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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 Rough Collie we've compiled 9 core tests (8 of them required by Club für Britische Hütehunde e.V. (CfBrH)) 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 Rough Collie, there are known breed-specific risks for eye diseases such as Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA) and Progressive Retinal Atrophy, as well as for severe neurological and metabolic disorders such as Degenerative Myelopathy and the MDR1 defect (multidrug sensitivity). The Club für Britische Hütehunde e.V. (CfBrH) therefore mandates genetic tests for these defects, an ophthalmological eye exam, as well as proof regarding Dermatomyositis (DMS), Inflammatory Pulmonary Disease (IPD), and merle coat color. A health-conscious breeder also screens for Hip Dysplasia (HD) and additionally tests for Cyclic Hematopoiesis (Grey Collie Syndrome) and Hyperuricosuria (HUU). Have the official findings of both parent animals shown to you and make sure that carriers of gene mutations were paired without exception with genetically clear partners and that the hip scores are in the range of HD A–C.
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 Rough Collie covers 9 tests, 8 of them required by Club für Britische Hütehunde e.V. (CfBrH), 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:
Canine cyclic hematopoiesis(GCS)
Andere
This is an inherited bone marrow disorder where the body's production of blood cells, particularly infection-fighting white blood cells, drops drastically at regular intervals. This cyclic drop temporarily leaves the dog's immune system highly vulnerable to infections. The condition is caused by a genetic mutation affecting how stem cells in the bone marrow mature.
DNA test · Passing: clear or carrier
Hyperuricosuria(HUU)
Nieren
Hyperuricosuria is an inherited metabolic disorder affecting the renal system, specifically how the kidneys process uric acid. Due to a genetic mutation, excess uric acid is excreted into the urine rather than being broken down. This high concentration can cause the acid to crystallize, leading to the formation of painful bladder or kidney stones, also known as uroliths.
Body-fluid analysis · 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 — Inflammatory Pulmonary Disease
Both parents must be clear or carrier (carriers only with a clear partner) 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.
Not across the board. But these traits can play a role in the Rough Collie: Merle & double merle. Depending on the line, color or pairing, that is an extreme-breeding risk – what to look out for is explained on the linked pages.
Self-check
Answer 6 quick questions about your everyday life and see how well the Rough Collie 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