We at Darkstone Kennel will not knowingly breed an unhealthy dog. All of our dogs are either OFA or Pennhip certified. We will do elbows as well as hips. We believe that the hips are much more important than the elbows. Having one elbow that is "grade 1" dysplastic does not mean that a dog has heritable DJD.as many elbow injuries in large breeds are sustained as puppies from jumping off of things (i.e. decks, couches, beds, etc.), and will only show up when X-rayed. The "rating" of that X-ray typically does not differentiate between a bad elbow from an injury, and one that is the result of a heritable disease. We would rely on a knowledgeable vet to tell us if the elbow did not pass because of an injury, or some heritable condition. We also have the heart and eyes checked thoroughly. We will not knowingly pass along a serious "heritable" genetic disorder in one of our breedings.

It must be emphasized that we have made something of a study of the issue of Degenerative Joint Disease (dysplasia, etc.) and health issues. Frankly, if you do not know the statistics, please do not let any breeder tell you that breeding an OFA or Pennhip certified dog "absolutely guarantees" that the pups will be free of DJD. Statistically, there is only a 20% greater chance of a puppy being free of DJD as an adult if both parents are free of the same, than if one of the parents has been diagnosed with heritable DJD. Much to everyone's shock and surprise, many horrible cases of DJD in young dogs have resulted from the breeding of parents that are both "clear." In fact, the Pennhip people claim that there has been no statistically significant improvement in overall heritable DJD over the past 10-20 years as a result of the OFA testing registry.

Moreover, with the Cane Corso breed, a large percentage of the "OFA excellent" dogs have come from a breeding where one of the parents has been diagnosed with DJD. It is no different than humans. Just because one of your parents suffers from arthritis does not mean that any or all of their children will ever suffer from the same. While it is somewhat of a genetic "crap shoot," we at Darkstone Kennel will do our best to better the odds by only breeding dogs that have been certified clear of DJD.

It should be noted, for those interested in a Cane Corso, that the hip structure is very different than that from other working breeds. There is a greater natural degree of "joint laxity" or looseness than in other breeds. This seems to help the Cane Corso to develop a greater range of flexibility and power in their rear movement than in other breeds, and does NOT mean that the dog will develop DJD. If you have your Cane Corso X-rayed by a vet who is not familiar with the breed.they are very likely to look at the X-ray and tell you your dog is dysplastic and should be spayed or neutered immediately. Do not panic.just send in the X-rays to the authorities and let them render their opinion.as they are more knowledgeable about the breed's genetic structure.

A degree of joint laxity/looseness that would be deemed to be DJD in another working breed is appropriate for the Cane Corso. Moreover, a Cane Corso will tend to look good in the standard OFA position, and will look terrible to the inexperienced vet in the other two Pennhip positions. However, the people at Pennhip are trained to know the difference. Lastly, do not have your Pennhip done while the dog is still a "puppy," despite the fact that Pennhip claims that any breed's results will be valid after 4 months of age (unlike OFA, which will not clear a dog until a minimum 2 years of age). Wait until at least 18-24 months. Cane Corso puppies have notoriously loose hips when young, and the joint laxity/looseness tends to improve significantly as the dog's tendons, ligaments, and muscles around the joint develop, thereby tightening the joint as they age. This is particularly true of young males experiencing huge growth rates in their early months.

Lastly, various schools of thought exist in relation to DJD. Some, like the OFA and Pennhip foundations claim that DJD is a heritable condition, and that by not breeding animals which do not pass their certification, instances of the DJD condition will be significantly reduced over time. Others claim that there is no statistical evidence to support the "heritable" DJD theory, and point out that given this lack of evidence, DJD must either be related to lifestyle/external conditions, or dietary factors. We suggest that you do your own research on the issue, and keep an open mind. The internet is a great place to start.

Frankly, we here at Darkstone Kennel try to cover all the bases. Not only will we not breed dogs who are not certified to our satisfaction for health, we attempt to control the environmental and dietary factors. One should never let a large, working breed puppy place undue stress on their joints until they are at least 18-24 months old. This includes jumping off of high places (decks, beds, furniture) which results in huge numbers of injuries to the shoulder and elbow joints, as well as stair climbing, constant run/play on slippery surfaces (hardwood, linoleum, etc.), etc.

