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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 English Pointer we've compiled 2 core tests (1 of them required by Verein für Pointer und Setter 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
The English Pointer is considered a very robust breed, yet breed-typical problems such as hip dysplasia (HD) and hypothyroidism can still occur. The Verein für Pointer und Setter e.V. therefore mandatorily prescribes an HD X-ray with a limit of HD A–B as well as a dental and bite evaluation for breeding approval. A health-oriented breeder furthermore tests their parent animals for unremarkable thyroid function and ideally also has elbow dysplasia (ED) evaluated. Have the breeder show you the official HD findings and proof regarding hypothyroidism for both parent animals before purchasing a puppy.
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 English Pointer covers 2 tests, 1 of them required by Verein für Pointer und Setter e.V., 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:
Elbow Dysplasia(ED)
Bewegungsapparat
Elbow dysplasia is a developmental disorder of the musculoskeletal system where the three bones forming the elbow joint do not fit together properly. This misalignment causes abnormal friction and wear on the joint cartilage, eventually leading to painful, chronic joint inflammation and arthritis. It is a complex genetic condition influenced by multiple genes.
X-ray · Passing: ED 0
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 Verein für Pointer und Setter e.V.
Acceptable result: Probe von mindestens 5ml EDTA-Blut zur DNA-Biobank eingesendet
Wesensbeurteilung
Required by Verein für Pointer und Setter e.V.
Acceptable result: Verhaltenssicher (keine Aggressivität, Scheue oder Ängstlichkeit gegenüber Fremden, Scheue vor lebendem Wild)
Dental and bite evaluation
Required by Verein für Pointer und Setter e.V.
Acceptable result: Scheren- oder Zangengebiss (Zange bei POI, ES, GS, IRS führt zu Zuchtverbot, bei IRWS uneingeschränkt), vollständige Zahnanzahl oder bis zu 2 fehlende Prämolare
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 — Hip dysplasia
Both parents must be HD A–B 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 English Pointer 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 English Pointer 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