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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 Dunkerhund (Dunkerbracke - Norwegian Hound) we have compiled 0 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
As a robust Norwegian hunting dog, the Dunker is generally resilient, but the breed suffers from a very small population size and the associated risk of inbreeding. Relevant health concerns include hip dysplasia (HD) and hereditary deafness, which can be exacerbated by the merle gene present in the breed. Since official breeding tests are poorly documented, prospective buyers must independently and thoroughly verify the pedigree and HD results of the parent dogs.
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 Dunkerhund (Dunkerbracke - Norwegian Hound) we track 0 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:
Hip dysplasia(HD)
Bewegungsapparat
Hip dysplasia is an inherited skeletal disorder where the ball and socket of the hip joint do not fit together properly. Instead of sliding smoothly, the bones rub and grind against each other, wearing down the protective cartilage. Over time, this chronic friction causes joint instability, painful inflammation, and progressive arthritis, which is the gradual wear and tear of the joint.
Roentgen · Passing: C or better
Merle coat pattern(M)
Haut und Fell
The merle coat pattern is caused by an autosomal-dominant mutation in the PMEL gene, which affects pigment-producing cells in the skin, eyes, and inner ears. When a dog inherits two copies of this gene, a condition known as double merle, it disrupts the normal development of these sensory organs. This genetic defect can lead to severe structural abnormalities in both the auditory and visual systems.
Passing: Safe mating (no Merle x Merle)
Congenital deafness(CHSD)
Nervensystem
Congenital deafness is a hereditary hearing loss present from birth that affects the inner ear's sensory cells, preventing sound signals from reaching the brain. It is often linked to specific genetic variants, such as those associated with certain coat patterns like merle or piebald, or breed-specific conditions like Early Onset Adult Deafness (EOAD). This genetic defect causes the vital blood supply to the inner ear to fail, leading to the permanent degeneration of the hearing nerve cells.
Physisch · Passing: BILATERAL_HEARING
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 — Hip dysplasia (HD-FCI)
Both parents must be tested for Hip dysplasia (HD-FCI) and show a passing result.
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.
0 tests are currently mandatory under the relevant breed-club regulations. The most common are —. 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