Health Testing

Our Commitment to Genetic Transparency

Every single dog in our breeding program is fully genetically tested through Embark Veterinary, the gold standard in canine DNA testing. We test for over 200 genetic health conditions, coat colors, and traits — because we believe you deserve to know exactly what you're getting when you bring home a Tired Chef puppy.

What Makes Us Different

Most breeders test for a handful of conditions. We test for everything. Every dog in our program has a complete Embark profile covering 200+ health markers, full color genotype, coefficient of inbreeding (COI), and breed composition. We use this data to plan every pairing carefully, prioritizing the health of every puppy we produce.

What We Test For

Here are the key health conditions we screen across our entire program:

IVDD / Chondrodystrophy

IVDD is the #1 health concern in Dachshunds. Nearly all miniature dachshunds carry two copies of this gene — it's a breed characteristic, not a defect. What matters is knowing each dog's status so we can make the best pairing decisions. Our dam Peach is IVDD clear, meaning her puppies carry one copy at most — a rare advantage.

1 Clear (Peach) 3 Single Copy 8 Standard (typical for breed)

PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy)

PRA causes gradual vision loss. We screen for both crd4/cord1 and PRA5 variants. We never pair two carriers together — guaranteeing no affected puppies.

8 Clear 4 Carriers

Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)

DM affects the spinal cord in older dogs, causing progressive weakness. Only one dog in our program carries DM, and we always pair her with clear sires.

11 Clear 1 Carrier

Copper Toxicosis

This condition causes copper to accumulate in the liver. Dogs identified as at-risk are monitored by our vet and paired thoughtfully to minimize risk in offspring.

9 Clear 3 Monitor

Full Program Health Summary

Here's a transparent look at the health status of every dog in our active breeding program:

Dog	Sex	IVDD	PRA	DM	Copper	Merle	COI
Peach ★	F	Clear	Clear	Clear	Clear	No	9.0%
Mara	F	Single Copy	crd4	Clear	Clear	M*m	8.6%
Jaina	F	Single Copy	Clear	Clear	Clear	M*m	8.0%
Leia Organa Solo	F	Standard	Clear	Clear	Clear	No	32.6%
Talon	F	Standard	crd4	Carrier	Clear	No	10.4%
Lady Tano	F	Single Copy	crd4	Clear	Monitor	No	7.7%
Sabine	F	Standard	Clear	Clear	Clear	No	9.2%
Shin	F	Standard	crd4	Clear	Clear	No	10.3%
Zelda	F	Standard	Clear	Clear	Monitor	M*m	11.1%
Skywalker	M	Standard	Clear	Clear	Clear	No	35.4%
Bowser	M	Standard	Clear	Clear	Monitor	No	13.7%
Link	M	Standard	PRA5	Clear	Clear	M*m	9.0%

Program-Wide Clear Results

All 12 dogs in our program are clear for: MDR1 Drug Sensitivity, NCL1 & NCL2, MPS IIIA, Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Limb-Girdle MD, Narcolepsy, Von Willebrand Disease (all types), Factor VII/VIII/IX/XI, SCID (all variants), and Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency.

Why This Matters For Your Puppy

200+

Health Tests Per Dog

Every dog is screened for over 200 genetic health conditions through Embark's comprehensive panel.

12/12

Dogs Fully Tested

100% of our breeding program is tested. No exceptions, no shortcuts.

Affected Puppies Expected

We carefully plan every pairing using genetic data to ensure no puppies are affected by preventable conditions.

What You Receive

Every Tired Chef puppy comes with a genetic health summary based on the parents' Embark results. This tells you exactly what health conditions your puppy may carry, what they're clear for, and what their coat color genetics look like. We believe in full transparency — because an informed buyer is a happy buyer.