Understanding OFA Hip Ratings

Hip dysplasia is the most common serious hereditary problem in Labradors. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is the registry that has been evaluating hips since 1966, and an OFA hip rating is the single best signal a buyer has about whether a breeder is doing the work. Here's what those ratings mean — and what to look for when you're shopping.

What OFA does

OFA evaluates radiographs (X-rays) of breeding-aged dogs to assess the conformation of the hip joint. Three board-certified veterinary radiologists each grade the same X-ray independently. Their consensus determines the published rating. The dog must be at least 24 months old at the time of the X-ray for the rating to be considered final.

OFA also publishes every rating in a public database at ofa.org. If a breeder claims an OFA rating, you should be able to look it up. If you can't, ask them why.

The seven OFA hip ratings

Normal range (the breeding-quality ratings)

These three ratings are considered acceptable for breeding under the OFA system. From best to worst within the normal range:

• Excellent — Superior conformation. The ball fits deeply into a well-formed socket with very little space. Roughly 3–5% of Labradors evaluated achieve this rating.
• Good — Slightly less than perfect conformation, but well within normal limits. This is the most common normal rating. Around 60% of evaluated Labs receive Good.
• Fair — Minor imperfections in joint conformation. Still considered acceptable for breeding under OFA standards, but a more borderline call. Around 15% of evaluated Labs.

Borderline

The hip evaluation is inconclusive — there are some marginal signs that may or may not develop into dysplasia. OFA recommends re-radiography in 6–12 months. A Borderline rating alone is usually not sufficient for responsible breeding without follow-up.

Dysplastic range (do not breed)

• Mild dysplasia — Minor evidence of dysplasia. Dog may not show clinical signs, but should not be bred.
• Moderate dysplasia — Clear evidence of dysplasia. Dog will likely develop arthritis; should not be bred.
• Severe dysplasia — Significant joint deformation. Dog will require management throughout its life; should not be bred under any circumstances.

How to actually read an OFA certificate

OFA certificates look intimidating but they encode useful information. Here's how to read one. Take Lisa Marie's: LR-265206E24F-C-VPI

• LR — Labrador Retriever (breed code)
• 265206 — The unique OFA registration number for this evaluation
• E — The rating itself: Excellent. (G = Good, F = Fair, etc.)
• 24 — Age in months at the time of evaluation (here, 24 months — the minimum allowed)
• F — Female (M = Male)
• C — DNA-confirmed parentage on file
• VPI — Vet's identifier code

You can look up any OFA-evaluated dog by entering its number or name at ofa.org/advanced-search. Reputable breeders link directly to their dogs' OFA records on their websites — like the ones on our Our Dogs page.

What about elbows?

OFA also evaluates elbows. Elbow ratings are simpler — they're either Normal or Dysplastic, and within dysplastic there are three grades. Elbow dysplasia is less common than hip dysplasia in Labs but still important. Any breeder who's testing hips should also be testing elbows.

What about CHIC?

CHIC (Canine Health Information Center) is a certification that requires a dog to have all the breed-recommended health clearances on file with OFA — for Labs that's hips, elbows, eyes, and EIC (Exercise-Induced Collapse). A CHIC number is a strong signal but it's also not common in working-line programs that haven't pursued every clearance to OFA standards. Many ethical breeders have hips and elbows on file but haven't pursued CHIC certification because of cost or paperwork — which doesn't mean the dogs aren't tested.

Ask. A breeder with hip and elbow clearances who has done eyes and DNA testing but hasn't pursued formal CHIC status is still doing far more than the average. A breeder who claims CHIC but can't show you the records is something else.

Bringing it back to this program

Our breeding program runs on OFA-tested dogs. The current dam, Lisa Marie, is OFA Excellent for hips and Normal for elbows. Our junior dam Willow is also OFA Excellent for hips and Normal for elbows. Our foundation dam Shadow was OFA Good. The current sire, Noble, is OFA Good for hips and Normal for elbows, with a pedigree containing four CHIC-certified grandparents.

The lineage shows a clear pattern: Shadow (Good) → Lisa (Excellent) → Willow (Excellent). That's intentional. That's what fifteen years of selecting for better hips looks like.

You can see all the OFA records, including direct links to ofa.org, on our Our Dogs page.

The bottom line

If you're shopping for a Labrador puppy and you take only one lesson from this page, make it this: both parents of your future puppy should have OFA hip evaluations on file, and you should verify them yourself at ofa.org before you put down a deposit.

It's the cheapest, most powerful filter you have. Most of the dogs that end up at the vet for $5,000 hip surgeries came from parents who were never tested. Don't skip the step.