European vs American Health Testing

A few years back, I was importing from Europe.

Beautiful dog. Champion bloodlines. Everything looked perfect on paper.

I asked the breeder: "What health testing has she had done?"

She said: "We do Holter monitoring. She's clear."

I said: "What about genetic testing? Embark? DCM1, DCM2, VWD?"

Long pause.

Then: "We don't do that here. Holter testing is the European standard."

And that's when I realized: European and American breeders are playing completely different games when it comes to health testing.

Neither one is wrong. But neither one is complete either.

Let me break down what a Holter monitor does.

It's a 24-hour heart monitor. The dog wears it for a day or two. It records every heartbeat. Then a cardiologist analyzes the data looking for irregular rhythms.

What it catches:

What it DOESN'T catch:

It's a snapshot. A moment in time. It tells you if the dog has heart issues RIGHT NOW.

But here's the problem: DCM can develop at any age.

A dog can pass a Holter test at 2 years old and develop DCM at 5 years old.

That's why Europeans re-test every 2-3 years. It's not one-and-done.

Now let's talk about genetic testing through Embark (or similar DNA tests).

What it catches:

What it DOESN'T catch:

It's a genetic roadmap. It tells you what the dog was BORN WITH.

But here's the thing Europeans don't always understand: in America, we want to know the genetic baseline before we breed.

We don't want to find out 3 years into a breeding program that a dog is a DCM carrier and has been passing it to every litter.

Here's where it gets complicated.

DCM is what's called a "spontaneous mutation." That means it can develop at ANY point in a dog's life, even if they tested clear as a puppy.

I've seen dogs test clear at 1 year old, then show up as a carrier at 4 years old.

How? Because the mutation happened AFTER the first test.

That's why I test young (to establish a baseline) and then re-test every 2-3 years.

But here's the critical difference between DCM and other genetic diseases:

VWD (Von Willebrand Disease): If a dog tests clear, it stays clear. If it's a carrier, it stays a carrier. This doesn't change.

DCM: Can change. A clear dog can become a carrier. A carrier can become affected.

That's what makes DCM so damn frustrating.

I've asked my European breeders about this.

Here's what they tell me:

"The genetic tests create false panic."
A dog tests as a DCM carrier, but never develops DCM. Owner panics. Dog gets retired early. Genetic diversity suffers.

"Holter testing shows actual heart problems."
They'd rather test for current issues than potential future issues.

"We've been breeding for 50 years without DNA tests."
They rely on pedigree analysis, longevity records, and Holter monitoring.

And you know what? They're not entirely wrong.

European Dobermans, on average, live longer than American Dobermans. They have lower DCM rates in some lines.

But that doesn't mean genetic testing is useless. It just means it's not the ONLY tool.

On the flip side, here's why American breeders (myself included) require genetic testing:

1. Liability protection
If I sell you a puppy and it develops DCM at 3 years old, I want to prove I did my due diligence. Genetic testing provides that paper trail.

2. Breeding decisions
I don't want to breed two carriers together. DNA testing tells me that upfront.

3. Buyer expectations
American buyers EXPECT to see Embark results. If you don't have them, they assume you're hiding something.

4. Transparency
I can show you exactly what genes my studs carry. No guessing. No "trust me, the line is healthy."

Here's what I require for every dog I own and every dog I breed to:

Before Breeding:

At 2 years old:

Every 2-3 years after that:

Why both?

Because genetic testing tells me what the dog was born with.
Holter testing tells me what the dog currently has.

I need both pieces of information to make smart breeding decisions.

If you're importing from Europe, ask for:

If you're buying in the US, ask for:

And if a breeder tells you "we don't need to test because our line is healthy"—run.

Every line has something. The only question is whether the breeder is honest enough to find it and disclose it.

Here's what I tell everyone:

You cannot breed DCM out of Dobermans. Not completely.

It's too complex. Too many genes involved. Too many environmental factors.

The best you can do is:

I've had dogs test clear and live to 10 years old.
I've had dogs test clear and develop DCM at 5.

Testing doesn't guarantee anything. But it gives you information. And information lets you make better decisions.

Look, I've been to Croatia for the IDC show. I've met European breeders in person. I've seen their dogs.

They're doing incredible work.

But we need to stop acting like it's Holter OR genetic testing.

It's Holter AND genetic testing.

The Europeans have longevity data and breeding records that go back decades. We should learn from that.

Americans have advanced genetic testing and transparency standards. They should learn from that.

When we combine both approaches, we get healthier dogs and smarter breeding programs.

Contact: @lottabelleskennel for details.

[European Doberman Stud Service]

All my studs are fully tested:

Results available to anyone who asks. Because transparency matters more than perfect test scores.

Until Next Tuesday,

Gerald

Alll World Doberman Insider

Instagram: @european_doberman_stud

Youtube: All World Doberman Club