For ethical breeders

A working reference for KCI-registered and non-registered breeders who want to reduce inherited disease and match puppies to lifetime homes.

Our position. This atlas is breed-neutral: it documents the Indian native dog (INDog) with the same seriousness as any pedigree breed. We recommend breeders who health-test, socialise 8–12 week puppies to varied environments, take dogs back for the life of the animal, and are honest about breed-specific risks.

Health testing — recommended screens by breed group

These are general guidance based on breed-club recommendations worldwide. Consult a licensed veterinarian for the specific dog in front of you.

Large working breeds (GSD, Rottweiler, Labrador, Golden)

  • Hip & elbow radiographs — PennHIP or OFA-style scoring, minimum 24 months
  • Cardiac auscultation by a cardiologist annually
  • Eye examination (ophthalmologist) every 12–24 months
  • DNA panels where breed-relevant (DM, EIC, PRA variants)

Brachycephalic (Pug, French Bulldog, Boxer)

  • Respiratory functional grading — walk/exercise tolerance test
  • Spine radiograph screening for hemivertebrae (screwtails)
  • Eye examination — corneal ulcer risk, entropion
  • Cardiac work-up before breeding

Deep-chested (Great Dane, Doberman, Weimaraner)

  • Cardiac including echocardiogram + Holter for DCM-risk breeds
  • Discuss prophylactic gastropexy timing
  • DNA panel for breed-relevant cardiomyopathy variants

Small & toy breeds

  • Patellar-luxation grading (manual, both stifles)
  • Dental conformation assessment
  • Eye examination for hereditary cataracts
  • Portosystemic-shunt bile-acid screening in high-risk breeds

Red flags in a breeder — walk away if you see

  • No hip/elbow scores and refuses to arrange them.
  • Willing to ship a puppy under 8 weeks — 8 weeks is the floor; 9–10 is better.
  • Won't let you visit the dam or the whelping environment.
  • Multiple litters running concurrently from the same dam within a year, or from very young dams (< 18 months).
  • No health guarantee or refuses to take a dog back if the buyer can't keep it.
  • "Rare colour" premium pricing for merle-on-merle, extreme dilution, or exaggerated features.
  • Advertises via pet-shop chains, meta-marketplace groups, or Sunday newspaper classifieds without a verifiable operating address.

Green flags — signs of a breeder worth trusting

  • Interviews you as hard as you interview them.
  • Openly discusses breed-specific problems and shows the tests they've done on the parents.
  • Takes puppies back — for life, for any reason — rather than letting them go to a shelter.
  • Socialises the litter to household sounds, visitors, and gentle handling during the 3–12 week sensitive period.
  • Registered under a recognised body (KCI, or FCI equivalent) OR openly describes their non-registered lineage with health records instead.

Chapters we recommend for breeders

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