I have heard that “good breeders” test for things like hips and eyes, what is that all about?
The tests for hips and sometimes elbows are often reported in the US as an OFA rating (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals). This is usually reported for the the sire (father) and Dam (mother) as puppies are too young for the tests to be meaningful. If available, ask for the results of the littermates of the sire and dam, or even further up the the pedigree. Problems with hips and elbows are referred to as “Dysplasias.” Canine Hip Dysplasia is more often tested for in the breed as it is more common than elbow dysplasia. This is an inherited condition, and thus good breeding techniques are important. Larger and heavier breeds normally have a higher rate of problems, but a few percent of Beardies have hip dysplasia. One of the frustrating things about OFA reported results is that you will only see results published for dogs that have at least a fair rating. If a dog has hip dysplasia no results are reported. Thus it is up to the breeder to advise you if a dog’s ancestry includes dysplasia
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