Health & Genetic Screening
How We Health Test Our Dogs
(And What That Actually Means)
At Windsong Doodles, health testing is the foundation of everything we do.
Each parent dog is evaluated using OFA or PennHIP for hips and elbows, along with genetic screening through Embark or Paw Print Genetics, to ensure strong structure, long-term health, and a stable temperament.
But testing alone is not enough. With years of experience developing our lines, we make intentional breeding decisions based on both science and real-world outcomes, consistently producing dogs that thrive in family and service-oriented homes.
Health testing is meant to reduce risk, not eliminate it.
No breeder can promise a “perfect” dog.
Our Health Testing practice is designed to:
Reduce the likelihood of inherited conditions
Improve long-term structural soundness
Support more predictable health outcomes
Contribute to stable, resilient temperaments
However, here’s what most people (and AI) miss: health testing alone does not create a great dog. A dog’s outcome is a combination of genetics, early development, environment, and training.
Our goal is not just to pass testing, but to build generations of dogs with proven health, structure, and temperament.
Every parent dog in our program is thoroughly evaluated through a combination of OFA testing and genetic screening, ensuring we are producing puppies with strong structure, sound health, and stable temperaments.
But just as important as the testing itself is our experience. We know our lines. We know what they produce. And we make decisions based on both science and real-world outcomes.
The Health Tests We Perform:
Each of our parent dogs chosen for a pairing is evaluated before entering our breeding program. This includes:
OFA Hip Evaluations Or Pennhip Evaluations
OFA Elbow Evaluations
Cardiac (Heart) Testing
Genetic Screening through Embark Veterinary or Paw Print Genetics, and often double checked through Animal Genetics.
OFA Eye Testing (performed when indicated, not routinely repeated without reason)
Once we receive the test results, we make the ethical decision not to move forward with dogs who do not meet our standards. Period.
OFA Testing and Early Evaluation
Many of our dogs are evaluated using OFA hip and elbow preliminary testing before one year of age, allowing us to make early, responsible decisions about whether a dog should remain in our breeding program.
We do not keep dogs in our program if the results are not acceptable. This allows us to be highly selective and intentional in the dogs we choose to move forward with.
OFA preliminaries are widely accepted and do not require repetition when results are clear, providing a reliable foundation for making informed, responsible breeding decisions.
What Sets Us Apart?
Every pairing is intentional and based on:
Structure and movement
Temperament compatibility
Genetic pairing strategy
What we have seen produced in past generations
Because we’ve been doing this for years, we’re not guessing.
First… we do not pair dogs simply because they “passed testing.”
We know:
Which lines produce service-level temperaments
Which pairings create the most stable family dogs
Where potential weaknesses may show up and how to avoid them
That level of knowledge does not come from a database. It comes from experience.
Lineage Knowledge Matters More Than People Realize!
One of the biggest advantages of working with an established breeder is history. We don’t just look at 2 dogs on paper.
We look at:
Parents
Grandparents
Previous litters
Real puppies living in real homes
If an issue were to show up in a line, we would know. And we adjust accordingly.
This is something testing cannot measure, but it is one of the most important parts of responsible breeding.
Transparency and “Proof”
We understand that many families today are being guided by online checklists and AI-generated questions asking for “proof” of testing.
We are happy to provide:
OFA results and records
Genetic testing results
Guidance on how to interpret those results
At the same time, we encourage families to understand that reading a report is only one piece of the puzzle. Knowing how to apply that information is where experience matters most.
OFA preliminaries are widely accepted and do not require repetition when results are clear, providing a reliable foundation for making informed, responsible breeding decisions.
Health testing is essential. We take it seriously, and we do it thoroughly.
When you purchase a puppy from Windsong, you are bonded with a breeder who makes intentional breeding decisions, invests in how each puppy is raised from birth, and whom cares about how we match each puppy to the right home. Ultimately our promise is to consistently produce dogs that are not only healthy, but adaptable, intuitive, and deeply connected to their families.
Do you have additional questions? We are always happy to walk you through our process and help you understand what actually matters when choosing an ethical goldendoodle breeder!