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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 Caucasian Shepherd Dog we've compiled 2 tests required by Klub für Kaukasische Owtscharka 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 Caucasian Shepherd Dog, orthopedic conditions such as hip dysplasia (HD) and elbow dysplasia (ED) particularly burden its heavy physique; dilated cardiomyopathy as well as ectropion / entropion also occur. The Klub für Kaukasische Owtscharka e.V. therefore mandates radiographic examinations for HD (A–C, with C only permitted to be mated with A) and ED (0–2, with 2 only permitted to be mated with 0). Dedicated breeders additionally examine their breeding animals for dilated cardiomyopathy with unremarkable findings and have their eyes checked for ectropion / entropion. Before buying, make sure to ask for the complete official radiographic evaluations for HD and ED, as well as the other examination results of the parent animals.
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 Caucasian Shepherd Dog, Klub für Kaukasische Owtscharka e.V. requires 2 tests for breeding approval, 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:
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
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 Klub für Kaukasische Owtscharka 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 — Elbow Dysplasia
Both parents must be ED 0–2 (2 only with 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 Caucasian Shepherd Dog 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 Caucasian Shepherd Dog 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.
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