Breeding suitability guide — Chow Chow
For breeders: which tests, which thresholds, which mating rules apply
1. Core standard for parents
Tests marked “Club standard” are required by Allgemeiner Chow-Chow-Club e.V. (ACC) for breeding approval — they must be on file for every breeding animal. The others are part of the recommended health standard and should be on file as well.
| Test / condition | Scoring scheme | Passing result | Inheritance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleft palate | Physical examination | clear | Complex | — |
| Cryptorchidism | Physical examination | no testicular defects | Complex | — |
| Congenital malformations | Physical examination | no malformations | Complex | — |
| Monorchidism | Physical examination | no testicular defects | Complex | — |
| Ear anomalies | Hearing test | no ear anomalies | Complex | — |
| Dental abnormalities | — | no dental defects, fewer than 4 missing premolars and/or molars in total (P1 excluded) | Complex | — |
| Congenital blindness | Physical examination | clear | Complex | — |
| Ectropion / Entropion | — | clear | Complex | CIDD (Univ. PEI) |
| Elbow Dysplasia (ED) Club standard | X-ray | ED 0–2 | Polygenic | Allgemeiner Chow-Chow-Club e.V. (ACC) |
| Hip dysplasia (HD) Club standard | X-ray | HD A–C | Polygenic | Allgemeiner Chow-Chow-Club e.V. (ACC) |
| Patellar Luxation (PL) | Physical examination | PL 0 | Polygenic | Curated by HonestDog |
| Tail abnormalities | — | no tail defects | Complex | — |
| Albinism | DNA test | clear or carrier | Autosomal recessive | — |
| Congenital deafness (CHSD) | Physical examination | hearing in both ears | Complex | — |
| Epilepsy (IE) | Physical examination | no epilepsy | Complex | — |
2. Mating rules
When one parent has a borderline result, the other parent must meet specific criteria.
Elbow Dysplasia (ED)
See the mating rule in your club's regulation.
Allgemeiner Chow-Chow-Club e.V. (ACC)Albinism
See the mating rule in your club's regulation.
Congenital deafness (CHSD)
See the mating rule in your club's regulation.
3. Recommended additional tests
Sensible additions for line planning.
| Test / condition | Scoring scheme | Passing result | Inheritance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) (BOAS) | Physical examination | — | Complex | Curated by HonestDog |
| Corneal dystrophy (CD) | Eye examination | clear | Complex | CIDD (Univ. PEI) |
| Cataract (HC) | Eye examination | clear | Complex | CIDD (Univ. PEI) |
| Persistent pupillary membranes (PPM) (PPM) | Eye examination | result on file | Unknown | CIDD (Univ. PEI) |
| Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma (POAG) | Eye examination | clear | Autosomal recessive | CIDD (Univ. PEI) |
| Myotonia (MC) | DNA test | clear or carrier | Autosomal recessive | CIDD (Univ. PEI) |
| Cervical vertebral compressive myelopathy (CVCM) | X-ray | — | Complex | CIDD (Univ. PEI) |
| Color Dilution Alopecia (CDA) (CDA) | Skin test | — | Complex | CIDD (Univ. PEI) |
| Sebaceous Adenitis (SA) | — | — | Autosomal recessive | CIDD (Univ. PEI) |
| Growth hormone-responsive dermatosis; adrenal sex hormone-responsive dermatosis | Body-fluid analysis | — | Complex | CIDD (Univ. PEI) |
| Hypomyelination (HYM) | — | clear | Autosomal recessive | CIDD (Univ. PEI) |
| Cerebellar abiotrophy (CA) | DNA test | clear or carrier | Autosomal recessive | CIDD (Univ. PEI) |
| Cerebellar hypoplasia (CH) | DNA test | — | Autosomal recessive | CIDD (Univ. PEI) |
| Diabetes mellitus (DM) | Body-fluid analysis | clear | Complex | CIDD (Univ. PEI) |
| Hypothyroidism | Body-fluid analysis | — | Complex | CIDD (Univ. PEI) |
4. HonestDog verification
- Upload a legible certificate (PDF or photo) per test in the breeder dashboard
- Certificate must show date, examining vet, and FCI/VDH logo
- Certificates older than 36 months are flagged as stale
- We extract the results from each upload using AI and check them for consistency with the dog's profile — the profile tile then shows 'verified'