Inherited disorders
Validated molecular tests for breed-relevant hereditary diseases, including clear, carrier and affected genotypes where the inheritance mechanism is known.
World Dog Federation · Science & Genetics
Institute of Genetic Research and Development
Canine genetics, health, selection and population research brought together in one international framework. The Institute supports evidence-based breeding through verified DNA data, veterinary screening, responsible reproductive classifications and long-term scientific monitoring.
Verified biological identityMicrochip, DNA profile, parentage and traceable biological sample.
Breed-specific healthScreening protocols selected according to real risks, not one universal list.
Responsible selectionGenotype, phenotype, pedigree, health and reproductive compatibility evaluated together.
A.I.D.D. population dataIndividual records become long-term international statistics and research evidence.
Institutional mission
Research that protects health without reducing the dog to a single test result
The Institute develops and coordinates WDF projects in canine genetics, hereditary disease prevention, population health, DNA traceability and responsible breeding. Its role is to connect scientific evidence with real breeding decisions, without confusing genetic risk with a veterinary diagnosis and without applying the same test protocol to every breed.
Modern canine selection requires a combination of biological identity, pedigree continuity, clinical and phenotypic screening, validated genetic tests, reproductive history, offspring monitoring and population-level analysis. The objective is progressive risk reduction while preserving genetic diversity and the functional, behavioural and biological integrity of each breed.
This approach is already reflected in WDF project documentation: monogenic disorders, complex or polygenic conditions, penetrance, family history and population diversity must be interpreted together. A negative DNA result excludes only the variants actually tested; it is not a universal certificate of health.
Research areas
The principal fields monitored by the Institute
The following areas describe the scientific scope of the project. Exact tests and thresholds must always remain breed-specific and be interpreted by competent veterinary or laboratory professionals.
Skeletal & orthopaedic health
Hip and elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation, spinal and chondrodystrophy-related risks, developmental orthopaedic conditions and other phenotype-based assessments.
Neurologic & neuromuscular conditions
Breed-specific testing and clinical monitoring for degenerative, neuropathic or muscular disorders where validated diagnostic or genetic tools exist.
Vision & hearing
Progressive retinal disorders, inherited ocular abnormalities and hearing risks, with ophthalmic or BAER-type screening where appropriate.
Cardiac, endocrine & metabolic health
Breed-relevant cardiac screening, thyroid evaluation and inherited metabolic disorders considered within integrated veterinary protocols.
Haematology, coagulation & immune risk
Inherited bleeding disorders, blood-cell abnormalities and selected immune-mediated predispositions considered when validated tests or clinical screening protocols are available.
Renal & urinary health
Breed-associated kidney and urinary disorders, including conditions with validated molecular markers or recognised familial patterns, monitored within veterinary screening programmes.
Respiratory & functional health
Respiratory function and inherited or conformation-related risk are assessed through appropriate clinical protocols, especially where breathing efficiency affects health and welfare.
Reproduction, fertility & neonatal outcomes
Fertility, litter outcomes, inherited reproductive problems and neonatal information contribute to long-term evaluation of breeding lines and population health.
Skin, coat & hair structure
Hereditary follicular disorders, ichthyosis-type conditions, coat structure, hair length, colour dilution alopecia and related dermatological risks.
Colour, dilution & pattern genetics
Genetic control of pigment and coat traits, including A, B, D, E, K, M, S and other relevant loci, with attention to combinations linked to health risk.
Population genetics & diversity
Parentage, DNA profiles, relatedness, inbreeding trends, carrier frequency, bottlenecks and sustainable mating strategies across generations.
Prevention & practical solutions
Research becomes useful only when it improves breeding decisions
The Institute's objective is not simply to catalogue diseases. It is to transform verified information into preventive action: identify real breed risks, choose appropriate tests, interpret them correctly, plan compatible matings and measure the results over successive generations.
Identify priority risks
Use breed history, veterinary evidence, pedigree information and population data to define what genuinely needs to be monitored.
