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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 Saarloos Wolfdog we've compiled 8 core tests (3 of them required by Deutscher Verein für Saarlooswolfhunde e.V. (DVSWH)), 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 Saarloos Wolfhond, there are serious breed-specific risks for degenerative myelopathy, pituitary dwarfism, as well as hip dysplasia (HD) and eye diseases. The Deutsche Verein für Saarlooswolfhunde e.V. (DVSWH) therefore mandatorily prescribes genetic testing for degenerative myelopathy (clear or carrier, whereby carriers may only be mated with clear partners) and pituitary dwarfism, as well as eye problems (ophthalmological eye examination). A health-conscious breeder additionally has the parent animals examined for hip dysplasia (HD) as well as for cataract, primary open-angle glaucoma, ectropion / entropion, and progressive retinal atrophy. Before buying a puppy, have the breeder present complete written findings for hip dysplasia (HD) (maximum HD C, mated only with A or B) and all breeding-relevant genetic tests and eye certificates.
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 Saarloos Wolfdog covers 8 tests, 3 of them required by Deutscher Verein für Saarlooswolfhunde e.V. (DVSWH). 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; no additional tests are currently recorded for the Saarloos Wolfdog.
In addition to Good:
We don't currently have tests recorded at this level for the Saarloos Wolfdog.
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.
The Saarloos Wolfdog 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 Saarloos Wolfdog 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