. Your dog is 11 months old, his temperment will still change, mine changed dramatically over the past 6 months. And remember, the pup won't be like your dog. He has a 50% chance of being like the dam, and an even greater chance of just being a mix of the two personalities.


 



Please explain how he is oversized? He is about to be 1 on the 18th of this month. and he weight 92 lbs. . . ? he is about 32in in height. . Most GSD's dont go by standards and his father is full american Mother Is Czech /German. . . But i just said i wont breed him . . . . . .


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Anita11811 said:


> Please explain how he is oversized? He is about to be 1 on the 18th of this month. and he weight 92 lbs. . . ? he is about 32in in height. . Most GSD's dont go by standards and his father is full american Mother Is Czech /German. . . But i just said i wont breed him . . . . . .


The standard calls for males to be anywhere from 24 to 26 inches tall, so he would be considered oversized at 32 inches.

German Shepherd Dog | American Kennel Club

Regardless, you said you won't breed, so that means absolutely nothing as long as he's healthy and happy.


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## Anita11811 (May 10, 2011)

Emoore said:


> Good on you for choosing not to breed your dog.
> 
> No, you don't need to OFA if you're not going to breed, but if you're doing sports like agility and Schutzhund with much running, jumping, or impact you might want to get his hips and elbows x-rayed for your own piece of mind, so you know you're not putting a lot of pressure on a dog with bad joints.




Oh absolutley.. he is actually sched. for a appointment for next week for hips because the trainer wants the records. so i will deff. have him x-rayed so i know if hes good.


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

Yeah I don't know where you got the idea that shepherds don't go by the standard anymore. Most reputable breeders will not go outside the standards by more than 1 or 2 inches. As long as the dog has correct structure they could breed it, but its really the show lines that have become larger. I read some of your previous posts and the mother didn't sound like she was German lines. At 110 lbs, that is not very German. Your boy is 6 inches taller, and about 15 pounds heavier than my dog who is 18 months old.

Good for you on deciding to not try to stud him, just enjoy him. The best part about a new puppy is that you will never compare him to his father. If you would have a pup from your dog you would probably constantly compare him to the one you knew and that's never fun because your new dog is a completely new dog, its not possible to get a clone of the one you had.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

I just bred a litter of Shelties for the first time. By the time I purchased what I needed and got appropriate testing and vet care, it definitely would have been cheaper to purchase a new dog!


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## GSD Fan (Sep 20, 2010)

I agree with just buying a pup from similar lines or even from the same breeder.

If you are really interested in breeding, other than to get another dog like your current one, you should talk to a breeder in your area about obtaining a breed worthy pup.


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## MountainGSDs (Jul 25, 2011)

Anita11811 said:


> Please explain how he is oversized? He is about to be 1 on the 18th of this month. and he weight 92 lbs. . . ? he is about 32in in height. . Most GSD's dont go by standards and his father is full american Mother Is Czech /German. . . But i just said i wont breed him . . . . . .


32 inches to the top of the whithers? Are you sure you measured that right?


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

actually I 'had" a 32" at the shoulders "mutant" he was rather a "surprise" to the breeder..

ANYHOO,,Since the OP is doing sports activities with the dog, Yes I would have him xrayed for a couple of reasons 1. peace of mind 2. for future reference in case anything crops up you can refer back to those xrays 

If your in contact with the breeder, well I'd say,,"gee can I have a copy of the parent's ofa reports just for my records?" see if they produce them


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## Andaka (Jun 29, 2003)

What is his pedigree? I am always looking out for american lines with good working abilities.


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