Here at Ridgy Didge we obtain DNA testing of our dogs prior to breeding. In this way, we know the DNA status of all our breeding dogs and are confident in the genetic health of the puppies they produce. This is really very important to us, for both our puppies and owners, and potentially the health and welfare of the Cobberdog as a breed. Why is that?
When inherited diseases are passed from one generation to the next, they are often not apparent until years later. Dogs may be 'carriers’ for a disease without ever developing the disease, which means they carry only one copy of the faulty gene for the disease. This is common and absolutely no problem for a pet because they will never be affected by the disease.
The danger lies in not knowing a dog is a carrier, and breeding a carrier with another carrier of the same disease. Unless genetic testing is done on all breeding dogs, 25% of puppies born of two carrier dogs will have two copies of the faulty gene and will be affected, though the disease may not show up for years. This can cause a lot of suffering for the dog and the dog's family. For example, Progressive Rod Cone Disease (PRA) is a genetic disease that doesn't manifest until 3-5 years of age, when a dog progressively becomes blind. Imagine the shock and disappointment for the owner of the dog, that they believed to be a healthy pup.
As responsible breeders, Ridgy Didge Australian Cobberdogs is committed to having all the necessary DNA testing, to ensure all matings produce genetically healthy puppies. This is a lengthy and expensive process, but we put great importance on making sure our puppies will be free of all hereditary diseases for which we can test.
If you would like to adopt a Ridgy Didge Australian Cobberdog, please read our Adopting a Puppy information, before you continue the adoption process. For more information, pm us on Facebook, or contact us at our website. Like and follow us on Facebook to keep up to date with ongoing puppy news and announcements.