November 25, 2025
There have been conversations going on throughout social media regarding health testing of Great Danes. The conversation seems to indicate if all health tests aren't posted to OFA, then these things are not done. This is false. OFA is a data base and is a great tool to research dogs to see testing that was done, and the dates/age of the dogs when they were done. However, sending in/posting test results to OFA is OPTIONAL. Anyone looking to get a puppy from any breeder can check OFA if the health testing has been done. If you do not see what you are looking for you really need to reach out to the breeder you are researching to see if the testing was complete. If it has been completed, they will have the paperwork to go along with those tests. I will make another post on another day on what this paperwork looks like so everyone understands what they should be looking for when breeders/owners do not add their test results to the OFA database.
Kiltic Great Danes completes the following health tests before breeding, and requires these same tests to be done on any stud dogs it chooses to pair with our lovely ladies:
Heart - echocardiogram - always! We also try to keep up with this test every 2-3 years.
Eyes - using an AVCO certified Ophthalmologist.
Thyroid - sent in to approved OFA Thyroid labs (not just the inhouse test at the Vet). Generally, this is done once in a dog's lifetime.
Hips - Xray done at the Vet and sent into OFA for an evaluation. This test is done once in a dog's lifetime. Dogs should be 2 years old at the time of Xray.
Regarding a social media post about one of our dogs not having his hip clearances done:
Kiltic Great Danes has done hip X-rays on one dog in our breeding program younger than 2 years old. This test was done at 21 months - a preliminary hip report is found on this dogs' page on our website. The dog was rated as having "good" hip conformation. This dog has been used at stud on a few occasions - of the offspring tested from this dog used in a breeding program 7 are rated as "good" and 1 received an "excellent" rating.
~Anita & Mike Anderson
There have been conversations going on throughout social media regarding health testing of Great Danes. The conversation seems to indicate if all health tests aren't posted to OFA, then these things are not done. This is false. OFA is a data base and is a great tool to research dogs to see testing that was done, and the dates/age of the dogs when they were done. However, sending in/posting test results to OFA is OPTIONAL. Anyone looking to get a puppy from any breeder can check OFA if the health testing has been done. If you do not see what you are looking for you really need to reach out to the breeder you are researching to see if the testing was complete. If it has been completed, they will have the paperwork to go along with those tests. I will make another post on another day on what this paperwork looks like so everyone understands what they should be looking for when breeders/owners do not add their test results to the OFA database.
Kiltic Great Danes completes the following health tests before breeding, and requires these same tests to be done on any stud dogs it chooses to pair with our lovely ladies:
Heart - echocardiogram - always! We also try to keep up with this test every 2-3 years.
Eyes - using an AVCO certified Ophthalmologist.
Thyroid - sent in to approved OFA Thyroid labs (not just the inhouse test at the Vet). Generally, this is done once in a dog's lifetime.
Hips - Xray done at the Vet and sent into OFA for an evaluation. This test is done once in a dog's lifetime. Dogs should be 2 years old at the time of Xray.
Regarding a social media post about one of our dogs not having his hip clearances done:
Kiltic Great Danes has done hip X-rays on one dog in our breeding program younger than 2 years old. This test was done at 21 months - a preliminary hip report is found on this dogs' page on our website. The dog was rated as having "good" hip conformation. This dog has been used at stud on a few occasions - of the offspring tested from this dog used in a breeding program 7 are rated as "good" and 1 received an "excellent" rating.
~Anita & Mike Anderson
Are you looking to add a Great Dane to your family?
Kiltic Great Danes is planning a fawn litter for the beginning of 2026. We are impatiently waiting for Maggie to come into season! :)
Contact us with any questions:
[email protected] or fill out our Questionnaire found on the "Litters" page.
Are you looking to add a Great Dane to your family?
Kiltic Great Danes is planning a fawn litter for the beginning of 2026. We are impatiently waiting for Maggie to come into season! :)
Contact us with any questions:
[email protected] or fill out our Questionnaire found on the "Litters" page.
Kiltic Great Danes is having a very fun & successful summer of dog shows.
Kenny wins the Great Dane Club of Canada's Regional Specialty in August at the Edmonton Kennel Club shows, and then went on to win Reserve Best In Show in Prince Albert, SK.
Maggie has some great group wins and placements.
Willie is holding his own with the girls winning Best of Opposite Sex and the Great Dane Club of Canada's National Specialty in Edmonton, AB.
Watch for photos soon!
Kenny wins the Great Dane Club of Canada's Regional Specialty in August at the Edmonton Kennel Club shows, and then went on to win Reserve Best In Show in Prince Albert, SK.
Maggie has some great group wins and placements.
Willie is holding his own with the girls winning Best of Opposite Sex and the Great Dane Club of Canada's National Specialty in Edmonton, AB.
Watch for photos soon!