Donate a Puppy

Contribute to the Next Generation of Working Dogs

Dogs in our program benefit from the daily training, environmental exposure, family life, and careful monitoring of their health and physical fitness. Our foundation program develops the innate skills and abilities of each individual dog to promote their success in the detection field that best suits them.

All activities and training are monitored closely and documented to allow us to bring a scientific basis to the training of our nation’s detection canines. Dogs in our program will live with a foster family and receive full veterinary care through the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine.

“We are proud of the partnership we have with PVWDC. Over the past 12 1/2 years, we have donated five puppies to their program and continue to be impressed with the training put into every dog as their specific career paths are discovered. The team at PVWDC places the care, well-being, and development of the dogs at the forefront. It is an honor to be aligned with PVWDC and to have played a part in their unrivaled contributions to working dog health and science.”

Jack and Mary Kay Biddle
Three Cedars Retrievers

Qualifications

Required Health Qualifications for Sire and Dam

Test	Breeds
Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) Test	German Shepherds Other relevant breeds
Elbow Testing	OFA: Normal
Exercise-Induced Collapsed (EIC) Test	Negative or cleared by parentage Labrador Retrievers
Eye Testing	CERF: Normal test within last year
Hip Testing	Penn Hip: Distraction index < 0.35 OFA: Good or Excellent
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) Test	Labrador Retrievers Golden Retrievers Other relevant breeds

Desired Health Qualifications for Sire and Dam

Test	Breeds
Centronuclear Myopathy (CNM)	German Shepherds Other relevant breeds
Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA) Test	Border Collies Australian Shepherds
Lumbosacral transitional vertebrae and stenosis (lumbar vertebrae and lumbosacral radiographs)	Belgiain Malinois German Shepherd Dogs Labrador Retrievers
Retinal Dysplasia	Labrador Retrievers

Required Performance Qualifications

Test	Breeds
Advanced hunt titles	SH, MH, FC, NFC, AFC, QAA, MHR, HRC, MPR
Advanced AKC Tracking Titles	TDX, VST, CT
IPO / PSA / Mondio / French Ring Titles	IPO / PSA / MR / FR I / II / III, FH, WH, WPO
Search and Rescue Certifications	FEMA, SUSAR, NAPWDA, IPWDA

Donate a Puppy

If you meet the above qualifications and are interested in donating a puppy, your first step is to complete our Breeder Survey. A representative from the Penn Vet Working Dog Center will contact you to follow up.

Complete Breeder Survey