Health claims should be specific enough to verify.
Health testing cannot promise a perfect dog. It gives us better information before a breeding decision is made — and the records behind those decisions should be available for families to review. Harbinger’s Orivet DNA results, OFA records and cardiac screening documentation are available for review.
Testing reduces uncertainty. It does not eliminate it.
No breeder can guarantee that a living animal will never develop illness or disease. Genetics, environment, development, nutrition, injury, veterinary care and factors we cannot yet measure all influence health. Responsible breeding means using the information available to reduce avoidable risk and make more informed choices.
Test specifically.
“Vet checked” and “DNA tested” are broad statements. We identify the specific genetic tests and health evaluations being used.
Review both parents.
A litter receives genetic material from both sides of the pedigree. Health information must therefore be considered for both sire and dam.
Use the result.
A laboratory report has little value if it does not influence the breeding decision. Testing provides information; judgment determines what happens next.
Five documented health evaluations.
Harbinger’s current breeding-health protocol includes two forms of Progressive Retinal Atrophy DNA testing, Myotonia Congenita DNA testing, an OFA eye examination and cardiac echocardiographic screening.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy
A DNA test for a known inherited form of progressive retinal degeneration. Results identify the tested dog’s status for the specific genetic variant evaluated.
The result is considered with the proposed mate so the breeder can manage inherited risk rather than simply label an individual dog as “good” or “bad.”
Second PRA Evaluation
“PRA tested” can refer to only one genetic variant. Miniature Schnauzers have more than one recognized inherited retinal concern for which genetic information may be available.
Buyers should be able to identify what was actually tested rather than rely on the broad statement that a dog was simply “genetically clear.”
Myotonia Congenita
Myotonia Congenita is an inherited muscular disorder associated with abnormal muscle relaxation and stiffness.
Genetic status is evaluated before pairing dogs so inheritance risk can be considered as part of the breeding decision.
OFA Eye Examination
A hands-on ophthalmic examination evaluates the eyes for abnormalities that cannot be assessed through a DNA test alone.
Harbinger submits qualifying eye examination information through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. Applicable OFA records are available for families to review.
Cardiac Echocardiography
Echocardiography uses ultrasound to visualize cardiac anatomy and function, including chambers, valves, wall motion and other structural findings that cannot be evaluated simply by listening to the heart.
Harbinger’s cardiac echocardiograms are documented evaluations performed in-house, and the screening records are available for review. These examinations are cardiac screening evaluations and are not currently represented as OFA cardiac certifications.
Screening and certification are not the same thing.
We would rather describe an evaluation accurately than make a stronger claim than the documentation supports.
Harbinger performs cardiac echocardiographic imaging in-house. The examinations are performed by an ARDMS-registered diagnostic sonographer with approximately 25 years of clinical diagnostic imaging experience.
These examinations provide documented ultrasound information about cardiac anatomy and function, including chambers, valves, wall motion and other structural findings. The resulting cardiac screening records are maintained by Harbinger and are available for families to review.
These examinations are cardiac screening evaluations and are not currently represented as OFA cardiac certifications.
The records are available.
We do not ask families to rely only on the statement that our dogs are “health tested.” Harbinger maintains documentation supporting the health evaluations used within the breeding program.
Our Orivet DNA testing reports, applicable OFA records and cardiac screening documentation are available for review. Families considering a Harbinger puppy are encouraged to ask about the sire and dam of the planned breeding and review the health information behind that pairing.
We believe transparency is more useful than a badge or checklist. The purpose of testing is not simply to accumulate reports — it is to use those results when making breeding decisions.
- Registered name of the tested dog
- Identification or registration information when provided
- Name of the laboratory or evaluator
- Date the evaluation was completed
- Actual laboratory or examination result
- Applicable OFA records
- Documentation for both sire and dam
- Explanation of how the results affected the breeding decision
“Health tested” should begin the conversation — not end it.
A long DNA panel is not automatically a complete breeding-health program. A routine veterinary examination is not the same as a specialized health evaluation. And a health guarantee is not a substitute for thoughtful breeding decisions before the litter exists.
The more useful questions are: What was evaluated? Was it relevant to this breed? Were both parents evaluated? Are the records current? Can I see them? And how did the results influence this particular breeding?
Health testing is risk management — not a promise of perfection.
Responsible breeding cannot remove every uncertainty from a living animal. It can identify known risks, document available information, avoid preventable combinations and make breeding decisions with more knowledge than guesswork alone.
Look beyond the words “health tested.”
We encourage families to ask questions, review documentation and understand what each evaluation does — and does not — tell us.