Quality Labradoodle Puppies and Sound Breeding Stock are our Priorities
Our parents are health and genetic tested. We screen our dogs through OFA for hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation. We also use Ingen/PawsitiveID DNA screening to clear our dogs from multiple genetic disorders. Our breeding Labradoodles are carefully selected from proven lines of health screened parents to ensure not only the dog itself is of breeding quality, but he/she comes from a long line of healthy parents. If a dog does not meet the health standards to allow for healthy breedings and sound puppies they will NOT be bred. All Doodle-Love puppies are sold with a 2 Year Health Guarantee, spay/neuter contract, and CKC/ACHC registration, and a lifetime of support.
Excellent/Good/Fair are all scored as Non-Dysplastic and Breeding Quality Hips:
Excellent: this classification is assigned for superior conformation in comparison to other animals of the same age and breed. There is a deep seated ball (femoral head) which fits tightly into a well-formed socket (acetabulum) with minimal joint space. There is almost complete coverage of the socket over the ball.
Good: slightly less than superior but a well-formed congruent hip joint is visualized. The ball fits well into the socket and good coverage is present.
Fair: Assigned where minor irregularities in the hip joint exist. The hip joint is wider than a good hip phenotype. This is due to the ball slightly slipping out of the socket causing a minor degree of joint incongruency. There may also be slight inward deviation of the weight-bearing surface of the socket (dorsal acetabular rim) causing the socket to appear slightly shallow. This can be a normal finding in some breeds however, such as the Chinese Shar Pei, Chow Chow, and Poodle.
Borderline hips should have radiographs repeated in 6 months to determine if the hip is normal or progressing to become dysplastic. Mild, Moderate, and Severe hips should not be bred.
What can breeders do? (http://www.offa.org/hipguide.html)
Hip dysplasia appears to be perpetuated by breeder imposed breeding practices, but when breeders and their breed clubs recognize HD as a problem and establish reduction of HD as a priority, improvement of the hip status can be accomplished without jeopardizing other desirable traits. Prospective buyers should check pedigrees and/or verify health issues with the breeder.
Do not ignore the dog with a fair hip evaluation. The dog is still within normal limits. For example; a dog with fair hips but with a strong hip background and over 75% of its brothers and sisters being normal is a good breeding prospect. A dog with excellent hips, but with a weak family background and less than 75% of its brothers and sisters being normal is a poor breeding prospect.
OFA's Recommended Breeding Principals
Breed normals to normals
Breed normals with normal ancestry
Breed normals from litters (brothers/sisters) with a low incidence of HD
Select a sire that produces a low incidence of HD
Replace dogs with dogs that are better than the breed average
