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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 American Staffordshire Terrier we've compiled 10 core tests (1 of them required by Deutscher Club für Bullterrier e.V.) and 2 additionally recommended tests, drawn from breed-club regulations, the University of PEI (CIDD), and OMIA — weighted by severity and heritability.
View verified breedersWhat this grade means
In the American Staffordshire Terrier, severe hereditary neurological disorders such as polyneuropathy with juvenile laryngeal paralysis (ALLP) and cerebellar ataxia (CA1), as well as heart diseases and elbow dysplasia (ED), define the breed-typical risk. The Deutscher Club für Bullterrier e.V. makes genetic testing for ALLP mandatory for breeding, whereby carriers may only be mated with clear partners. A health-oriented breeder additionally tests the parent animals for cerebellar ataxia (CA1) and neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis 4A (NCL-4A), has the heart examined, and has the joints X-rayed for elbow dysplasia (ED) and hip dysplasia (HD). Before buying, make sure to ask for the complete DNA results, heart examination report, and proof of ED 0–1 and HD A–C for both parents.
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. The core standard for the American Staffordshire Terrier covers 10 tests, 1 of them required by Deutscher Club für Bullterrier e.V., plus 2 additional recommended tests. 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 don't always predict severity in the puppies. Even so, they're a powerful tool of responsible breeding.
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 meets the Good level and performs 2 additional clinically recommended screenings that reduce risk in this breed.
In addition to Good:
Disorders of sexual development - sex reversal(DSD)
Andere
This is a congenital condition affecting the reproductive system where a dog's genetic sex (their chromosomes) does not match their physical gonads (internal reproductive organs like ovaries or testes) or external genitalia. This mismatch occurs during early development in the womb.
DNA test · Passing: clear or carrier
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.
X-ray · Passing: HD A–C
Not health tests, but required for breeding: the club asks for these results too. They don't count toward the risks or the rating.
D-Locus (d1) (D-Lokus)
Required by Deutscher Club für Bullterrier e.V.
Acceptable result: result on file
These levels are a comparison framework, not an official certification. They help compare breeding programs at a glance.
A complete checklist with every core-standard and additionally 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 — Ectropion / Entropion
Both parents must be clear or better.
We take mandatory tests from official breed regulations, build the recommended health standard from veterinary databases — and cross-check every uploaded certificate against the dog's profile using AI.
L1 = core standard: the club's required tests where its rules set them, otherwise the recommended health standard for the breed. L2 = additionally 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 read by AI and checked for date, result, and consistency with the dog's profile — our team reviews anything inconclusive.
The American Staffordshire Terrier is not currently listed in our extreme-breeding overview. That does not mean it is free of hereditary disease: which ones are typical, and which tests the parents should have, is on this page.
Self-check
Answer 6 quick questions about your everyday life and see how well the American Staffordshire Terrier fits you — including an honest cost estimate per month, per year, and across the dog's lifetime.
See breeders who have already uploaded their health test results for verification.
View verified breeders