Understanding Hip and Elbow Scoring Reports:
- beeceebordercollie
- Aug 3
- 3 min read
Hip and Elbow Reporting - What Every Puppy Buyer Should Know
When hoping to welcome a new puppy into your home, one of the most important health checks to ask your breeder for is hip and elbow scoring.
Hip and elbow scoring can be technical to understand for the puppy buyer so this blog is here to help you all gain some further understanding. Most importantly you should always ask your breeder for a copy of these reports before you buy.
What Are Hip and Elbow Scores?
Hip and elbow scoring is a health screening process used by Dogs Australia (ANKC) breeders under a scheme called CHED (Canine Hip and Elbows Dysplasia Scheme). It involves taking X-rays of the dog’s hips and elbows, which are then assessed by specialists for signs of hip or elbow dysplasia—a painful joint condition that can lead to arthritis and mobility problems.
In simple terms:
Hip scoring checks how well the ball-and-socket hip joints fit together.
Elbow grading checks for signs of abnormal development in the elbow joint.
How Are Hips Scored?
Each hip is given a score from 0 (perfect) to 53 (severely affected).
The two scores (left and right) are added together, so a dog’s total score can range from 0 to 106.
Lower scores are better—and ideally below the breed’s average or median score. At the time of writing this blog the breed average for the Border Collie was 8.23 (combined score). You can view current breed averages here https://orchid.ankc.org.au/Statistics/HipScores
How are Elbows Graded?
Each elbow is graded from 0 (normal) to 3 (severe changes).
The final grade is the highest score from either elbow. A grade of 0 is ideal and in my opinion should be the only score that dogs are bred from.
Why Should Pet Owners Care?
Hip and elbow dysplasia can affect your puppy’s quality of life. Joint problems can cause:
Chronic pain
Difficulty walking or running
Expensive vet bills for medication or surgery
Buying from a breeder who health-tests their dogs reduces these risks and helps you choose a puppy with the best chance of living a happy, active life. Its important to note that it wont guarantee your puppy wont develop these conditions (as other factors come into play such as adequate and proper nutrition, controlled play time and exercise until 14 months of age and other environmental factors) however it will greatly reduce the risk.
Why You Should Always Ask for the Reports?
A responsible breeder will happily share copies of the hip and elbow scoring certificates for the puppy’s parents. Here’s why you should always ask:
Proof of Testing – Claims like “our dogs are tested” should always be backed up with paperwork. The official report shows the actual scores.
Transparency – Ethical breeders are proud of their dogs’ results and want buyers to understand them.
Informed Decision – You can compare the scores to the breed median (average) to see if they’re within a safe range.
Peace of Mind – Knowing your puppy’s parents have sound hips and elbows gives you confidence about their future health.
How to Read the Reports
When your breeder provides the reports, check:
The individual hip scores and total – Lower numbers are better and ideally the hips should be balanced (so for example a 2:3 is considered even where a 1:9 would be less desirable).
The elbow grade – A grade of 0 is best; 1 may be acceptable in some breeds.
Date of testing – Dogs must be old enough (usually over 12 months) for accurate results.
How to Validate Reports Provided
From the 30th March 2022 all dogs issued a hip and elbow certificate will now have a QR code displayed on each certificate. This means that when you view a certificate, you can verify it by just pointing your mobile phone's camera at the form. The phone will then offer to open the link which then displays the original form.
Questions to Ask Your Breeder
Have both parents been hip and elbow scored?
What are their scores?
How do they compare to the breed average?
Can I see the official certificates?
Where to Find Reliable Information
Your breed club’s health recommendations
Advice from your vet
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