Ask to see verification of health/disease screening for both parents.

Screenable health concerns in the English Shepherd Breed include Hip Dysplasia, MDR1, CEA, PRA, PRA6, DM and more.

Good practice includes having OFA and/or PennHIP scoring on both parents hips. OFA has a searchable online database where you can verify scores. PennHIP does not have a searchable database, so ask to see the report. Breed average laxity in hips is .46 on PennHIP scoring. Hip dysplasia is a polygenic trait, and will always be a gamble. Knowing hip scores from close relatives, in addition to both parents, increases chances a litter will have similar hip health.

Genetic testing will identify whether a dog is a carrier, clear or affected for a variety of recessive genetic health concerns. Good practice is being sure two carriers are never bred together, or a carrier to an affected, or two affected dogs. Genetic testing is an easy way to make sure no pups in a litter will end up affected with screenable variants. Ask your breeder if they've done genetic testing on both parents, and ask to see the results. Some companies, such as Embark, will have an online profile for you to view for verification of results.

English Shepherds are affected by a breed specific variant of Progressive Retinal Atrophy called PRA6. It is a degenerative disorder of the eye. This genetic marker has been only recently discovered and only one lab located in the UK is currently able to test for it. Please ask your breeder if they are aware of this disease and if they are/would consider screening their breeding dogs for it.

Allergies, cancer, digestive disorders, and structural issues also exist in the breed. Ask your breeder if they keep track of the prevalence of these issues in their breeding dogs, their relatives and the puppies they produce.

Remember no dog is perfect, but we can do our best to promote healthy, athletic, and long lived dogs.

If you feel confused or overwhelmed about how to interpret any health screening results mentioned here, please reach out to us and we can help.

Temperament in dogs is often a matter of personal preference. We recommend spending time discussing what your breeder's personal definition of various behavior traits are, such as 'drive', 'soft', 'energy level', 'aloof', ect. Ask for examples. It's important to build a shared language so that expectations and preferences are understood before a puppy or litter is selected.

A good breeder should be interested in researching temperament of close family members and offspring to their breeding dogs. Ask your breeder what patterns of traits may exist in the family, both good and bad.

Not all breeders are proficient in reading their dogs, or may have a skewed interpretation of certain behavior. If possible, try to meet both parents of a litter yourself before deciding a puppy from that pairing is right for you.

Be wary of any breeder who is unable or unwilling to discuss flaws in their dogs. No dog is perfect and being able to identify a dog's weaknesses demonstrates transparency and knowledge of dog behavior.

Consider the day to day lifestyle of the dogs owned by your breeder and how it will compare with the lifestyle you intend for your own dog. Does the dog live inside the house? Does the dog get a significant amount of off leash exercise on property every day? Are there frequent strange visitors? Small children around? ect.

How similar are you and your breeder's expectations when it comes to living and working with dogs?

It should be easy and comfortable to communicate with your breeder. Thoughtful breeders will want to know a lot about your lifestyle, dog experience and your intentions. A good breeder should be interested in gathering feedback on all dogs they produce and should not just disappear after money has changed hands for a puppy.

You should feel comfortable notifying your breeder of any health or behavior issues throughout the life of your dog, without feeling judged, blamed or ignored.

If for any reason you need to find a new home for your dog, a good breeder should want to be notified and willing to assist in that process.