We value responsible breeding that emphasizes the health and safety of your pet and that of the breed standard. Before breeding your male or female dog, you need to ensure they are physically healthy, the correct age, and nutritionally fit. It is imperative to consider personality and temperament as well. You also want to ensure that breeding will add value to the gene pool for your dog’s breed.
That is why we perform a Breeding Soundness Exam on all dogs in our breeding program. We need to assess males and females for health and fertility. For both, we do a complete physical examination, including assessing dental health, respiratory and cardiac function, lymph node and abdominal palpation, and the part of an orthopedic evaluation determined by physical examination. For the males, we assess testicle size, shape, character, penile, and prostate health. For the females, we assess mammary glands, vaginal size, position, shape, and characteristics and check for umbilical or inguinal hernias. By doing this evaluation, we have a better idea of the overall health of the dog as well as catching problems that may play a role in fertility, breeding, and the ability to produce and deliver healthy puppies.
The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) created the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC), establishing recommended protocols for breed-specific health screenings.
Please visit their website here to see what screening tests you must consider for your dog’s breed. If your dog is a mixed breed, like a Labradoodle, you should look at both breeds involved. Some screening tests can be done here at NPAH, while others may need to be done by a specialist like a cardiologist or an ophthalmologist. You can perform DNA tests at home with cheek swabs and send them directly to the lab.