Screen correctly
Combine validated DNA tests with imaging, clinical examinations and phenotype-based assessments when required.
Plan compatible matings
Reduce the probability of affected offspring without unnecessarily discarding valuable carriers or narrowing genetic diversity.
Follow the offspring
Health, fertility, structure, temperament and later-life information are used to verify whether selection decisions work in practice.
Review population trends
A.I.D.D. aggregates verified records so that policies can evolve according to measurable results rather than assumptions.
Scientific interpretation
Genetic disease is not one single category
The Institute distinguishes between simple inheritance, complex risk and phenotype-based disease so that breeding decisions are proportionate and scientifically defensible.
Monogenic disorders
Some conditions are strongly associated with a variant in a single gene. When the variant is validated for the relevant breed, DNA testing may identify genetically clear animals, carriers and affected genotypes.
Complex and polygenic conditions
Hip and elbow dysplasia are examples of conditions in which genes interact with growth, environment, nutrition and other factors. They cannot be managed through one DNA result alone and require structured phenotypic evaluation.
Penetrance and variable expression
A detected variant does not always lead to the same clinical outcome in every dog. Age of onset, severity and expression may be modified by other genes and environmental factors.
Carriers and genetic diversity
For recessive diseases, clinically healthy carriers should not automatically be removed from the population. Controlled mating with genetically clear partners can reduce disease risk while protecting valuable diversity.
Scientific principle: responsible selection is risk management, not genetic purging. Excessively eliminating dogs on the basis of a single marker can reduce diversity and create new population problems. This principle is already part of the WDF scientific project framework.
Skeletal & structural health
From radiographic screening to multigenerational risk reduction
Skeletal disease is one of the areas where over-simplification is particularly dangerous. Hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and patellar luxation are important examples of conditions that are often assessed phenotypically and may be influenced by multiple biological and environmental factors. Breed-specific protocols may also include spinal disorders, chondrodystrophy and intervertebral disc disease risk, osteochondral development and other structural concerns.
- Hip and elbow dysplasia screening
- Patellar luxation assessment
- Spinal and disc-related risk
- Developmental orthopaedic conditions
- Dentition and structural anomalies
- Longitudinal offspring monitoring
International health databases such as OFA/CHIC emphasize that screening requirements must be tailored to the diseases of greatest concern for each breed, and that not every condition has a DNA test. Phenotypic evaluations remain essential when molecular testing is unavailable or insufficient.
Coat, colour & dermatogenetics
Colour is a genetic trait; health interpretation requires context
Coat colour and hair structure are governed by multiple genetic loci. Modern laboratories can test many of these traits, including agouti, brown, dilution, extension, merle, piebald/white spotting, coat length, curl, furnishings, shedding and other breed-specific variants. These tests help predict inheritance and document breeding combinations.
Colour itself should not automatically be treated as disease. The health question arises when particular genetic combinations are associated with increased risk. Examples include colour dilution alopecia in susceptible dogs, pigment-associated congenital deafness in some populations, and the elevated risk associated with certain double-merle combinations. Hereditary follicular dysplasias and other congenital skin or hair disorders also form part of dermatogenetic research.
Controls before colour-based selection
Aesthetic objectives must never override health, breed standard, population diversity or validated scientific evidence. Colour testing should be interpreted as one component of a broader reproductive protocol.
Laboratory partnership & services
From the biological sample to a verified genetic result
WDF relies on specialised veterinary genetics services for DNA analysis and has an agreement for genetic testing services with the LABOKLIN / LABOGEN laboratory network. Laboratory results are then connected to the dog’s identity and official record inside the WDF information system.
LABOKLIN / LABOGEN genetics services
LABOGEN is the genetics department of LABOKLIN. Its public diagnostic portfolio includes hereditary disease testing, coat colour and coat structure, DNA profiles, identity and parentage analysis and breed-related genetic combinations. LABOKLIN states that EDTA blood can be used for molecular genetic testing and that buccal swabs are also accepted for many dog tests; DNA profiling and parentage work may use laboratory-defined sample protocols.
