Red Flags in a Stud Dog Listing — What to Watch Out For
An exciting-looking stud dog listing can hide serious problems. Learning to read listings critically protects your dam, your breeding program, and your puppy buyers.
Health Testing Red Flags
"Health tested" with no specifics This phrase means nothing without detail. What tests? What results? What laboratory? What OFA numbers? "Health tested" is a claim, not documentation.
"Parents are health tested" but not the stud himself The stud dog himself must be tested — not just his parents. Inherited disease risk comes from both parents. A dog whose parents were tested may still carry mutations they didn't have.
No OFA numbers provided Every OFA evaluation has a searchable database number. If an owner cannot provide a number that you can verify at ofa.org, the evaluation is not independently verifiable.
Results provided only as photos or screenshots Screenshots can be edited. OFA records are publicly searchable and cannot be faked in the database. Always verify on ofa.org directly.
"He's never had problems so we didn't test" Carriers of recessive diseases appear perfectly healthy. The entire point of DNA testing is to identify disease risk that is invisible to clinical examination.
Age and Health Testing Timing Red Flags
Dog is under 2 years with incomplete health testing OFA hip and elbow certifications are not final until 24 months. A dog listed at stud at 12–18 months has preliminary evaluations at best — not final certification.
No information on when tests were performed CAER eye exams are valid for only 12 months. A "passed eye exam" from 3 years ago is no longer current. Ask for dates on all evaluations.
Pricing and Contract Red Flags
No stud fee listed Some serious breeders prefer to discuss fees privately. But many listings with no fee listed are unprofessional or are trying to gauge what they can get from each person.
No contract offered Any stud owner who does not use written contracts is creating conditions for dispute. Walk away.
Unusually low stud fee for a "champion" dog Legitimate champion dogs from health-tested lines typically command significant fees. A $200 stud fee on a dog described as a champion is suspicious — verify the title independently on the AKC website.
Unusually high stud fee for an untested dog On the other end: expensive doesn't equal quality. High fees without corresponding health documentation are marketing, not merit.
Communication Red Flags
Slow, vague, or defensive responses to direct questions A confident stud owner who knows their dog's documentation thoroughly responds quickly and specifically to health questions.
Pressure to book quickly or skip documentation Any urgency that bypasses your due diligence is a red flag.
Cannot provide references from previous dam owners A proven stud dog with quality offspring has happy previous partners. An owner who cannot provide a single reference may not have a track record.
Listing Quality Red Flags
Blurry or very few photos Suggests low investment in presenting the dog seriously.
Photos that don't show the dog's structure A listing with only close-up face shots and no full-body photos is hiding the dog's structure.
Claims of titles that can't be verified AKC titles are verifiable on the AKC website. Unverifiable "championship" claims are a serious concern.
Summary
Red flags in stud dog listings cluster around three areas: unverifiable or absent health documentation, vague or absent contract terms, and evasive or defensive communication. The fastest way to evaluate a listing is to ask for OFA numbers and try to look them up yourself. A legitimate, careful stud dog owner is proud of their dog's documentation and will provide it without hesitation.