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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 Belgian Malinois we've compiled 3 core tests (2 of them required by Deutscher Klub für Belgische Schäferhunde e.V. (DKBS)) and 7 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 Malinois, the main concerns are joint and spinal issues such as hip dysplasia (HD), elbow dysplasia (ED), and lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LTV), as well as severe neurological disorders such as spongy degeneration with cerebellar ataxia subtype 1 (SDCA1) or cardiomyopathy and juvenile mortality (Belgian Malinois). Breed clubs such as the DKBS mandate X-ray examinations for breeding approval for HD (limit value HD A–B) and ED (ED 0 or borderline), while the DMC requires LÜW 0 for transitional vertebra (LTV). Responsible breeders additionally test parent animals for genetic risks such as SDCA1, SDCA2, or cerebellar ataxia (CA1). Before buying a puppy, have the breeder show you the official X-ray evaluations and DNA test results of the parent animals; carriers must only ever be mated with clear partners.
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 Belgian Malinois covers 3 tests, 2 of them required by Deutscher Klub für Belgische Schäferhunde e.V. (DKBS), plus 7 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 7 additional clinically recommended screenings that reduce risk in this breed.
In addition to Good:
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)(PRA)
Augen
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is an inherited eye disease that affects the retina, which is the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye. In this condition, the specialized cells responsible for detecting light, known as photoreceptors, gradually degenerate and die. Because these cells cannot recover or be replaced, the disease slowly but inevitably leads to complete blindness.
Retinal Dysplasia(RD)
Augen
Retinal dysplasia is a congenital condition affecting the eyes, where the retina (the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye) does not develop properly during growth in the womb. This abnormal development leads to structural defects like folds or gaps in the retinal layers. Because the retina is responsible for sending visual signals to the brain, these imperfections can impair normal vision.
Eye examination
Juvenile Cardiomyopathy and Mortality (Belgian Malinois)(CJM)
Herz
Juvenile Cardiomyopathy and Mortality (CJM) is an inherited heart muscle disease caused by a genetic mutation in the YARS2 gene that affects Belgian Shepherd puppies. This condition disrupts the normal structure and function of the heart muscle, preventing it from pumping blood effectively to the rest of the body. Because it is an autosomal recessive disorder, a puppy must inherit the mutated gene from both parents to be affected.
DNA test · Passing: clear or carrier
Ataxia, CNS atrophy with cerebellar ataxia (Belgian Malinois)(CaCa)
Nervensystem
This is a severe, inherited neurological disorder that causes the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain's coordination center, known as the cerebellum. As these cells degenerate, the dog loses the ability to control and coordinate its voluntary movements. It is an autosomal recessive condition, meaning a puppy must inherit the mutated gene from both parents to develop the disease.
DNA test · Passing: clear or carrier
Cerebellar Ataxia(CA1)
Nervensystem
Cerebellar Ataxia is an inherited neurological disorder that affects the cerebellum, which is the part of the brain responsible for coordinating movement and balance. Due to an autosomal-recessive genetic mutation, nerve cells in this brain region progressively degenerate. This gradual loss of cells prevents the brain from properly controlling the body's movements.
DNA test · Passing: clear or carrier
Spongy Degeneration with Cerebellar Ataxia 1 (SDCA1)(SDCA1)
Nervensystem
Spongy degeneration with cerebellar ataxia 1 (SDCA1) is an inherited neurological disease that causes the brain tissue, particularly in the cerebellum, to break down and develop a spongy appearance. The cerebellum is the area of the brain responsible for coordinating voluntary movements and balance. As this tissue degenerates, the dog's nervous system loses the ability to properly control body movements.
DNA test · Passing: clear or carrier
Spongy Degeneration with Cerebellar Ataxia 2 (SDCA2)(SDCA2)
Nervensystem
Spongiform Degeneration with Cerebellar Ataxia Type 2 (SDCA2) is an inherited neurological disease affecting the brain, specifically the cerebellum, which controls movement and balance. In affected dogs, the brain tissue develops microscopic, sponge-like holes, disrupting the normal transmission of nerve signals. This leads to a severe loss of motor coordination and control.
DNA test · Passing: clear or carrier
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 Deutscher Klub für Belgische Schäferhunde e.V. (DKBS)
Acceptable result: Proof of parentage provided
Wesensbeurteilung
Required by Deutscher Klub für Belgische Schäferhunde e.V. (DKBS)
Acceptable result: Passed (demonstrated by a performance test, a separate behaviour test or as part of a show)
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 — Elbow Dysplasia
Both parents must be ED 0 or borderline 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 Belgian Malinois 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 Belgian Malinois 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