I have been following this thread from the beginning and have already posted once but feel the need to comment again.
WHY NOT TEST? What is the big deal about testing a puppy before it goes to it's forever home? If it's the cost, charge extra for the pup. I paid to have my pup tested. Anyone that has looked into this at all knows "I've never had one before" doesn't mean that a breeder can't have one.
As far as testing the parents and having the new owner have the puppy tested, think of the potential heartache you are causing. Who wants to send their brand new puppy back to the breeder and not every breeder is going to offer to pay for any costs associated with this illness.
The Yorkie Rescue site says right on their front page, do not buy a dog that has not had a bile acid test done. A former Yorkie breeder I talked to told me not to buy a pup that had not been tested.
I've seen just about everything on different breeder's site: home raised, bio sensor tests, pee pad trained, leash trained, etc. BUT possibly one of the most important issues, LS, no mention of being tested. This issue should not be treated like some dirty little secret. It will never be fixed if every breeder that has a liver shunt dog hides it.
Sorry to go on and on but I feel very strongly that puppies should be tested before leaving for their forever homes. If someone gets a LS puppy that can't afford it or doesn't know how to deal with it, how long is forever going to be?
