Testing Is More Than a Checkbox
Responsible health screening helps breeders make informed decisions for the health of present dogs and the puppies they may produce. It’s about doing the right tests, understanding the results, and leaving those results open to anyone who asks.
DNA Testing
DNA testing identifies genetic variants and can help assess a dog’s risk for certain inherited conditions or determine whether a dog may pass a variant to its offspring.
Orthopedic Screening
Evaluates hips, elbows, and other key structures to support sound movement and long-term comfort.
Cardiac Evaluation
Assesses heart health through a cardiologist. Early detection can make all the difference in longevity.
Eye Examination
Detects inherited eye conditions that can effect vision and quality of life.
Breed Specific Testing
Certain breeds are at increased risk for conditions that should be screened for and shown.
Informed Decisions
Results are used to educate, make ethical breeding decisions and support healthier future generations.
What About Mixed-Breed Dogs?
Health testing is not just for purebred dogs.
Crossbred and mixed-breed dogs can inherit health conditions from the breeds in their ancestry. When breeds are intentionally crossed, responsible breeders should understand the health concerns associated with each parent breed and complete appropriate testing accordingly.
Crossbreeding does not automatically eliminate inherited disease.
Health is not about status.
It’s science. It’s responsibility. And it matters for every dog.
Learn to Verify, Not Just Trust
Responsible breeders should be willing to share health-testing results.
Whenever possible, verify results through the organization that performed or records the testing rather than relying solely on screenshots, statements, or the words “health tested.”
Ask:
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What tests were completed?
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Were they appropriate for the breed?
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At what age were they performed?
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Were preliminary or final results obtained?
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Can the results be independently verified?
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How did those results influence the breeding decision?
Transparency matters.
What We Want You To Remember
Health testing ≠ informed breeding.
Knowledge + transparency + responsible decision-making = informed breeding.
A test result is information. What a breeder does with that information is what matters.
Responsible breeding isn't about producing dogs with perfect paperwork.
It is about using every available tool to make thoughtful decisions, reduce preventable risk, and protect the dogs and families who come next.
A responsible health-testing program isn’t one in which every dog passes. It’s one in which the results matter.
Our dogs are family.
Our choices leave a legacy.
Helpful Hints
Tethered Tips are designed to help families know what to look for, what questions to ask, and how to recognize responsible breeding practices.
The checklist is just the beginning.
Visit our Tethered Tips Library for more educational guides, helpful checklists, questions to ask, and resources created for puppy buyers and dog families.
Because the more you know, the better equipped you are to make decisions that support both your family and the dogs you love.
Knowledge leads to good choices. Good choices can lead to a lifetime of love.
