[Jen643]

How many do the CERF testing? I'd like to but the nearest place is 2 hours away and i cant take the time to drive that far one way.. So i am limited to OFA testing and blood tests, i hope in a year or two ill have some hired help so they could take them for me, but tell then i cant. I know alot of people around here dont test for eyes, and most dont even test for hips.

 

[dixiedi]

I just posted about health testing on a previous thread. It isn't worth the risk to breed your dogs without at least having their hips certified. I can sure relate to not being near an opthamologist to have CERF done, it is a 3 hr drive for me. I have contacted a couple of opthamologist to see if they would do a clinic if I could get enough people in the surrounding area interested but they are so busy that they have no time. To make an appointment, it is a 3-4 wk wait in one direction and about a 2 mo wait in the other direction. This is really a problem for a lot of people. Not only do we need to take a lot of dogs when we do go (because of the distance) but we need to find someone that will go with us to help with all of them. If anyone out there has a solution, please let us know what it is.

 

[holly]

Jenn - most families that are looking to adopt

are very well educated and will not adopt a puppy from a breeder that does not do hips, eyes & heart at the minimum

Good luck
Holly

 

[Jac]

I think that we have a responsibilitiy to our puppies to be as certain as possible that we are using healthy breeding stock.
We also have a responsibility to our puppy buyers.
I have seen too many people on this board, and others, go through heartbreaking news and tremendous financial struggles when they find out that their beloved new puppy has a serious genetic disease.
Granted, we can't promise that there will be no problem, but if we don't test, when the tests are available, I feel that we are not thinking of the best interests of our puppies or our customers.
I don't know of any breeder that does not test eyes, hips, vWD, as a minimum. CERF no longer places Labradoodles on their registry, but the vets do still offer the testing. It should be done annually.
I know it is really hard to get the finances together and to find a vet near enough to make it convenient, but I really believe that to be the only right thing to do.