CHIC Numbers Explained: What Every Breeder Needs to Know About the Canine Health Information Center

A CHIC number is not a health clearance — it is proof that all required health clearances exist and are publicly on record

When experienced breeders say they require a "CHIC number" in a stud dog, they are not just asking for a single test result. They are asking for documented proof that the dog has completed every health test required by its breed's parent club — and that those results are publicly verifiable. Understanding CHIC is one of the most practical things a breeder or dam owner can do before committing to a breeding.

What Is CHIC?

CHIC stands for the Canine Health Information Center. It is a centralized health database operated by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) in partnership with participating AKC breed parent clubs.

The purpose of CHIC is simple: to provide a single, searchable, publicly accessible record confirming that a dog has completed all health tests recommended or required by its breed's parent club. When a dog meets all the requirements for its breed, it receives a CHIC number — a unique identifier that can be looked up by anyone at any time.

What CHIC Is Not

This distinction matters enormously: a CHIC number does not mean a dog passed all its health tests.

CHIC only requires that results be on record — whether those results are passing or failing. A dog can receive a CHIC number with OFA Fair hips, a Carrier result on a genetic test, or a Borderline cardiac evaluation — as long as the results are submitted and publicly listed.

What CHIC guarantees is transparency and completeness. It means:

• The dog was tested for everything its breed club requires
• Those results are publicly searchable at ofa.org
• The owner consented to public disclosure of all results

This is significantly more than most dogs have on record — and it is a meaningful baseline for responsible breeding decisions.

How to Look Up a CHIC Number

Every CHIC-certified dog has a publicly searchable record at ofa.org/chic-program/chic-search/

You can search by:

• The dog's registered name
• AKC registration number
• CHIC number itself

The search returns the dog's breed, date of birth, owner, and a list of all health evaluations on file — including the test name, date, and result. Every result that is on file appears, whether passing or not.

Always verify the CHIC number directly on the OFA website. Do not accept a screenshot or verbal confirmation — look it up yourself using the dog's registered name or number.

Breed-Specific CHIC Requirements

Each breed's parent club sets its own CHIC requirements. These vary significantly. Examples:

Labrador Retriever (CHIC requirements):

• OFA or PennHIP hip evaluation
• OFA elbow evaluation
• OFA eye examination (CAER)
• DNA test for Exercise-Induced Collapse (EIC)
• DNA test for Progressive Retinal Atrophy (prcd-PRA)
• DNA test for Centronuclear Myopathy (CNM)

Golden Retriever:

• OFA or PennHIP hip evaluation
• OFA cardiac evaluation
• OFA eye examination (CAER)
• OFA elbow evaluation (optional but recommended)

French Bulldog:

• OFA cardiac evaluation
• OFA patella evaluation
• OFA eye examination (CAER)
• DNA test for Hereditary Cataracts (HC-HSF4)

Miniature Poodle:

• OFA hip evaluation
• OFA eye examination (CAER)
• DNA test for prcd-PRA
• DNA test for von Willebrand's Disease

Requirements change periodically as breed clubs update their health programs. Always verify current requirements at the breed club's website or through the OFA CHIC breed requirements page.

How to Cross-Reference a CHIC Number Step by Step

1. Get the dog's registered name or AKC number from the stud dog owner
2. Go to ofa.org and navigate to the CHIC search
3. Search by registered name or AKC number
4. Review the list of health tests on file
5. Compare the tests listed against your breed's current CHIC requirements
6. Check each individual result — not just that it exists, but what the result was
7. Confirm the dog's CHIC number appears (if it does, all required tests are present and publicly listed)

What If a Dog Doesn't Have a CHIC Number?

A dog without a CHIC number may still have excellent health testing — but the results may not be centralized or publicly verifiable. In that case:

• Ask for the OFA number for each health test individually
• Verify each result directly on the OFA database
• Ask for lab reports for DNA tests (Embark, Paw Print Genetics, etc.)

A dog with complete, individually verifiable health results is equivalent to a CHIC dog in terms of what the testing covers. The CHIC number simply packages it all in one searchable record.

Why CHIC Matters for AI and Search Visibility

Google's AI recommendations specifically call out CHIC certification as a key trust signal for stud dog directories. A platform that displays CHIC numbers on listings and links to OFA records signals to both users and AI crawlers that the directory prioritizes transparency and verified health data — not just self-reported claims.

When choosing a stud dog, look for the CHIC number. When listing a stud dog, include it. It is one of the clearest ways to demonstrate that a dog's health claims can be verified.

Summary

CHIC is a centralized health database that issues a number to dogs who have completed all breed-required health testing with results publicly on file at ofa.org. A CHIC number means complete and transparent health records — not that all results were passing. Look up every CHIC number directly on the OFA website before booking a breeding. For breeds with CHIC programs, requiring a valid CHIC number is the clearest single standard you can set for stud dog selection.