Crown & Collar Institute recognition is documentation-based and review-based.
This page explains the types of health testing, DNA review, veterinary documentation, and breed-specific records that may support Crown & Collar Institute review.
Health testing is not one single test. Responsible review may include DNA-based pairing review, veterinary care records, orthopedic evaluation, cardiac review, eye examination, respiratory and airway assessment, reproductive history, temperament records, and breed-specific screening where applicable.
We’re not for everyone. That’s intentional.
DNA-Based Pairing Review
Crown & Collar Institute expects breeders seeking recognition to complete a credible DNA-based health, trait, and pairing review before breeding.
The intended sire and dam should be compared for inherited disease risk, carrier status, trait outcomes, coat or color possibilities where relevant, genetic diversity, and COI/eCOI where available.
Accepted documentation may include:
- DNA health reports
- DNA trait reports
- Carrier status summaries
- Sire and dam comparison reports
- Genetic diversity or COI/eCOI information where available
- Veterinary genetic review notes where available
- Written pairing-risk explanation
- Written pairing rationale
Important: DNA testing does not guarantee healthy puppies and does not replace veterinary care, OFA/CHIC screening where available, orthopedic evaluation, cardiac evaluation, eye examination, airway or respiratory review, patella testing, thyroid testing, breed-specific veterinary screening, or professional guidance.
Orthopedic Hip Documentation
Crown & Collar Institute accepts either OFA Hip Evaluation or PennHIP documentation for hip review where available.
PennHIP is strongly recommended where available because it provides a distraction index that may help evaluate hip joint laxity and support earlier, data-based breeding decisions. OFA Hip Evaluation remains an accepted orthopedic documentation pathway.
Accepted documentation may include:
- OFA Hip Evaluation
- PennHIP results
- Veterinary orthopedic notes
- Movement or gait observations
- Structural review notes
- Specialist evaluation where available
Important: PennHIP and OFA evaluate hip health using different methods and should not be represented as identical tests. Crown & Collar Institute may accept either pathway as orthopedic documentation. Neither test guarantees perfect hips or automatically clears a dog for breeding.
Additional Orthopedic Review
Depending on breed and structure, Crown & Collar Institute may review additional orthopedic documentation.
Accepted documentation may include:
- Elbow evaluation records
- Patella evaluation records
- Spine notes where applicable
- Shoulder, pastern, rear assembly, or movement notes where applicable
- Veterinary orthopedic records
- Functional movement observations
- Photos or videos where appropriate for review context
Cardiac Documentation
Crown & Collar Institute may review cardiac documentation as part of breed health and breeding suitability review.
Accepted documentation may include:
- Veterinary cardiac exam
- OFA cardiac records where available
- Specialist cardiac evaluation where available
- Echocardiogram or advanced cardiac testing where appropriate
- Written notes regarding murmurs, rhythm concerns, or cardiac history
Eye Documentation
Crown & Collar Institute may review eye health documentation, especially for breeds with known or suspected eye concerns.
Accepted documentation may include:
- Veterinary eye examination
- OFA CAER / ACVO-style eye screening where available
- Specialist ophthalmology records where available
- Entropion, ectropion, irritation, corneal, eyelid, tear, or breed-relevant eye notes
- Surgical history or eye-related treatment records where applicable
Respiratory & Airway Review
For bulldog, bully, pug, Shih Tzu, Shar-Pei, and other brachycephalic or airway-sensitive breeds, Crown & Collar Institute places strong importance on breathing comfort and airway welfare.
Accepted documentation may include:
- Veterinary airway notes
- Respiratory function grading where available
- Nares and breathing comfort notes
- Exercise tolerance observations
- Heat tolerance observations
- Recovery after activity notes
- Snoring, noisy breathing, gagging, reverse sneezing, or distress notes where relevant
- BOAS or brachycephalic airway evaluation where available
- Surgical airway history where applicable
Important: Crown & Collar Institute does not support breeding decisions that ignore obvious breathing distress, severe heat intolerance, poor recovery, or airway-related welfare concerns.
Skin, Allergy, Ear & Immune Documentation
Some breeds may require careful tracking of skin, allergy, ear, fold, coat, immune, or inflammatory concerns.
Accepted documentation may include:
- Skin or allergy history
- Chronic ear infection history
- Fold irritation records
- Coat or hair-loss concerns
- Autoimmune or immune-related records
- Veterinary dermatology records where available
- Treatment history
- Breeder disclosure notes
Reproductive & Maternal Health Documentation
Crown & Collar Institute may review reproductive and maternal health as part of responsible breeding documentation.
Accepted documentation may include:
- Fertility history
- Breeding history
- Pregnancy records
- Whelping records
- C-section history where applicable
- Neonatal survival records
- Maternal behavior notes
- Lactation or nursing concerns
- Veterinary reproductive records
- Puppy loss or complication notes where applicable
Temperament & Behavioral Stability Documentation
Health review is not complete without temperament and behavioral stability.
Accepted documentation may include:
- Sire temperament notes
- Dam temperament notes
- Puppy observation records
- Recovery after stress
- Confidence observations
- Human focus and engagement
- Handling tolerance
- Environmental curiosity
- Sound sensitivity notes
- Social behavior notes
- Trainer, behaviorist, veterinarian, or professional observations where available
- Any concerning behavior disclosures
Puppy Development Documentation
Crown & Collar Institute may review early development records for Puppy Development Awards, Working Canine Prospect Recognition™, and breeder-level recognition.
Accepted documentation may include:
- Prenatal and maternal care notes
- Neonatal observation notes
- Early neurological development notes
- Handling records
- Sensory exposure records
- Surface and texture exposure
- Sound exposure
- Environmental preparation
- Recovery and decompression records
- Confidence-building records
- Puppy-family transition materials
- Early service, therapy, facility, or working-canine foundation notes where applicable
Breed-Specific Screening
Breed-specific screening may vary by breed, registry guidance, veterinary guidance, available testing, research, and breed-specific risk areas.
Crown & Collar Institute may review:
- OFA/CHIC guidance where available
- Parent-club recommendations where available
- Veterinary specialist recommendations
- Registry resources where applicable
- Breed-specific health research
- DNA testing resources
- Functional structure concerns
- Respiratory, orthopedic, cardiac, eye, thyroid, patella, skin, autoimmune, reproductive, or neurologic concerns where applicable
How Documentation Is Reviewed
Crown & Collar Institute may consider the completeness, accuracy, relevance, and transparency of submitted documentation.
Strong documentation is usually:
- Current where appropriate
- Clearly connected to the dog, litter, pairing, kennel, or program being reviewed
- Easy to understand
- Not misleading
- Supported by veterinary or testing records where applicable
- Matched to breed-specific risk areas
- Honest about strengths and concerns
- Paired with breeder explanation and disclosure
What Health Documentation Does Not Mean
Health records, DNA testing, OFA records, PennHIP records, cardiac review, eye examination, respiratory review, veterinary records, title codes, awards, directory listing, or Crown & Collar Institute recognition do not guarantee health, temperament, fertility, structure, working ability, registry acceptance, service-dog suitability, therapy-dog suitability, facility-dog suitability, or long-term outcome.
Better Records Create Stronger Recognition
Crown & Collar Institute exists for breeders willing to document the health, genetics, development, temperament, welfare, and stewardship behind their dogs.