10/10/2026
Hip Dysplasia: Nature & Nurture
Hip dysplasia is something responsible breeders take seriously. Genetics matter, but they aren't the whole story. Even puppies from parents with excellent hip evaluations can develop hip problems, which tells us that growth, nutrition, body condition, and environment also play important roles.
Large-breed puppies are especially vulnerable because they grow rapidly while their bones and joints are still developing. Fortunately, there are several things owners can control:
• Choose health-tested parents. We can't change the genes a puppy inherits, but responsible breeding can help reduce risk.
• Keep puppies lean. A chubby puppy may be cute, but excess weight puts additional stress on developing joints.
• Avoid overfeeding. Free-choice feeding can encourage rapid growth and excessive weight gain.
• Feed an appropriate large-breed puppy diet. Too much—or too little—of certain nutrients, particularly calcium, can interfere with healthy skeletal development.
• Provide sensible exercise. Puppies need plenty of play and movement, but repetitive, high-impact exercise isn't appropriate for growing joints.
• Allow them to grow at their own pace. Bigger isn't better when it comes to growing puppies.
We can't guarantee that a puppy will never develop hip dysplasia. What we can do is stack the odds in their favor by starting with health-tested parents and giving puppies the nutrition, exercise, and care they need to develop properly.
Healthy hips are a team effort between genetics and good puppy care.