We are also believers that diet plays a huge role in the development of joint problems and illness in all breeds of dogs. It certainly does in humans.so why would a dog be any different? The bottom line was that many of today's DJD issues, as well as many other health issues, were not prevalent in working dogs prior to commercial dog food becoming the standard diet. Nor were the high incidences of cancer and other serious illnesses.

We do not promote any one brand of dog food, or the raw/BARF diet. However, we ensure that we feed our dogs only those ultra-premium dog foods that are absolutely "free of preservatives." As with humans, modern science is very rapidly coming to the conclusion that many health issues in dogs are directly related to the types of preservatives used in the preparation of foods, as well as some of the actual food preparation methodologies. No dog, particularly a large, working dog breed, is genetically programmed to be able properly digest corn, soybeans, white flour/wheat, etc. They are CARNIVORES.their bodies are designed to digest high quality protein. Cattle are herbivores, and genetically set up to digest corn, grain, soybeans, etc. Dogs are not. So DO NOT feed them foods that have within their top 10-15 ingredient list: corn, wheat/wheat flour, soybeans, white rice, and other highly indigestible items. The simplest way to think of it is this: Dogs are genetically designed, as are some people, to excel on the "Atkins Diet." That means lots of proteins, moderate fats, and low glycemic index carbohydrates (ie. Vegetables).
Bottom line: off the shelf dog foods which are prepared with low-quality, low-digestibility ingredients, and heavily loaded with preservatives to extend shelf life are the "doggie equivalent" to eating fast/junk food at every meal. At some point, the body has to break down, including the joints.

There are many great articles that have been published citing recent research into dog diets, particularly in relation to the types and amounts of preservatives used. Do your own research.and take the responsibility for your dog's health. Your dog is not browsing the shelves deciding what food they will get to eat.you are. There are several brands of ultra-premium dog food that are considered to be amongst the leaders in "no-preservative, high-digestibility" dog foods: Solid Gold, Wellness, Innova, Natural Balance, Eagle Brand, and others. Do your research, and scrupulously check the ingredients on the bags. They are listed in descending order of ingredients..ie. the "first ingredient" is the largest ingredient in the food in terms of composition, the "second ingredient" is the second largest ingredient, etc. Lastly, dogs, like humans, are all individuals. What one dog excels on can be another dog's downfall.even if they are both eating the same super premium, all natural food. So, try the best brands until you find one that your dog excels on.

We believe strongly in supplementation. We use a supplement called Level 5000 on our dog's food twice a day. It contains very large doses of glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, and Ester-C, as well as a number of other vitamins and minerals. It comes in a liquid, and just pours on their food. We also add Nupro or some other product that adds essential omega oils to their diets. The difference in their coats and joints from these supplements are fantastic.but please be clear, we only use these supplements because they work, not because we are promoting their manufacturers. We do not sell any dog food or supplements.we just do a lot of research, talk to a lot of breeders, and try to find the very best products for our dogs.

Ester-C is possibly the most overlooked supplement when it comes to joint health in large breed dogs. It is a highly digestible form of vitamin C. It is critically important in the development of ligament and joint tissue, as well as the production of synovial fluid, which lubricates the joints.

If you search the web under the headings of Ester-C and joint research, you will eventually come across a major study done several years ago in relation to Ester-C and joint health in dogs. A large group of severely dysplastic dogs, as determined across a number of X-ray, joint mobility, and agility tests, were put into a double blind study to test the effectiveness of Ester-C, as compared with regular vitamin C, or receiving a placebo. The results were almost startling. The group of dogs on the high dose of Ester-C (2000 mg per day minimum) showed dramatic improvement in scores of joint mobility/pain reduction and agility tests within weeks. The group of dogs being fed smaller doses of Ester-C showed significant improvement, but not to the same degree as the group of dogs on the higher doses. Those dogs on smaller doses of Ester C showed results that were somewhat consistent with the dogs in the control group that received large doses of regular vitamin C. Dogs on the placebo showed no improvement. Bottom line: Ester-C is a powerful, naturally occurring substance that has been demonstrated to effectively alleviate (but not cure) the symptoms of heritable DJD. I have not seen any direct studies in terms of Ester-C's ability to prevent DJD in growing dogs, but logically, it must have the same powerful effect. It is also very important to feed one's puppies Ester-C in order to ensure that their feet tighten properly and are not splayed, as well as ensuring strong pasterns. Ester-C works on these body parts simply because it is a critical ingredient in strengthening connective and joint tissue.