Contract terms
Scope and duration of cover
Check the conditions covered, the duration of any contractual guarantee and its limits in the contract for your puppy. We do not use a genetic test as a promise that no health problem can occur.
Health and genetics
Health and genetics in the Australian Cobberdog
Our breeding programme uses pedigree records, veterinary assessment and genetic testing to plan matings. Every breeding dog undergoes CombiBreed H639 testing before joining the programme. Here we explain what those results can tell you and which documents to review before reserving.
The premise
Study the genetics before every mating
We use genetic results alongside the individual dog’s health and documented ancestry. Testing can identify particular variants relevant to a planned mating; its value depends on what was tested and how the findings are interpreted.
This needs saying plainly: genetic testing reduces certain known hereditary risks; it is not a guarantee of future health. Like any living being, a dog can develop conditions that no panel includes, multifactorial diseases, acquired problems or changes that cannot be predicted at the time of breeding. What depends on us is the way we work, and that is what we explain here. The rest of the programme, socialisation, the ethologist, the mothers' recovery periods, is on the page Our breeding.
The test
The H639 panel by CombiBreed for the Australian Cobberdog
The CombiBreed H639 panel includes tests relating to inherited conditions, genetic variants and traits, as well as measures of genetic diversity. All our breeding dogs undergo this panel before entering the programme. The report identifies the tests performed; a headline count cannot describe their significance or guarantee future health.
What it means when a dog is a "carrier"
For an autosomal recessive condition, a carrier has one copy of a particular variant and generally does not develop the associated condition. The result does not describe the dog’s overall health. Other modes of inheritance need different interpretation, so the laboratory’s explanation and veterinary assessment matter.
How we plan each litter
We review both parents’ results alongside their pedigrees and veterinary findings when planning a litter. The guide to clear, carrier and affected results explains the terminology and the limits of a genetic panel.
The pedigree
Genetic diversity: lines from Australia, Canada and the United States
Our breeding dogs come from MDBA lines in Australia, Canada and the United States. Geographic distance alone does not show how closely related two dogs are. We consider pedigree records and genetic information when assessing ancestry and planning matings.
Australian Cobberdog House is an MDBA member, breeder number 45027. The MDBA breeder check is the starting point for membership verification. Ask us separately about the parents’ records and the registration documents included with a particular puppy.
In writing
The guarantees set out in every contract
The conditions and guarantees applicable to your puppy are provided in writing before the sale. Read the contract before paying and ask about anything that is unclear. The points below help you review that documentation.
If a health concern arises
Veterinary advice and records
Seek veterinary advice and retain the reports. The contract sets out notification procedures and any supporting documentation required, without limiting applicable statutory consumer rights.
Certificate · before handover
Veterinary check and health certificate
Every puppy is examined by a vet before handover and comes with a health certificate, an EU pet passport where applicable, and the vaccinations that correspond to its age and destination.
Papers on the table
You can check it yourself
You can request an example genetic report and discuss the parents’ results with our veterinary team. Check the identity of the dog tested, the laboratory, the date and the variants included.
Testing for your own puppy can be requested. Its scope, any charge and expected turnaround should be confirmed before ordering; results may arrive after handover. A genetic report is not a complete health assessment.
In the long run
Planning for long-term care
Bringing a dog home is a long-term commitment. Plan for routine care, veterinary costs and support when you are away. We do not have a longevity study of our own lines on which to base a lifespan prediction for an individual puppy.
We do not hand over neutered puppies or require neutering in the contract. Whether and when to neuter should be discussed individually with your vet, rather than set by a universal age rule. The WSAVA guidelines review the benefits and risks; our article explains our policy.
Before departure
Veterinary care and preparation for travel
The vet sets vaccinations and parasite treatment according to the puppy’s age, health and destination. For a sale involving international travel, the official movement documents must also be checked. An ordinary health certificate does not replace the commercial movement certificate.
Our minimum handover age is three months; destination requirements can mean a later departure. We continue socialisation and age-appropriate care during that time. See Puppies for the process and International delivery for the distinction between commercial movement and private pet travel.
Show the documents
Ask for the genetic tests before you reserve
If you are considering an Australian Cobberdog, we recommend always asking for the parents' genetic tests and the conditions in writing before you reserve, from us or from any other breeder. If the puppy is ours, we show you the documents on WhatsApp without obligation.