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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 Bolognese we've compiled 1 test required by Verband Deutscher Kleinhundezüchter e.V. and 1 additionally recommended test, 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 Bolognese, there are breed-typical risks for patellar luxation (PL) as well as the eye disease progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA). The Verband Deutscher Kleinhundezüchter e.V. prescribes examination for patellar luxation (PL) for breeding approval, where only dogs with the result PL 0 may be used. A health-oriented breeder also tests the parent animals via genetic test for progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA). Before buying a puppy, have the official PL results of both parents presented to you showing PL 0, and ensure that for the prcd-PRA genetic test at least one parent is clear if the other is a carrier.
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 Bolognese, Verband Deutscher Kleinhundezüchter e.V. requires 1 test for breeding approval, plus 1 additional recommended test. 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 1 additional clinically recommended screening that reduces risk in this breed.
In addition to Good:
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (prcd-PRA)(PRA)
Augen
Progressive rod-cone degeneration (prcd-PRA) is an inherited eye disease that causes the light-sensitive cells in the retina, which lines the back of the eye, to gradually break down and die. This degeneration affects both eyes and eventually leads to complete blindness. Because the retina cannot process light properly, the dog's brain stops receiving visual information.
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 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 — Patellar Luxation
Both parents must be PL 0 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 Bolognese 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 Bolognese 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