Testing....testing...

Zipper decelerating from a dead run into a left turn. Even little dogs need to be athletes!

I'm getting my paperwork together to have Zipper tested for the genetic health disorders of Hip Dysplasia, Elbow Dysplasia, and Legg-Calve-Perthes (LCP) through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). He already has been cleared of any genetic defect in his eyes, (CERF), heart, (Cardiac), and knees (Patellar Luxation). When I'm done, he'll be one of the most tested Min Pins in the U.S., if not the most tested. Most Min Pin (and toy dog) breeders don't do much in the way of genetic health testing. In some breeds this would be bad but as a breed Min Pins are incredibly hardy and healthy, often living well up into their teens and with very few health problems. Other than LCP, which is usually obvious by the time the puppy is seven or eight months old, the concern is mostly patellar luxation. So why am I doing all this testing?

Well part of it is because I do own an intact male and he may end up being used at some point. I also come from a breed (Dobermans) where there are a number of huge genetic problems which has shortened lifespans and quality of life. So genetic testing has been drilled into my head for decades and now I just can't turn off the compulsive need to make *sure* he's okay.

There's another reason I test and encourage anyone doing dog sports, especially agility, to test. I test because the sport I do with my dogs puts incredible physical stresses on their bodies. I want to know that their bodies can handle the pressure they're being put under. I think hips and elbows should be evaluated on every agility dog, and knees in smaller dogs or breeds prone to patellar luxation. Eyes should be examined to make sure the dog can see where's he's going and judge depth properly. And I submit everything to the OFA because I feel a commitment to supporting research and data which help breeders battle these diseases, so maybe sometime in the future we won't have to deal with them any more.

Mix or purebred, intact or neutered/spayed, it doesn't matter. If you are going to be training in any sport you need to know what's going on. And unfortunately these diseases are not limited to the purebred population. Certainly your dog does not need to be purebred to get an OFA certification.

Knowledge is power. If your dog does turn out to have one of these diseases, the world will not come to an end. In many cases, your dog may still be able to compete successfully for many years. And in fact, the fitter your dog is, the less likely he is to break down early from arthritis associated with things like hip dysplasia. So I always tell people to YES, train that dog with hip dysplasia. But educate yourself on the disease and work with your veterinarians to set up a training program that supports the dog. And listen to your dog.