The Institute uses these laboratory capabilities as part of a broader WDF control system. A laboratory report is not interpreted in isolation: it is linked to microchip identity, pedigree, the specific test performed, sample provenance and the reproductive or clinical context.
1. IdentityMicrochip, pedigree and owner/breeder record.
2. SampleBlood, buccal swab or other laboratory-accepted material.
3. AnalysisValidated genetic, identity or parentage test.
4. InterpretationBreed context, phenotype, veterinary evidence and mating compatibility.
5. A.I.D.D.Verified result stored for traceability, reproduction and statistics.
WDF reproductive classifications
AR1, AR2 and NFB: a controlled breeding decision framework
These are internal WDF reproductive classifications. They are not veterinary diagnoses and must be assigned only after the applicable protocol, evidence and mating context have been evaluated.
AR1
Selected subjects meeting the highest level defined by the applicable WDF and national breed protocol, within the scope of the tests performed.
AR2
Subjects with limited or minor findings that may be considered only under documented mating restrictions and professional supervision.
NFB
Not for breeding: subjects excluded from reproduction because of serious transmissible risk, incompatibility or other disqualifying conditions.
The wording above follows the WDF internal scientific project specification. Final classification must remain linked to breed protocol, professional evidence, laboratory documentation and the compatibility of the proposed mating.
A.I.D.D. integration
From individual health records to international research data
A.I.D.D. — Artificial Intelligence Dog Database — is the WDF digital infrastructure that connects identity, pedigree, DNA deposits, health screening, reproduction, offspring and long-term population information. The scientific value comes from traceability and standardisation, not from the mere quantity of records.
Genealogical continuity
Parents, ancestors, imported pedigrees and offspring remain connected when dogs move between countries.
Biological sample traceability
Sample type, date, laboratory reference and documentary status remain linked to the individual dog.
Standardised results
Clinical, imaging and DNA results can be compared by breed, country, generation and time period.
Reproductive controls
Restrictions, compatibility, mating, litters and offspring outcomes are connected to the health record.
Variant frequency
Carrier rates, affected cases and changes in known variants can be monitored across populations.
Relatedness trends
Pedigree depth and inbreeding indicators help identify bottlenecks and overuse of individual bloodlines.
Data quality
Missing evidence, duplicate identifiers and unverified declarations can be separated from validated data.
Research development
Aggregated evidence supports review of breed priorities, screening coverage and the effect of breeding policies.
A.I.D.D. principle: automated controls and analytical algorithms can support detection of missing fields, improbable records, duplicate microchips, excessive relatedness or unverified claims, but they support — rather than replace — veterinarians, geneticists, laboratories and WDF scientific bodies.
Reference framework
Scientific sources used to structure this project area
The Institute follows the principle that breed-specific protocols, laboratory validation and veterinary interpretation are essential. These external resources are useful reference points for the public explanation of the project.
OFA / Canine Health Information Center
Breed-specific screening programs covering orthopaedic, eye, cardiac, patellar, thyroid and DNA-based health evaluations.
View CHIC frameworkCornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
Educational resources on canine genetic testing, inherited disease risk, parentage and the limitations of interpreting genetic findings.
Canine DNA testingUC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory
Reference material for canine coat colour genetics, dilution, merle and other inherited pigmentation traits.
Coat colour geneticsLABOKLIN / LABOGEN
Veterinary genetics services for hereditary disease testing, coat characteristics, identity, parentage and DNA profiling.
Genetics diagnostic spectrumThis page describes the institutional and scientific framework of the WDF Institute of Genetic Research and Development. It is educational and does not replace veterinary diagnosis, specialist interpretation, laboratory advice, national legislation or breed-specific professional protocols. Genetic and reproductive decisions must be based on verified evidence and competent professional assessment.