Health and responsible breeding
Responsible breeding involves much more than producing healthy-looking dogs. A healthy puppy is the result of many decisions made long before a litter is planned, and each of them matters.
What we consider
When we think about a possible mating, we look at the two dogs as individuals and at the families they come from. The things we weigh include:
- Pedigree research: what we know about the health, temperament and longevity of the dogs behind each parent.
- Inherited disease testing: DNA tests for conditions known to affect Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, so that we understand what each parent could pass on.
- Joint scoring: hip and elbow X-rays assessed under a recognised scoring scheme.
- Relevant clinical testing: examinations such as eye testing, which look at the dog as it is now rather than at its genes.
- Temperament: the Toller character matters as much as anything on paper.
- Structure and breed type: a sound, well-made dog that is recognisably a Toller.
- Genetic diversity: Tollers descend from a small number of founding dogs, so we pay attention to how closely related a pairing would be.
Transparency
[TO CONFIRM: publishing practice] We publish our dogs’ individual health results on their profiles wherever practical, so that you can see the actual results rather than a general statement such as “fully health tested”.
Why testing matters, and what it cannot do
Health testing lets breeders make informed decisions and avoid producing puppies affected by conditions that can be tested for. It is an important part of responsible breeding, but it is only one part.
A DNA test looks for specific known gene variants. It cannot rule out every possible health problem, and it does not predict how a dog will age. No breeder can guarantee a dog’s lifetime health. What testing does is reduce known risks, and we believe it should be part of every breeding decision.
[PLACEHOLDER: anything specific to your own approach you would like to add]