Health & Standards
Health Is The Foundation
Every dog is bred from health-tested parents. We believe responsible breeding starts long before a litter is planned — with extensive testing and a commitment to the long-term well-being of the breed.
Our Philosophy
We Test. We Share. We Stand Behind Our Dogs.
Health testing is not optional for us — it is the minimum standard we hold ourselves to before any breeding decision is made. We test every dog in our program and publish those results publicly through OFA so prospective puppy families can verify them independently.
We believe the pug fancy is only as strong as its commitment to honest, transparent health practices. That means sharing results whether they are excellent or merely good, and making breeding decisions based on data rather than convenience.
Every puppy comes from two fully health-cleared parents. We do not cut corners, and we do not breed dogs with unresolved health concerns.
Full OFA Transparency
All health results are registered with the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals and publicly searchable by registered name.
Genetic Panel Cleared
Every breeding dog completes a comprehensive DNA panel before entering our program.
Lifetime Breeder Support
We remain a resource for every family who takes home a Lazuli puppy — for the life of the dog.
AKC & PDCA Standards
We breed to the AKC standard and follow the Pug Dog Club of America's code of ethics.
OFA Health Testing
Required Clearances for Every Breeding Dog
The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is the gold standard for canine health evaluation. All breeding dogs must pass the following required evaluations before being included in our program. Testing with an asterisk (*) are not required per Pug Dog Club of America but is highly recommended when appropriate.
Method
OFA radiographic evaluation
Details
Hips* are radiographed and evaluated by three board-certified radiologists. We require a minimum rating of Good; Excellent is preferred.
Method
OFA orthopedic examination
Details
Patellas are evaluated by a licensed veterinarian and submitted to OFA. Grade 0 (Normal) is required for all breeding dogs.
Method
Auscultation by a cardiologist
Details
Cardiac* evaluation is performed by a board-certified cardiologist. Dogs must be free of murmurs and other cardiac abnormalities.
Method
ACVO ophthalmologist exam
Details
Eyes are examined annually by a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist through the ACVO/OFA CAER program.
Genetic Panel Testing
DNA Health Clearances
In addition to OFA evaluations, every breeding dog completes a comprehensive genetic panel. DNA testing identifies hereditary disease risk before it can be passed to offspring. DNA testing with an asterisk (*) are not required per Pug Dog Club of America but is highly recommended when appropriate.
We use UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory for all genetic testing.
A dog that tests as a Carrier for a recessive condition may still be bred, provided it is paired with a Clear dog so that no affected offspring can result. We disclose all carrier status to puppy families.
Gene
SOD1
Condition
Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)*
Gene
PRCD
Condition
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (prcd-PRA)*
Gene
DLA haplotype
Condition
Pug Dog Encephalitis (NME)
Gene
SLC2A9
Condition
Hyperuricosuria (HUU)*
Gene
DNM1
Condition
Exercise-Induced Collapse (EIC)*
Gene
ABCB1
Condition
Multidrug Resistance 1 (MDR1)
Pug Dog Encephalitis
PDE Testing — A Breed Priority
Pug Dog Encephalitis (PDE), also known as Necrotizing Meningoencephalitis (NME), is a fatal inflammatory brain disease unique to the Pug breed. It is believed to have a genetic component, and responsible breeders test for it before making any breeding decisions.
All breeding dogs must test N/N (Clear) or N/S (Carrier) for PDE. Affected (S/S) dogs are never used in our breeding program.
Testing is performed through UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, the leading research institution for PDE in Pugs.
Clear
Dog does not carry the PDE-associated haplotype. Lowest risk. Preferred for breeding.
Carrier
Dog carries one copy of the PDE-associated haplotype. May be used in breeding when paired with an N/N dog.
At Risk
Dog carries two copies of the PDE-associated haplotype. Not used in our breeding program.
PDE testing does not guarantee a dog will never develop the disease, but it significantly reduces the risk of producing affected offspring. We disclose all PDE results to puppy families. Note: This is NOT a diagnostic test for NME in Pugs or for NME disease/risk in other breeds. The test is only to determine risk for developing NME in Pugs and for helping select matings that will produce puppies that are at decreased risk (N/N, N/S). Although a significant proportion (11%) of Pug Dogs are homozygous S/S, only about 1 in 8 of this group will develop NME during their lifetime. Note: Breeders are advised against breeding out the S haplotype, because 40% of Pug Dogs have the associated risk haplotype, with 29% being heterozygous (N/S) and 11% being homozygous (S/S). Eliminating the S haplotype will lead to a considerable loss of genetic diversity. Therefore, breeders should carefully select matings that do not produce S/S puppies.
External Resources
Verify & Learn More
We encourage all prospective puppy families to do their own research. The following organizations are the authoritative sources for pug health, breed standards, and breeder ethics.
OFA Health Testing Database
Search any dog's health clearances by registered name or AKC number. All Lazuli dogs are listed here.
Search OFA Database →Pug Dog Club of America
The AKC parent club for the Pug. Includes the PDCA Code of Ethics, breeder referral, and health resources.
Visit PDCA →AKC Pug Breed Page
Official AKC breed standard, history, and health information for the Pug.
AKC Pug Page →Embark Veterinary
The genetic testing provider we use for all DNA health panels. Families can view their puppy's full Embark results.
Embark Vet →