Health

Good health comes primarily from good genetics. In addition, proper diet, exercise and lifestyle can contribute or decline a dog's body.

At Red-Dawn, a Border Collie used as a breeding dog must have healthy hips, elbows, hearing and eyes: All my dog's hips are OFA certified Good or Excellent. Some are also PennHip tested in a Normal range. Some of my dogs elbows are OFA certified Normal. Most my dogs are BAER hearing tested and certified Normal, plus all my dogs eyes are CERF Normal each year. All my dog's have been thoughroughly evaluated by a vet for their heart, patellar, thyroid, blood CBC and overall health evaluation. I only breed dogs that are normal in all health tests.  Stud dogs I breed to, that I do not own, must minimally have their hips and eyes certified.

Overall good health is also a determining factor in breeding. I would NEVER breed a dog that I know has epilepsy, skin disorders, allergies, eye problems, dysplasia, deafness etc. or these conditions are known in the dog's line. I once sexually altered and placed a dog with demadectic mange to a performance home. I refuse to have a weak immune system in my lines. No dog I breed has seizures, has a skin disorder, no heart problems and none have PRA or CEA. I have dogs that have produced hip dysplasia. The dogs who produced multiple pups with RD are no longer in my breeding program, nor are their lines. About half of the dogs I own have produced a pup with a mild case of hip dysplasia. I do continue to breed these dogs since I know that NO LINE is immune from this condition and these dogs are benefiting the breed by reproducing.