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Research by BreedTracker · CHIC requirements: OFA / CHIC program (chic.ofa.org), verified 2026-06-14, parent-club-set · Hip/elbow trends: Oberbauer, Keller & Famula 2017 (PLOS ONE 12:e0172918, CC BY 4.0)

Pre-breeding health testing · 42 breeds · CHIC-verified 2026

Pre-Breeding Health Testing by Dog Breed

CHIC-required health tests and estimated costs for 42 popular breeds, verified directly against chic.ofa.org in June 2026. Requirements are set by each breed's parent club. Sort by test count, AKC group, or estimated cost. Companion to the whelping complexity study.

42breeds with CHIC datachic.ofa.org, verified 2026
6most required testsDoberman Pinscher, Bernese Mountain Dog, +2
18breeds require DNA testin CHIC panel
42CHIC-verified breedsparent-club confirmed

Looking for whelping complexity and C-section rates? See the whelping and health data study.

CHIC test burden by breed

Required tests per breed

Number of CHIC-required health tests for each breed. Higher counts reflect more comprehensive parent-club requirements, not necessarily greater disease risk.

Full breed reference table

On the cost estimates: The dollar figures are rough planning estimates for completing a breed's full CHIC panel (OFA registration fees plus typical veterinary exam and specialist costs). Actual costs vary widely by region, clinic, and whether re-tests are needed, so treat them as ballparks, not quotes. The CHIC test requirements themselves are verified against chic.ofa.org.

Showing 42 of 42 breeds
Required tests
Doberman PinscherCHIC6
Bernese Mountain DogCHIC6
Cane CorsoCHIC6
WeimaranerCHIC6
Labrador RetrieverCHIC5
BeagleCHIC5
German Shorthaired PointerCHIC5
BoxerCHIC5
English Springer SpanielCHIC5
French BulldogCHIC4
Golden RetrieverCHIC4
Poodle (Miniature)CHIC4
RottweilerCHIC4
Cavalier King Charles SpanielCHIC4
Great DaneCHIC4
Siberian HuskyCHIC4
MastiffCHIC4
NewfoundlandCHIC4
Rhodesian RidgebackCHIC4
Shetland SheepdogCHIC4
German Shepherd DogCHIC3
Poodle (Standard)CHIC3
Toy PoodleCHIC3
BulldogCHIC3
Australian ShepherdCHIC3
Boston TerrierCHIC3
PomeranianCHIC3
HavaneseCHIC3
BrittanyCHIC3
PugCHIC3
VizslaCHIC3
Border CollieCHIC3
ChihuahuaCHIC3
CollieCHIC3
Basset HoundCHIC3
DachshundCHIC2
Pembroke Welsh CorgiCHIC2
Yorkshire TerrierCHIC2
Miniature SchnauzerCHIC2
Shih TzuCHIC2
Cocker SpanielCHIC2
MalteseCHIC2

42 breeds

Hip and elbow dysplasia trends

Dysplasia prevalence by breed

From Oberbauer, Keller & Famula 2017 (PLOS ONE 12:e0172918, CC BY 4.0), based on OFA records for 60 breeds from 1970 to 2015. Only breeds named explicitly in Tables 1 and 2 of the study are shown.

Selection bias disclosure (Oberbauer et al. 2017)

The Oberbauer et al. (2017) hip and elbow prevalence figures are drawn from the OFA's voluntary database and carry a selection bias, stated verbatim in the study's Limitations: "The data reflect only those dogs whose breeders and owners submitted radiographs for analysis by the OFA. An ideal data set would include hip and elbow evaluations for parents and all offspring for all the breeds." "A study by Paster et al. suggested that owners were more likely to submit for evaluation radiographs in which the hips appeared normal and that Rottweiler owners were more likely than Golden retriever owners to submit their radiographs." "The voluntary database analyzed in this study therefore only included information on dogs that were submitted; dogs that were never evaluated or those that were evaluated but for whom owners elected not to submit were not be captured." "Despite efforts by breed clubs and registry bodies to encourage more widespread use of radiographic screening, such as the implementation of the Breeder of Merit or Bred with Heart programs sponsored by the American Kennel Club, without mandatory participation, the data available in the OFA database are incomplete."

