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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 Markiesje we've compiled 5 core tests (2 of them required by Nederlandse Markiesjes Vereniging (NMV), Raad van Beheer) 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 Markiesje, health risks lie primarily in eye diseases such as progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA), as well as patellar luxation (PL) and paroxysmal dyskinesia. The Nederlandse Markiesjes Vereniging (NMV) and the Raad van Beheer mandatorily require an ophthalmological eye examination for eye issues and a genetic test for progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA) for breeding approval. A responsible breeder additionally screens the parent animals for patellar luxation (PL) and paroxysmal dyskinesia, as well as for cataracts and distichiasis. Ask to see proof that both parents are free of eye conditions, have a PL grade of at most 0–1, and that for paroxysmal dyskinesia or progressive retinal atrophy, carriers were mated exclusively 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 Markiesje covers 5 tests, 2 of them required by Nederlandse Markiesjes Vereniging (NMV), Raad van Beheer, 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:
Distichiasis
Augen
Distichiasis is an eye condition where extra eyelashes grow from the meibomian glands, which are the oil glands along the edge of the eyelid. These abnormal hairs point inward and rub directly against the cornea, the clear outer surface of the eye. This constant friction causes mechanical irritation and can damage the sensitive ocular surface.
Eye examination · Passing: grade 0–1
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 · Passing: clear
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 — Eye conditions (ophthalmological eye exam)
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.
The Markiesje 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 Markiesje 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