The term pedigree is an old word derived from the French "pie de grue", meaning crane's foot. After more than six centuries, the tradition of using the pedigree continues to be the primary breeding tool of breeders based on the logic that when the frequency of a trait or disease occurs among several the ancestors it signals that something is likely to be heritable.

OFA serves as a central source of information for breeders and owners based on the standards for evaluation. See two useful tables for risk.

The basic principles associated with making improvements involves the quality of the information collected about the ancestors and how to use it.

More DNA tests have become available that makes breeding’s more certain. Listed are the disorders, breeds affected and the laboratories that will do the testing.

Learn how and why health problems haunt some breeds.