Brindle Hill's Elite Bostons
Contact Us
~ We are located in the Metropolitan Washington DC area and only work with breeders who are actively involved in showing Bostons in conformation ~
About Health Testing:
As per the recommendations of the Boston Terrier Club Of America's Health Committee, the following tests are required before breeding your bitch to a stud dog of ours. We do not ask you to provide anything to us that we do not provide you on our stud dogs, or anything we don't provide on our own bitches when doing a breeding. You must plan ahead for these tests - do not wait until your bitch comes into season as you *will not* be able to get them all done without a good deal of advance planning. This cannot be overemphasized. More information on health testing can be found at:
http://www.bostonterrierclubofamerica.org/health/healthcert.htm
or
visit AKC's CHIC program page at:
http://www.caninehealthinfo.org/
You can contact the following people for more information on health testing recommendations for the Boston Terrier:
Sue LeCalsey (Wisconsin)
Mary Miller (Texas)
Dr. Kathryn T. Graves, Ph.D. (Kentucky)
Trudy Sample (Missouri)
Melany Anaya (California)
Sharon Saberton (Missouri)
Pamela Preston (California)
Jeannie Thomason (California)
Elizabeth Wieland (Kentucky)
Maureen Blackwood (Tennessee)
Sheri Lattus (California)
Our Requirements:
1. CERF eye exam by board certified ophthalmologist within 12 months of breeding for bitches 4 years or younger. Exam must be within 6 months for bitches over 4 years old. Certificate of microchip scanning - vet must supply a letter on his/her letterhead stating the following: "Today on (date) I scanned the bitch (name) with a microchip scanner and found the chip number for this dog to be (chip number) - Signed, (vet name, vet's license number)". The letter must read exactly as stated above. CERF number (which will be checked in the online database) or original exam form must be presented to stud owner. Whether or not the bitch will be bred is up to the discretion of stud owner if anything but a clear CERF is found. You do not need to take a form in to the Opthalmologist, they will provide you with it when you arrive. Make sure you bring your dog's registration slip with you as you will need this information to be able to fill out the CERF form.
A list of board certified ophthalmologists can be found online at: http://www.vmdb.org/clinic.html
In the MD/VA/DC area, the list of doctors are as follows:
Dr. Eric Smith
Animal Eye Care Center
9039 Gaither Rd.
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
301-990-6373
Dr. Kelly Corcoran
Veterinary Vision
6733 Commerce
Springfield, VA 22150
703-451-5400
NOTE: If you do not have a Board Certified Ophthalmologist within a reasonable distance, check with your local dog clubs to see if they will be holding any clinics. If no clinics are available, please contact me.
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2. OFA Patella Exam - form may be downloaded here: (if left clicking the link doesn't work, right click link, then choose "save target as" and save form to your computer)
http://www.offa.org/plappbw.pdf
I also have forms if you need one e-mailed to you. You must have Adobe Acrobat to open and print the file. Your regular vet can examine the dog and fill out the form. NOTE: Bitch must be at least one year of age before OFA will register her patellas as clear. It is also recommended that a patella exam be done each year since the status can change at any time if there is a borderline weakness. Certificate of microchip scanning - vet must supply a letter on his/her letterhead stating the following: "Today on (date) I scanned the bitch (name) with a microchip scanner and found the chip number for this dog to be (chip number) - Signed, (vet name, vet's license number)". The letter must read exactly as stated above. Tattoo number can be used in place of microchip number.
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3. BAER hearing test. BAER stands for Brain-stem Auditory Evoked Response. Small probes are inserted into the scalp of the dog or puppy and measurements are made showing whether the dog is deaf in one or both ears. Certificate of microchip scanning - vet must supply a letter on his/her letterhead stating the following: "Today on (date) I scanned the bitch (name) with a microchip scanner and found the chip number for this dog to be (chip number) - Signed, (vet name, vet's licene number)". The letter must read exactly as stated above. Tattoo number can be used in place of microchip number.
Download the BAER test form at http://www.offa.org/deafappbw.pdf and take it into the Neurology vet for him to fill out. You then send it along with a copy of the BAER hearing test result paper into OFA for certification. This test only needs to be done once in the lifetime of the dog, and can be done as young as 6 weeks old.
In the MD/VA/DC/NC/PA area, the vets are:
1. Dr. Larry A. Gainsburg (who I go to)
Mid-Atlantic Veterinary Neurology and Neurosurgery
32 Mellor Avenue
Catonsville, MD 21228
410-747-3577
The charge with Dr. Gainsburg is approximately $75 per dog. Make sure you specify ahead that you do not want the dog to be anesthetised for the test. When making an appointment and requesting that they do not use anesthesia, they will tell you on the phone that they will *try* to do it without anesthesia, but that if the dog won't stay still, they either won't do it or they will have to use anesthesia. Just say "ok". No dog I have ever taken in to Dr. Gainsburg has ever been a problem and all have been done with nothing more than us holding them. Just make sure you remind them again when you get there and be there to hold your dog. This test needs to be done only once in the dogs lifetime.
