Hi all,
I have home produced a dog whom I was hoping to stud out in the future. He is showing signs of being a very good working dog, is a good example of the breed and has a fabulous temperament. I’ve had several people enquire as to whether I plan on getting him health tested. His parents are fully health tested with excellent scores.
I have just been informed that his full litter sister has been diagnosed with ED which I am gutted about as the owner is also a friend and the bitch shows a lot of promise.
Would you breed from a dog knowing it’s sister had ED? Even if his tests came back sound?
Thank you for reading.

If the parents, grand parents and the dogs own scores are ok (lower than breed average for hips and 0 for elbows) then yes I would still use him. The sister could have been running up and down stairs or jumping as a young pup or have had an accident all of which could affect her elbow scores.

If you want the truth about whether or not to offer a dog at general stud - I'd have to say no, unless you are serious about your breed and bloodline.  Do you have enough knowledge about the breed to know the bitches would be 'right' for your dog and his bloodlines?  Breeding, whether from a bitch or via a dog should be way more than putting dog A to bitch B.   And be aware that if things don't work out as hoped, people always tend to 'blame the stud dog'!!

Once used, the dog will be looking for the next bitch, who probably won't (always) be there.   He may start marking too.

Good breeders tend to use their young males on their own stock first, to see what he throws, before offering him at public stud, and then it should be 'to approved bitches only'.   I had a couple of stud dogs at one time,  but turned away more enquiries than I accepted because I knew what was behind the bitches, or knew they had the same faults as my males.   I didn't want my lines hooked up with poor quality bitches.   Sounds harsh but it's true.   The owner of a stud dog is 50% responsible for the puppies he might sire.

ED in his full sister could be down to environment.   But your male should be scored.

Is your dog so outstanding that he is an improvement on his sire ?

The reason for breeding dogs should be to improvement the breed in some way.

You write your dog is showing "signs"of being a good working dog & that you are being adked if he is going to be health tested & then offered at stud, who is asking you these questions ? Are they experienced owners/breeders ??

I've had pet people ask to use my dogs at stud because they can work sheep & they have a bitch. Does that mean I should allow my dogs to be used at stud ? Of course not & for the record none of my dogs has ever been used at stud(& not "studded out")despite ALL being fully health tested.

Would I breed off a dog whose litter sister had ED only if the full 5 generation pedigree contained dogs with 0 elbow scores.Would I buy a puppy from such a dog ? Only if the full five generation pefigree contained 0 scored dogs.

Using a working dog at stud can diminish their focus on working if the stud work isn't handled properly as a couple of my friends have learnt to their cost

Yes, I would stud him out if he had good health tests - since there are frequently environmental factors which contribute to ED - it's not entirely genetic. 

Are any of the other siblings getting health tested from his litter?  If there were another with bad elbows, then I wouldn't...