DNA Testing vs. OFA Screening for Bernedoodles: What Each Tells You

DNA testing and OFA screening are often mentioned together, but they do not measure the same thing. DNA tests look for specific genetic variants included in a laboratory panel. OFA screening includes clinical evaluations such as hip and elbow radiographs, and its databases publish health results. For Bernedoodle parents, the useful question is not which one is better. It is what health information is relevant for these particular dogs.

What DNA Testing Can Tell You

A DNA report may classify a dog as clear, a carrier, or affected for a specific tested condition. These results can help a breeder plan a pairing when the inheritance pattern is understood. The report only covers the variants included in that test. It cannot predict every disease, injury, or future health outcome.

What OFA and Clinical Screening Can Tell You

OFA receives and evaluates health-screening results, including radiographs used for hip or elbow assessment. The screening answers a clinical question about the dog’s structure or condition. The type of evaluation, dog’s age, and published result matter. Check the actual record and make sure it identifies the parent you are researching.

The CHIC program collects results for recommended tests and makes them easier for buyers to locate. A CHIC number means the program’s testing requirements were completed and results made public. It does not automatically mean each result was normal, so review the entries individually.

Why Breeders Consider Both

Some inherited conditions have an available DNA test, while others are screened through clinical evaluation or family history. A responsible breeder uses appropriate methods for the risks under consideration and explains any limitations. Ask how the results influenced the pairing rather than accepting a badge or broad claim without records.

Questions to Ask

• Which specific conditions were tested or screened?
• Who performed the test, and can I verify the result?
• Does the report apply to the exact parent dog?
• How does each parent’s result work together in this pairing?
• What health concerns cannot be ruled out by these tests?

Ask for a Pairing Example

Ask the breeder to walk through one specific result from each parent and explain what it means for the pairing. For a DNA test with a known recessive inheritance pattern, the outcome depends on the combination of variants from both parents. That example should be based on the actual report and condition, not a blanket statement that one dog is “clear.”

For an orthopedic screening, ask what the images evaluated, how the result was graded, and how that information fits with relatives and the other parent. A DNA panel cannot replace a joint evaluation, and a normal hip evaluation does not answer every genetic question. Keep the discussion tied to the test’s scope.

Compare the Questions Each Report Answers

A DNA report asks whether the sample has the variants included in a particular test. A hip radiograph asks about the joint being imaged and evaluated. An eye examination asks a different clinical question again. A useful health-testing plan chooses the right method for each concern rather than counting the number of names on a panel.

• For DNA testing, ask for the condition, tested variant, laboratory and inheritance pattern.
• For clinical screening, ask for the examination type, evaluator, date and published result.
• For either method, confirm that the report identifies the actual parent dog.
• Ask what each result contributes to this specific pairing and what remains unknown.

The Journal’s OFA overview introduces clinical screening. Our parent-record checklist gives you a practical way to collect the details without mixing different tests into one “passed” label.

Understand a Recessive Example Without Overgeneralizing

For a condition caused by a well-understood autosomal recessive variant, a carrier generally has one copy of the tested variant. Interpreting risk for a litter requires considering both parents and the particular condition. Ask the laboratory or veterinarian to explain the actual result; do not apply one condition’s pattern to every genetic disease.

“Clear” also needs context. It may mean the tested variant was not detected, which does not prove the absence of every variant that could affect the same organ system. A large panel can be useful, but its size alone does not show that it addresses every relevant risk for the parent dogs. Ask why the chosen tests are appropriate.

Keep Coat Genetics Separate From Disease Screening

A report may include coat or color traits alongside disease-related variants. Those results can help describe possibilities, but a color result is not a health clearance. Review the disease section separately and ask for the clinical screening records too. Our litter planning guide explains how appearance goals belong within a broader pairing decision.

The Guide’s coat genetics article and generation label resource provide useful background. Neither a generation label nor a builder selection should be used as a shortcut for reviewing health records.

Ask About the Puppy’s Ongoing Care

Even a thoroughly documented pairing leaves ordinary puppy care to plan: preventive visits, appropriate nutrition, safe activity and attention to changes. Keep the parents’ reports with the puppy’s records, and bring questions to the first veterinary appointment.

For orthopedic concerns, the joint health article connects background information with daily care. For choosing between litters, the Guide’s breeder-question resource keeps the discussion grounded in documents, realistic expectations and the needs of your household.