Loading health guide
Health Testing Guide
Which tests matter, how to spot responsible breeders — and what it costs when things go wrong.
For the Japanese Chin we've compiled 6 tests in the recommended health standard and 1 additionally recommended test, drawn from veterinary databases such as CIDD (University of PEI) and OMIA — weighted by severity and heritability.
View verified breedersWhat this grade means
The Japanese Chin is classified with a D grade, as it struggles with significant breed-specific problems such as Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) and a paralyzed, constantly visible tongue. In addition, patellar luxation (PL), ectropion / entropion, cryptorchidism (undescended testicles), and the severe GM2 gangliosidosis, type I (B variant) occur more frequently in the breed. A responsible breeder actively counteracts these risks through targeted breeding selection and has their dogs thoroughly examined before using them for breeding. When buying a puppy, ask to see the official test results of the parent animals: they must show grade 0 or 1 for Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) and patellar luxation (PL), be free of ectropion / entropion, and have a normal finding (both testicles descended) for cryptorchidism (undescended testicles). Furthermore, the parents should be free of cataracts and have a status of free or carrier for GM2 gangliosidosis, type I (B variant) (the latter only if the breeding partner is proven to be free).
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 recommended health standard for the Japanese Chin covers 6 tests, 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:
Cataract(HC)
Augen
A cataract is a progressive clouding of the lens inside the dog's eye, which is the clear structure that focuses light onto the retina at the back of the eye. When the lens becomes cloudy or opaque, it blocks light from entering, gradually impairing the dog's vision. If left untreated, this condition can eventually lead to complete blindness in the affected eye.
Eye examination
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 — Ectropion / Entropion
Both parents must be clear 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 every dog of this breed is affected to the same degree – but these extreme-breeding traits are part of the Japanese Chin's breed type: Flat face. How strongly an individual dog is affected depends on breeding choices. 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 Japanese Chin 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