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kandkchihuahuas
574-524-6574
A graceful, alert, swift-moving compact little dog with saucy expression, and with terrier-like qualities of temperament
WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO
We take raising chihuahuas very seriously and only want to produce the healthiest pups that fit the AKC criteria. Breeding and raising Chihuahuas is a fascinating and fun adventure. But it comes with great responsibilities. When purchasing a puppy from us, you aren't only getting a puppy, you're getting a spoiled, socialized, fully vetted puppy that comes from amazing AKC health tested lines. Its very important to us that every customer is fully satisfied and taken care of and get their dream puppy! Although Chihuahuas are generally healthy, there are some genetic diseases that do effect the breed.
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Why Is Health Testing So Important?
Why is health testing so important?
Health testing is extremely important in any breed! There are many breeders who skip this step and many genetic and physical diseases that can be underlying and cause a long line of issues in the long run. Making sure your breeding stock is fully cleared of any physical or genetic diseases should be any breeders goal to ensure they're only producing the healthiest pups who can live the longest, happiest lives.
You can learn so many things about your dog in this process too depending on what kinds of testing you do! Genetic testing not only clears over 200 genetic diseases, but it shares fun facts about your kiddo such as their traits, breed, and ancestry!
Health testing for dogs before breeding is a fundamental step in responsible dog breeding.
Health testing ensures the transmission of good health to future generations and reduces the risk of hereditary conditions. By incorporating DNA testing, evaluating joint health, assessing eyes and heart, and conducting regular health checks, breeders can make informed decisions for the well-being of their breeding dogs.
Health testing is much more than just a trip to the vet! Health testing requires very specific exams and sometimes specific specialists! This can get very expensive which is why you pay more for a puppy from health tested lines.
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Please note! Even though we do all required health testing and take every single precaution, this doesn't always necessarily mean your puppy will be cleared for these things as an adult. Sometimes injuries happen that can cause loose knees, especially in more active dogs, or as a dog gets older, it could develop a heart disease, cataracts, etc. This doesn't mean these things are genetic! We always do our best to prevent this but all dogs are different and just like us humans, things happen with age!
What Health Testing do we do?
Our dogs have had all kinds of health testing completed! We test through multiple companies for for not only health purposes, but for a wide variety of things. Below, each one is explained along with references for further reading! We love to be able to predict what we may get in our litters, or we may be after something specific for you! Thankfully, there are multiple testing companies out there that can tell you just what your chihuahua is and carries! This is of course not 100% predictable. But its always a pretty good guess!!
Embark offers many amazing things! But the main thing is thee over 200 genetic diseases they test for! We've used Embark for many years and always recommend it to even our pet parents! Its a very fun way to get to learn your new baby along clearing them for any genetic diseases.
UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Labratory is another non-profit organization that offers many highly accurate testing. We specifically use this for our merles. Its important to go the extra mile with your merles! Their genetics can be a little more complicated and its very important to make sure you are breeding their genetics correctly! There is a lot to understand about merles and this should always be researched before breeding them!
The Orthopedic Foundation for Animal is a non-profit organization that provides a system for the certification for knees, elbows, eyes, and many genetic diseases. It helps keep track of any health tested dogs and helps breeders narrow down any genetic or physical flaws that may be appearing. All of our kids are certified through OFA and records are publicly available on their sit to anyone!
Once our adults have completed all required health testing, they receive their CHIC#
"The Canine Health Information Center, also known as CHIC, is a centralized canine health database jointly sponsored by the AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). CHIC, working with participating parent clubs, provides a resource for breeders and owners of purebred dogs to research and maintain information on the health issues prevalent in specific breeds."
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Health
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Education
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Accountability
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Responsibility
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Tradition
"Breeders that participate in the AKC Bred with H.E.A.R.T. program pledge to uphold the program values of health, education, accountability, responsibility, and tradition."
