It's always a nervous time when you get the dog's eye examination done. You never think about it when you are working your dogs during the season, and encouraging them to hunt in thick cover like gorse and blackthorn for the bird that fell in there.  It's only when you are walking in to the examination do you remember. Hips, elbows and genetics are a once in a lifetime examination and expense, but eyes are every year. At a cost of £60 per dog it shows the breeders commitment to ensuring fully health tested dogs. I am delighted to report that all 4 dogs in our kennel; Druid, Fia, Rory and Rhona have passed their eye exam for 2021. This will be updated on the Kennel Club website and K9 data.com. This was the first time for our 15 month old pups, and it is reassuring to know that the genetics are robust in this area.

​What is the purpose of the annual eye check for Labradors?
The main purpose of the BVA/KC/ISDS eye scheme is to ensure that there is no clinical evidence of hereditary eye disease in dogs that are to be used for breeding. A secondary purpose is to identify breed related problems which may be inherited, especially if they have welfare implications for the dog.

Useful external links; Canine Health Schemes, What to do if your dog is suffering from a genetic disease.

Read about my puppy owning experiences over 25 years, the mistakes I would not do again, and answers to common questions and difficulties about choosing the right dog for your home. What to do before you go to see the puppy.

My first pup was a mixed breed from a rescue centre. My second was a 6 months old street rescue beardie collie. The next pup was meant to be a jack russell pup who came from a puppy farm. I then bought a pedigree kennel-reared failed gundog at about a year old. She looked healthy so I didn't health test, but she died suddenly in middle age and her pup is going blind. For the past 5 years I have owned health tested pedigree dogs. I loved them all but wouldn't make the same mistakes again.

That's my experience, and here are my thoughts on the subject of buying a puppy.  In part two I will tell you what you need to do before you go to see the pup.
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• Why get a pup with a pedigree? - If a dog is not registered with the KC then you are taking a big risk. The risks are that the pup might have or develop health issues from its parents, or it might not be the breed you think it is. You also don't know how the Mum has been treated and may have had more than 4 litters.  You just have to take the breeders word for it.  If a bitch has a pedigree it means there are breeding restrictions and you can check its puppy history and health tests online. This is a good thing and I will tell you where to check for these in part two. A breeder who has registered dogs with the Kennel Club must abide by it's code of ethics.  If the mother has a pedigree but the pups won't be registered it may be because the pups are not pure bred or that the breeder has not followed the restrictions. Checkout this KC information guide.
• What pups are best if you have allergies? - You probably want something that won't shed as much, depending on what you are allergic to. This is commonly claimed to be associated with mixed breeds such as a labradoodles, or cockapoos. But these dogs definitely don't come with a pedigree, and may not have health tests.  Designer dogs and mixed breeds can still be affected by the poor health issues of the breeds they originated from read more. For example, Addisons disease comes from the poodle side and the dog will need treatment for the rest of it's life. Breeders with good healthy examples of the pure breed are less likely to use them for cross-breeding. Therefore, you still need to ask for health tests (eye and genetic tests) for mixed breed dogs. There are pure pedigree breeds that shed less dog hair - these are often where the labradoodles and cockapoos got that trait from - poodles for example. A pure bred dog is more likely to have a pedigree and health tests.   Checkout this list of pedigree non-shedding dogs,  or info guide on asthma and your dog. 

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​What is the benefit of buying a pup from health tested parents?
"Healthy dogs create healthy puppies - All pedigree and crossbred dogs can suffer from inherited diseases which are passed on from parent to puppy. Health testing and screening allows owners and breeders to screen for inherited diseases, the results can then be used to help make sure that only healthy dogs are bred from. Responsible breeders should always health test the dogs they plan to use for breeding. To make sure you are buying a happy and health puppy, always ask to see the relevant health test results for both parents."
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Firstly, be aware that health tests don't just mean they tell you that they had the vet check the pups over and they were fine. It means the pups parents hips and elbows have been independently assessed and lodged with the Kennel Club for those with pedigrees, and it means that blood tests have been taken to check for a range of genetic diseases common to the breed, and that their eyes are tested annually. Read more.

If the mum has been vaccinated, new born puppies get some protection against diseases through their mother’s milk that can help keep them healthy before they are able to get vaccinated themselves. Unfortunately, puppies that have been illegally imported or that were bred on puppy farms could be much more likely to suffer serious illnesses like parvovirus as their mums won’t have been vaccinated so can’t pass on their immunity.  

There are many pedigree dogs who have been bred responsibly but who may not have been health tested. The mother looks healthy but there is no guarantee against, or reduced risk of, hip or elbow dysplasia, or genetic diseases like PRA and blindness. Read more.

What is hip or elbow dysplasia?
Hip and elbow dysplasia are both complex inherited diseases that cause a dog’s joints to develop incorrectly, which can result in pain, arthritis and lameness as they get older. Read more

A pedigree dog's parents who are health tested gives you the best chance of proven robustness or confirmation, because of a written guarantee of being clear of prescribed genetic diseases, and a reduced likelihood of expensive vet bills/ or a shortened pet life/ or a life of pain and discomfort.

Why should I test my bitch if I do not intend to spay her?
Some dogs may be carriers of a genetic disease and you would still have a healthy pet, but if you breed it (accidently or on purpose) with another carrier then some of the pups will get that genetic disease.  However, it's important to keep the gene pool as wide as possible, breeding a carrier to a non carrier means the pups will only be carriers. This is why health tests are important it allows you to make informed breeding choices. On the Kennel Club website you can enter the sire and dam's details and find out the likelihood of any issues or risks.  

"The more informed you are does not remove a risk but it does reduce it." Read more on the breed health information for labrador retrievers.


​Useful links; introducing dogs to children and babies, puppy socialisation.