Genetic testing
Orivet Genetic Testing for Australian Labradoodles in Anderson, Indiana
Every parent in our program has a full DNA panel through Orivet before they are bred. The panel does two jobs. It screens for inherited diseases, and it tells us what coats and colors a pairing can produce.
What did our dogs' panels show?
| Dog | Disease panel | Coat | Color |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReeseMom | Clear | Furnished, wavy | Sable that looks tricolor, roan |
| StrawberryMom | Clear | Furnished, straight fleece | Red, carries roan |
| RyderDad | Clear | Furnished, wavy | Chocolate tricolor, ticked |
| SargeDad, not currently active | Clear | Furnished, curly | Chocolate parti, roan |
Sarge was tested through Paw Print Genetics, which is now part of Orivet. Every gene result for every dog is listed on our Moms and Dads page.
What do clear, carrier, and affected mean?
Clear
The dog has no copies of the gene that causes the disease. It cannot pass it on.
Carrier
The dog has one copy. It stays healthy, but it can pass that copy to some of its puppies.
Affected
The dog has two copies. It can get the disease, and we will not breed it.
So why would we ever breed a carrier? A carrier paired with a clear dog cannot produce an affected puppy. The risk only shows up when two carriers of the same disease are paired. We check every pairing for that before it happens.
What do the color genes tell you?
The same swab shows which colors each dog carries, even the ones you cannot see. That is how we can tell you what a litter will look like before it is born.
For each pairing, we use these results to predict the colors in the litter, and whether the puppies can carry roan or ticking. You can see the color predictions for our next litters on our available puppies page.
Every one of our parents has two copies of the furnishings gene. In other words, every puppy gets the beard and eyebrows, and the low-shedding coat that goes with them.
Which diseases are on the panel?
The Orivet panel checks for dozens of inherited conditions. These are the ones families ask about most.
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
The retina slowly breaks down. It starts with night blindness and ends in full blindness.
Degenerative myelopathy (DM)
A disease of the spinal cord in older dogs. The back legs weaken over time.
Exercise-induced collapse (EIC)
After hard exercise, the dog loses control of its back legs and can collapse.
Von Willebrand disease
The blood does not clot the way it should. Surgery and injuries bleed more than normal.
Centronuclear myopathy (CNM)
A muscle disease that shows up in young puppies as weakness and poor exercise tolerance.
Copper toxicosis
Copper builds up in the liver over time and damages it.
All four of our parents came back clear on their panels. Their full results are on our Moms and Dads page.
What are the odds when you pair two dogs?
Each puppy gets one copy of every gene from mom and one from dad. That makes the math simple.
| Pairing | Clear puppies | Carrier puppies | Affected puppies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clear × clear | All | None | None |
| Clear × carrier | About half | About half | None |
| Carrier × carrier | About 1 in 4 | About 2 in 4 | About 1 in 4 |
That last row is the one we never allow. It is the whole reason we test before we breed.
Questions families ask about genetic testing
Does a clear panel guarantee a healthy puppy?
No test can promise that. A clear panel means your puppy cannot inherit the diseases on that list. It does not cover injuries or illnesses that are not genetic. That is why we pair DNA testing with OFA testing and a 2-year health guarantee.
Should I test my puppy myself?
You can, but you do not need to for health. With two clear parents, a puppy cannot be affected by anything on the panel. Some families test anyway because they enjoy seeing the color genes.
Do the color genes affect health?
Not the ones in our dogs. Roan, ticking, sable, and tricolor are about looks. We do not breed for merle, which can carry health risks when two merle dogs are paired. All four of our parents test non-merle.
What does furnished mean?
Furnishings are the beard, mustache, and eyebrows you think of on a doodle. Dogs with two copies of the gene also tend to shed much less. Every one of our parents has two copies, so every puppy will be furnished.
How does the test work?
We rub a swab on the inside of the dog's cheek and mail it to Orivet. Results come back in about two to three weeks. A dog's DNA does not change, so one test covers its whole life.
Genetic testing covers what is written in the DNA. It does not show how hips, elbows, or eyes actually turned out. That is what OFA testing is for, and you can see those results on our health testing page.
Want to see the reports?
All of our testing is posted on our Moms and Dads page. Have a question about a result? Call us at 317-608-9260 or email wallsfamilydoodles@gmail.com.