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Health Testing Guide
Which tests are mandatory, how to spot responsible breeders — and what it costs when things go wrong.
For the Australian Labradoodle we have compiled 3 mandatory and 3 recommended health tests, drawn from breed-club regulations, the University of PEI (CIDD), and OMIA — weighted by severity and heritability.
What this grade means
Since the Australian Labradoodle is not an officially recognized breed with a central kennel club, there are no mandatory minimum health tests for breeders. Prospective buyers must therefore be extremely diligent in verifying whether the parent dogs have been screened for hip dysplasia (HD), elbow dysplasia (ED), and progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA). Without these voluntary health records, you are unfortunately often buying a pig in a poke.
Every breed is susceptible to certain inherited conditions. Just like humans, dogs inherit predispositions from their parents. Responsible breeders screen their breeding dogs for these conditions and make informed mating decisions to reduce the risk passed on to puppies.
No — but it's the strongest tool we have. Diet, exercise, environment, and genetics all contribute to whether a dog develops a condition. When breeders use the right tests to identify risk in potential parents, the likelihood of many conditions appearing in the puppies drops significantly.
There's no one-size-fits-all here. For the Australian Labradoodle we track 3 mandatory tests plus 3 additional recommended ones. The specific tests and passing thresholds are detailed further below.
Keep in mind
Reliable screening tests still don't exist for many hereditary conditions, and tests for complex polygenic conditions are not always predictive of severity in the puppies. Even so, they're a powerful tool used by every responsible breeder.
There are two main types of health tests:
Screen the dog's DNA for known disease-causing mutations. Can be performed from puppyhood and give a binary result (clear / carrier / affected).
Clinical and imaging exams like X-ray, ultrasound, or ophthalmoscopy. They show how a predisposition actually manifests — usually only conclusive after 12–18 months.
We group breeding programs into three levels based on testing depth. Ask your breeder directly which level they meet.
A breeder at the Great level performs all mandatory tests plus 3 additional clinically recommended screenings that reduce risk in this breed.
In addition to mandatory tests:
Elbow Dysplasia(ED)
Bewegungsapparat
Elbow dysplasia is a developmental disorder of the musculoskeletal system where the three bones forming the elbow joint do not fit together properly. This misalignment causes abnormal friction and wear on the joint cartilage, eventually leading to painful, chronic joint inflammation and arthritis. It is a complex genetic condition influenced by multiple genes.
Roentgen · Passing: GOOD
Degenerative Myelopathy(DM)
Nervensystem
Degenerative Myelopathy is a progressive disease of the spinal cord where the protective sheath around the nerves slowly breaks down. This deterioration disrupts the vital communication signals between the brain and the muscles of the hind limbs. Over time, this lack of signal transmission leads to a complete loss of muscle control in the back legs.
DNA · Passing: Clear or Carrier
von Willebrand's disease(vWD)
Stoffwechsel
Von Willebrand disease is an inherited bleeding disorder that affects the blood's ability to clot properly. It is caused by a deficiency or malfunction of the von Willebrand factor, a specific protein that helps blood platelets stick together to plug damaged blood vessels. Without enough of this functional protein, the clotting process is delayed, which can lead to excessive bleeding even from minor injuries.
Passing: Clear or Carrier
These levels are a comparison framework, not an official certification. They help compare breeding programs at a glance.
A complete checklist with every mandatory and recommended test plus identity and rearing questions — take it with you.
Open the full checklistFor breeders
Machine-readable mating rules, minimum ages, scoring schemes, and what's required for HonestDog verification — as a printable guide.
Example rule — Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
Both parents must be Clear or Carrier or better.
We compile mandatory tests from official breed regulations and veterinary databases — and check every uploaded certificate for authenticity.
L1 = mandatory under breed-club regulations. L2 = recommended or clinically indicated. L3 = lower prevalence. Every assignment carries a source and confidence rating.
VDH breeding regulations, CIDD (University of PEI), OMIA (University of Sydney), curated veterinary input.
Uploaded certificates are AI-extracted and reviewed by our team for authenticity, date, and result.
3 tests are currently mandatory under the relevant breed-club regulations. The most common are Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) (PRA), Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC), Hip dysplasia (HD). Every test must be completed before mating, and the result must fall within the threshold defined by the regulation.
See breeders who have already uploaded their mandatory tests for verification.
View verified breeders