A puppy might be more prone to ear infections as their immune system develops, a 2 - year - old GSD may be more likely to show signsofhipdysplasia, and a senior German Shepherd is far more likely to develop arthritis or cancer as they age.
A pet that is x-rayed sooner may not be showing the full signsofdysplasia as the hip joints continue to develop until two years of age in large breed dogs.