Breeding suitability guide — Irish Water Spaniel
For breeders: which tests, which thresholds, which mating rules apply
1. Recommended health standard for parents
These tests make up the recommended health standard for the Irish Water Spaniel — the baseline of any careful breeding program. They should be on file for every breeding animal.
| Test / condition | Scoring scheme | Passing result | Inheritance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocular anomalies | Physical examination | clear | Complex | — |
| Elbow Dysplasia (ED) | X-ray | ED 0 | Polygenic | Curated by HonestDog |
| Hip dysplasia (HD) | X-ray | HD A–C | Polygenic | CIDD (Univ. PEI) |
2. Mating rules
When one parent has a borderline result, the other parent must meet specific criteria.
Ocular anomalies
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cataract (HC) | Eye examination | clear | Complex | CIDD (Univ. PEI) |
| Non-colour-linked follicular dysplasia | Skin test | — | Unknown | CIDD (Univ. PEI) |
| Heart disease | Physical examination | normal | Complex | AI-Vet |
| Primary hypothyroidism | — | normal | Complex | AI-Vet |
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'