Frequently asked questions

What health tests does CHIC require before breeding?
CHIC (Canine Health Information Center) requirements are set by each breed's parent club and verified through the OFA. Required tests vary by breed but commonly include hip and elbow evaluations (OFA or PennHIP), eye exams (ACVO/CAER), cardiac evaluations, and breed-specific DNA tests. A dog earns a CHIC number when it has completed all required tests for its breed, regardless of the results. All tests and requirements listed on this page were verified directly against chic.ofa.org in June 2026.
How much does pre-breeding health testing cost?
Total costs for a full CHIC-required panel vary widely by breed and region, from approximately $115 to $1,355 based on OFA fee schedules and breed-club guidance. Breeds requiring only two or three tests (such as Dachshunds or Miniature Schnauzers) sit at the lower end. Breeds with comprehensive panels including specialized cardiac evaluations, multiple DNA tests, and orthopedic imaging (such as Doberman Pinschers or Boxers) are at the higher end. Actual fees depend on your veterinarian, diagnostic laboratory, and geographic location.
Which dog breeds require the most health tests before breeding?
Based on CHIC requirements verified as of June 2026, several breeds require six tests in their panel: Doberman Pinscher, Bernese Mountain Dog, Cane Corso, and Weimaraner. Doberman Pinschers require hip evaluation, advanced cardiac (echo and Holter), thyroid, von Willebrand's disease DNA, working aptitude evaluation, and eye exam. Bernese Mountain Dogs require AKC DNA profile, hip, elbow, eye, cardiac, and degenerative myelopathy DNA (both SOD1-A and SOD1-B). Requirements may change when parent clubs update their CHIC protocols.
What is the difference between a CHIC number and OFA health clearance?
An OFA health clearance is the result of a specific test, such as a hip evaluation graded Excellent, Good, or Fair. A CHIC number is a certificate issued by the Canine Health Information Center confirming that a dog has completed all of its breed's required OFA tests and consented to make the results public. A dog can earn a CHIC number even with abnormal results, as long as all required tests are performed and the owner opts into public disclosure. CHIC requirements are set by each breed's parent club and listed at chic.ofa.org.
Are the hip and elbow dysplasia prevalence figures accurate for all breeds?
The hip and elbow dysplasia prevalence figures on this page come from Oberbauer, Keller, and Famula 2017 (PLOS ONE 12:e0172918, CC BY 4.0), which analyzed OFA records for 60 breeds from 1970 to 2015. The study's own limitations section notes that the OFA database is voluntary: owners who suspect abnormal results are less likely to submit radiographs, which creates a downward selection bias. Actual population prevalence is likely higher than the figures shown. Only breeds explicitly named in the study's Tables 1 and 2 are included; this page does not publish hereditary-condition prevalence figures.

Methodology and sources

How this data was collected

Data integrity

This page does not publish hereditary-condition prevalence figures. All CHIC-required test lists were verified directly against chic.ofa.org. Cost figures are indicative estimates only, not clinical guidance.

CHIC requirements

Requirements are set by each breed's parent club and may change when clubs update their CHIC protocols. The data on this page was verified against chic.ofa.org on 2026-06-14. Always confirm current requirements directly with the OFA before making breeding decisions.

Companion study

This page is the companion to the whelping complexity and health data study, covering C-section rates and litter sizes for 140+ breeds drawn from Evans and Adams 2010, Borge et al. 2011, and Schrank et al. 2022.

Dog breed whelping complexity and health data

Data sources for this study
SourceCitation
OFA / CHIC programchic.ofa.org, per-breed pages
Oberbauer, Keller and Famula 2017CC BYPLOS ONE 12:e0172918

CHIC test lists retrieved 2026-06-14 directly from the OFA per-breed pages. Hip and elbow figures are from the published study: DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0172918.

CHIC-required health tests
CHIC (Canine Health Information Center) requirements were read directly from the OFA per-breed pages at chic.ofa.org on 2026-06-14. Only tests listed as CHIC-required by the parent club are included; OFA-tagged optional or elective tests beyond the stated count are excluded. “Health Elective” blocks are counted as the number of tests the parent club designates as required from within that group.
Requirements are set by each breed's parent club, not by the OFA itself. They may change when clubs update their CHIC protocols. Always verify current requirements directly at chic.ofa.org before making breeding decisions.
Estimated cost ranges
Cost ranges are estimated totals for completing a breed's full CHIC-required panel, derived from the OFA fee schedule and breed-club guidance. They represent indicative out-of-pocket ranges only. Actual fees vary by veterinarian, specialist type, diagnostic laboratory, and geographic location. DNA test prices from commercial laboratories (Embark, Wisdom, etc.) change frequently.
Hip and elbow dysplasia prevalence
Hip and elbow dysplasia prevalence figures come from Oberbauer AM, Keller GG, Famula TR. “Long-term genetic selection reduced prevalence of hip and elbow dysplasia in 60 dog breeds.” PLOS ONE 2017;12(2):e0172918. Published under CC BY 4.0. Per-breed percentages were read directly from Tables 1 (15 highest-CHD breeds) and 2 (15 lowest-CHD breeds) of the published paper. Only breeds explicitly named in those tables are shown. The study covers OFA records from 1970 to 2015 across 60 breeds.
Voluntary-submission bias applies to all figures: see the amber disclosure above the chart on this page. This page does not publish hereditary-condition prevalence figures.