Question 1

Can you help me understand health testing for breeding?

Accepted Answer

OFA is the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals.  They also used the acronym CHIC or Canine Health Information Center.  They record health clearances for dogs and require the owner submit proof of test results prior to publishing.  You can have all your dog's health clearances that they should have before being bred listed here so buyers can easily view them and know they can be trusted.  Acronyms for tests that PWDs (or at least one of a breeding pair) should have prior to being bred include:

prcd-PRA - Progressive rod-cone degeneration (PRCD), an inherited form of late-onset progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) [one parent should be tested]
EOPRA - Early onset Progressive Retinal Atrophy [one parent should be tested]
MO - Micropthalmia Syndrome [one parent should be tested]
CAER - Canine Eye Certification Registry (needs updated yearly) [both parents should be tested]
GM-1 - Storage Disease - Gangliosidosis [one parent should be tested]
JDCM - Juvenile Dilated Cardiomyopathy. [one parent should be tested]

Orthopedic Xrays:
CHD - canine hip dysplasia - no genetic test is available but breeding dogs should be rated as fair, good or excellent by OFA based on x-rays in order to be included in a breeding program.  Dogs must be 2 years of age or older to recieve an OFA rating.  An alternative to OFA ratings for hip dysplasia is the PennHip rating, which can be done at a much younger age. [both parents should be tested]
Elbow dysplasia - this is a pass/fail clearance also based on x-rays.   This is not required, but we test our dogs and believe it is wise to screen for.

For health issues that are inherited with a simple recessive mode of inheritance, it is acceptable for either animal in a breeding pair to be cleared.

Optional tests are:
IC - Improper Coat 
CDDY/CPDA - Chondrodystrophy and Chondrodysplasia (https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/cddy-cdpa)

Question 2

How come I can't order my puppy from your website?

Accepted Answer

We require an application and interview in order to get a puppy from us.

While you might be drawn to a certain look in a puppy, the more important things that will allow you to enjoy your pup are that he or she have a temperament that will fit in well with your lifestyle and the structure to enjoy the activities you want to do with him or her.

A breeder that spends time with their litters, provides environmental enrichment and evaluates their pups using temperament tests and structural evaluations will have an excellent understanding of the pups attributes.  A responsible breeder will interview you extensively to get a sense of what you are looking for in a pup and will do their best to match the pup that will be the best fit for you.  The earliest most breeders are likely to determine which pup will be a good fit for you is when they are 8 weeks of age.

Question 3

Are there health issues in PWDs that I should be aware of that there are not genetic tests for?

Accepted Answer

There are.

PWDs can be prone to issues such as Addisons Disease, Epilepsy, Allergies and Cancer for which we do not have tests available.   Knowledgeable breeders do their best to steer clear of these issues by studying pedigrees and sharing information.

Question 4

What should I look for when searching for a responsible breeder to get a pup from?

Accepted Answer

Here are some indicators of a responsible breeder:
 member of a National or Regional Club for their breed(s).
participate in events such as conformation, agility, or water work with their dogs.
can provide proof of all recommended health testing as well as registered names and pedigrees for dogs in their breeding program.  
litters are raised in the home and socialized following a program such as Puppy Culture.  Puppies are evaluated for structure and temperament prior to being placed.  Pups are matched with their new owners based on lifestyle interviews and each pup's attributes.
will take your puppy back or assist in finding a new home if circumstances change.
sell non-breeding dogs on a limited registration and often co-own breeding stock.
sell pups with a contract that is designed to protect the pup's best interests for their lifetime

Question 5

What is a good weight for my dog?

Accepted Answer

A study discovered that being even moderately overweight can reduce a dog's life expectancy by nearly two years compared to their leaner counterparts, so this is an important topic.

Here are two tools to use to assess if your dog is a good weight/body condition:

This is a good body condition chart:
https://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/sites/default/files/filesync/Purina-Body-Condition-System.pdf

Here is another way to assess your dog's weight:

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions

Can you help me understand health testing for breeding?

How come I can't order my puppy from your website?

Are there health issues in PWDs that I should be aware of that there are not genetic tests for?

What should I look for when searching for a responsible breeder to get a pup from?

What is a good weight for my dog?