USING THE OFA DURING YOUR PUPPY SEARCH

TThe OFA - or Orthopedic Foundation for Animals is a fantastic organization that can really help you in your puppy search. Whether you are searching for a healthy Cavalier King Charles Spaniel or a related hybrid, don't neglect to check the OFA for information on your puppies parents. Here's what you need to know:

OFA VERSUS AKC - WHO DOES WHAT? - There is a huge difference between the AKC and the OFA. The AKC is the American Kennel Club. This organization is responsible for keeping the registry of purebred dogs in the United States. The fact that a dog is registered with the AKC means nothing more than the fact that it was born of two purebred dogs who are also registered. While purebred parents is important (even in hybrids as the point is an intentional cross of two purebred dogs), it is not an indicator of health, solid DNA or anything else. In fact, there are many AKC registered dogs that are the result of overbreeding, are unhealthy and who don't meet the breed standard as recognized by the organization. 

​On the other hand, the OFA is now the repository for both DNA and medical testing of dogs. Although initially this only applied to orthopedic type testing (hips, patellas), they have expanded their mission “to improve the health and well-being of companion animals through a reduction in the incidence of genetic disease.”

HOW CAN I USE THE OFA IN MY PUPPY SEARCH? - In order to use the OFA to search your potential puppies genetic and medical history, you first need the full name or registry number for both parents. Anyone selling purebred Cavaliers will have this readily available. Those breeding F1 Cavachons and Cavapoos may also be able to provide you with this information. Registry numbers can also be pulled from AKC pedigrees, as can full names. If your Cavalier breeder refuses to provide you this information, this is a potential red flag. If a hybrid breeder doesn't have the information, it's worth a conversation to make sure they are DNA testing their breeding stock as well as having them screened for health issues such as hearts, hips, eyes and patellas.

Once you have the information, proceed to www.ofa.org and follow the instructions below: 

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• Enter the name of the Dam (mother). As an example, enter one of our puppies - Chavez's Daniel Island KoKo. The database will search for the animal and pull up her record. If there is more than one dog with this name you may have to look at the breed to ensure you are looking at the correct dog. Click on the dogs name for all records on that dog. Once you are viewing the record you should do the following: 
• Make sure the description of the animal matches the photos you've been shown of the Dam. Scammers and puppy mills have been known to have one registered dog so they can say their animals are "OFA certified" when in fact they just give the same information out for each litter. Make sure the information you are seeing matches the story you've been told and the photos of the mom with her litter. In our example, you should see that KoKo is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and she's a Black & Tan. 
• Check the dogs birthdate on the registry, this is a great way to make sure a breeder isn't breeding too early (this depends on the breed but should never be under 1 year and should be 2+ when breeding a purebred litter of Cavaliers due to heart screenings).
• Look at the DNA testing (under TEST RESULTS) of the dog and make sure they've been tested for everything related to their breed. In our example you can see that KoKo has been tested for all conditions common to Cavaliers including Dry Eye / Curly Coat, DM, Episodic Falling and Muscular Dystrophy. Some other tests may appear based on breeder preferences. You want to make sure that the dog is CLEAR/NORMAL for DNA conditions. If the dog is a carrier for a condition, this is okay so long as the other parent is clear from that condition. To be sure, it's wise to print out both parents and do a comparison. In our example, KoKo is clear of all DNA issues so this isn't necessary.
• If a dog does not have DNA testing, it may be because they were born to parents or grandparents who were 100% clear. Below we will explain how to determine this. 

• In addition to DNA tests, the OFA is also a registry for other medical testing including the most common which are hearts, hips, patellas and eyes. All Cavaliers should have regular heart testing. This is non-negotiable. These results will also appear under "tests" and will state what type of test was performed. In this category you are looking to make sure the dog has a good or normal result for the most recent tests. In our example, KoKo is too young for advanced heart testing (age 1 is first test) so it does not appear. It should appear in any dog being bred. 
• The other great thing about the OFA registry is that it links related dogs so once you have found the parent of your puppy, you can also determine if their parents are registered and look at their health history as well. This is important as some breeders might explain they don't need to DNA test the parents because they both come from DNA clear lines. The OFA registry helps you determine if this is in fact true. You can also look at siblings, half-siblings, grandparents and others to get a good indication of the bloodlines you are buying. 

We hope this post was helpful in explaining how the OFA can be a great resource for anyone looking to invest in a properly bred puppy. In future posts, we will break down both DNA and OFA testing results by Cavalier, Cavachon and Cavapoo as well. Please feel free to email us if you have any questions on the search for your perfect pet.