We are in the process of getting a puppy. We recently lost one of our two havis to cancer and we can see that my 11 year old misses her. Sadie seems happier now that my son’s small dog is visiting us for 2 weeks while they are on vacation. We always have a family of 2 dogs so we are ready to bring in a puppy.

I have a question about testing. One of the males we are looking at has a fully tested father (CHIC) but his mother, who is 2, has not yet been tested at all. The mother’s parents were tested. Is this sufficient to reduce the likelihood of the havi genetic issues?

We are also considering a different breeder’s male. His father is CHIC tested; his mother is over 2 and will be getting tested again and getting a CHIC number. The mother’s mother had hips and eyes done and has a CHIC number. That breeder does not do BAER testing -no local vet does it -but says hearing is fine in her dogs.

Any thoughts?

Also my 11 year old is a spayed female. This would be the first male dog I have ever had. Can you envision any difficulties? Of course we will have him neutered when the time comes.

Thank you for any advice you can offer. We so miss our girl who passed in April.

First, remember that a CHIC number only means that the test results have been recorded. It does not mean that the results of the tests were good or not. You have to go and check. A dog could have a CHIC number with grade 3 patellas, hip displaysia, a heart murmur, cataracts, etc. It only means that the breeder recorded this information so that you can view it. It’s still up to you to check it.

Second, no, the fact that the frand parents have been health tested, IMO is not enough. Not when I am buying a dog. Your decision might be different.

Likewise, I don’t buy the “no local vet does BAER testing” line. OK, that’s true for many breeders. So then the club in the area arranges periodic club BAER clinics. Or the breeder schlepps all her puppies to the “nearest” university, even if its 2-3 hourse away. That’s what responsible breeders do. Just because her puppies can hear does NOT mean they don’t have unilateral deafness. Which is MUCH harder to tell without BAER testing, and runs in the breed. If your puppy can only hear in one ear when you get him, and something happens to his hearing in the other ear (that does sometimes happen) now you have a deaf dog.

And the breeder will tell you, “but he was fine when you bought him!”

Maybe. Maybe not.

Thank you -this is very very helpful! I think I figured out how to check results of the CHIC testing on the OFA website.