Loading health guide
Health Testing Guide
Which tests are mandatory, how to spot responsible breeders — and what it costs when things go wrong.
For the Broholmer we've compiled 2 tests required by Broholmer Deutschland e.V. and 6 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 stately Broholmer, health is burdened primarily by orthopaedic issues such as hip dysplasia (HD) and elbow dysplasia (ED), as well as the risk of dilated cardiomyopathy. The breeding club Broholmer Deutschland e.V. therefore mandates binding X-ray screenings for HD (limit HD A–C) and ED (limit ED 0–1) for breeding approval. Responsible breeders additionally have their animals examined for dilated cardiomyopathy as well as dental malformations, ear anomalies, tail anomalies, and cryptorchidism (undescended testicles). Ask to see the official hip and elbow results of the parent animals before purchasing a puppy, and inquire about further veterinary certificates.
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 Broholmer, Broholmer Deutschland e.V. requires 2 tests for breeding approval, plus 6 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 6 additional clinically recommended screenings that reduce risk in this breed.
In addition to Good:
Cryptorchidism
Andere
Cryptorchidism is a developmental condition of the male reproductive system where one or both testicles fail to descend normally into the scrotum. Instead, the undescended testicle remains trapped inside the abdomen or in the groin area. This failure to descend is a physical development issue rather than an active illness, but it alters how the reproductive organs develop.
Physical examination · Passing: normal
Ear anomalies
Andere
Ear anomalies are congenital malformations affecting the structure of a dog's outer ear, ear canal, or inner ear. These developmental defects can block normal airflow or disrupt the transmission of sound, potentially causing chronic infections or hearing loss. To assess the extent of the inner ear's function, veterinarians often use a specialized hearing test known as a Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) test.
Hearing test · Passing: normal
Dental abnormalities
Andere
Dental abnormalities refer to congenital or acquired malformations of the teeth and jaw structure. This includes malocclusions, which are misalignments where the upper and lower teeth do not meet properly, as well as missing or extra teeth. These structural issues can interfere with normal chewing and cause teeth to rub painfully against the sensitive tissues of the mouth.
Passing: normal
Ectropion / Entropion
Augen
These are structural eyelid abnormalities affecting a dog's eyes. In cases of entropion, the eyelid rolls inward, causing the eyelashes or fur to rub painfully against the surface of the eyeball. In ectropion, the eyelid sags or rolls outward, leaving the sensitive inner lining of the eye exposed and unprotected.
Passing: clear
Tail abnormalities
Bewegungsapparat
Tail abnormalities (Rutenanomalien) are congenital malformations affecting the skeletal system, specifically the tail bones (caudal vertebrae). They occur during embryonic development in the womb when the individual vertebrae do not form properly, leading to fused, misshapen, or shortened bones. This is a structural issue of the spine's tail section and is typically inherited in a complex manner.
Passing: normal
Dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM)
Herz
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a severe disease of the heart muscle where the heart's chambers become stretched and enlarged. This stretching thins the heart walls, making it difficult for the heart to pump blood effectively to the rest of the body. Over time, this decreased pumping ability can lead to fluid buildup in the lungs or abdomen.
Ultrasound · Passing: normal
Not health tests, but required for breeding: the club asks for these results too. They don't count toward the risks or the rating.
DNA-Identitätsnachweis
Required by Broholmer Deutschland e.V.
Acceptable result: DNA-Fingerprint vorhanden
Wesensbeurteilung
Required by Broholmer Deutschland e.V.
Acceptable result: Mentalbeschreibung absolviert zwischen dem 10. und 36. Lebensmonat
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 — Elbow Dysplasia
Both parents must be ED 0–1 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 Broholmer 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 Broholmer 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