DASHaHOUND Cord 1 PRA and NCL tests all of its breeding dogs.  These are the possible results:   Possible results using DNA test N= Normal (Clear) Homozygous for normal gene, so will never develop the disease C= Carrier Carries one disease gene, but will never develop the disease A= Affected Homozygous for disease gene and will develop the disease What this means: N = Normal or Clear.  The dog has two normal alleles and is free of the defect.  These are the only category dogs DASHaHOUND will sell for show or breeding. C = Carrier.  The dog has one normal allele and one affected allele.  These dogs will never have symptoms and are sold on as pet/companions on a strict spay and neuter agreement, not for breeding.  Some pet/companion dogs may also be N. A = Affected.  If  DASHaHOUND buys a puppy which tests A they will keep the puppy for life or adopt it to a knowing family with full disclosure.  This dog will likely develop the disease in some form at some point in its life.  DASHaHOUND will not create an Affected puppy since, in all cases at least one of the dogs bred will be clear. While DASHaHOUND will no longer buy a dog which has not been tested NCL and PRA clear.  We received the results of testing all existing dogs.  We were fortunate that all of our males tested CLEAR for both PRA and NCL, our females tested CLEAR for NCL and only two tested CARRIER  for PRA.  From time to time we add dogs to our breeding mix and their test results are published on their home page.  RESPONSIBLE breeding is NOT to discard all non clear dogs.  See the article DON'T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER:  http://www.rugerdachshunds.com/babybathwater.html.  Instead, what we will do is to breed a carier dog to a normal/clear dog.  The carrier dog would then be sold according to the status above.  The litter would be tested and used for breeding stock or sold as pet/companion based on the test results.  See the chart below for the possible outcomes.  Note the top row, where parent 1 is Normal/clear produces no affected dogs, only Normal and Carriers.  In this way we can keep the desireable Phenotypes (visible characteristics) of our dogs and slowly eliminate all of the testable negative health genes.  The same is possible even with an affected dog, it just takes one more generation and more litter testing. Breeding any non clear dog requires complete testing of the entire litter and then sorting those into breeding and non-breeding puppies.  Since we have no control over the puppies once we sell them, DASHaHOUND will ONLY SELL normal/clear dogs for breeding.   Ultimately we will breed all of our dogs to clear.   As new tests become avalable we will continue to test and breed to clear for all known genetic diseases.  THERE ARE NO PERFECT DOGS AND NO PERFECT GENETICS.  ALL DOGS CONTAIN SOME LETHAL GENES.  HOW YOU MANAGE THE PAIRING OF THE DOGS YOU BREED MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.  YOU ARE EITHER MAKING THE LINES BETTER OR WORSE, THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND.   Parent 1 Genotype Parent 2     Genotype Normal Carrier Affected Normal All = Normal 1/2 = Normal 1/2 = Carriers All = Carriers Carrier 1/2 = Normal 1/2 = Carriers 1/4 = Normal 1/2 = Carriers 1/4 = Affected 1/2 = Carriers 1/2 = Affected Affected All = Carriers 1/2 = Carriers 1/2 = Affected All = Affected