2. Dr. Jay McDonnell
Dogs and Cats Referral
6700 Laurel-Bowie Road (Route 197, just north of Route 450)
Bowie, MD 20715
301-809-8800
Dr. McDonnell charges $68.50 per dog and sees appointments Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM to 3 PM.
3. Dr. Susanne Hughes
Colony Park Animal Hospital
3102 Sandy Creek DR.
Durham, NC 27705
919-489-9156
4. Daniel M. Burnside
Quakertown Veternary Clinic
2250 Old Bethlehem Pike
Quakertown, PA 18951
215-536-6245
To locate a vet that can perform BAER hearing tests in other areas, go to:
http://www.lsu.edu/deafness/baersite.htm
NOTE: If you do not have a BAER test facility within a reasonable distance, check with your local dog clubs to see if they will be holding clinics. If no clinics are available, please contact me.
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4. If bitch is over 6 years of age, you must have a CBC and SMAC blood panel run on her within 1 month of breeding along with a general health exam. Bitch must be scanned by the vet for microchip number and vet must state chip number or tattoo number and sign on letterhead from his/her practice stating that the dog is in good health for breeding along with copies of blood test results. I reserve the right to refuse to breed your bitch if she appears unhealthy in any way.
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5. If your bitch is being flown in and will be housed by us, a letter stating that the bitch is free from intestinal parasites including coccidia and giardia is required. It must be dated and signed within 10 days of being shipped (this can be done in conjunction with the airline health certificate which is required for flying).
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6. A copy of your bitches' AKC registration slip
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7. A copy of your bitches' pedigree and photos of your bitch - all pedigrees must be approved by me for compatibility of lines and health issues before agreeing to breed. PLEASE SEND PEDIGREE WHEN YOU FIRST CONTACT ME.
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A negative Brucellosis test is NOT required by me as all breedings are done by artificial insemination 
If your bitch has been bred naturally previously, you should consider having one run on her for your own knowledge before any breeding takes place.
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We want your bitch to get pregnant, so we have the following additional requirements to ensure that she does become pregnant. You have a number of options for breedings but must also follow certain guidelines to ensure that your bitch gets pregnant.
First, you must choose whether to fly your bitch to us, drive your bitch to us, or do a fresh chilled semen breeding. We are very experienced at doing chilled semen breedings and it is a great option if you do not want to ship your bitch. If doing chilled semen, you must have a vet on your end that can receive the shipment and inseminate your bitch. Details can be obtained by calling me BEFORE your bitch comes into season.
NOTE: Only bitches being flown in from distant cities will be housed by us. Local bitches or bitches being driven in cannot be left here.
Secondly, we require that you do progesterone testing on your bitch regardless of whether you will do a chilled semen breeding or and "in-person" breeding (** See exception below). We no longer will "guess" as to when someone else's bitch is ready because we want to avoid disappointments on all sides - remember, WE, LIKE YOU, WANT YOUR BITCH TO GET PREGNANT. If you are shipping your bitch, plan to send her when her progesterone reaches the 3-4 ng/ml range. Two breedings skipping one or two days in between will be done at our discretion unless you request only one.
If you are driving your bitch to us, you will need to bring her here when her progesterone level reaches the 4-5 ng/ml range through approximately 8 ng/ml. Most bitches will get pregnant when bred for the first time when they are in the 4-5 ng/ml range, but they can get pregnant at higher levels as well. It is best to breed at the 4-5 ng/ml level for the first breeding if possible. You will wait while we AI your bitch and will take her back home with you or to the local motel you are staying at, returning for the second breeding after skipping a day if you choose to do a second breeding. Again, we do not not house local bitches.
** NOTE: If you DO NOT want to do progesterone testing, this will change the details of my stud service guarantee. You may bring or send your bitch to me and request that she be bred on the 2 days of your choice, but if she does not become pregnant, no return service will be given and no refund will be given. If you do progesterone testing, you will receive a return service if she misses.
All paperwork must be received BEFORE the bitch is sent or brought to us. Do not plan to come unless we have the paperwork BEFORE you start out on your trip. It may be mailed or faxed to us. Please call before faxing. Stud fee must be received before the breeding takes place.
A summary of the paperwork you need to send us BEFORE your bitch arrives. No bitch will be bred unless all the paperwork is in order NO EXCEPTIONS:
Certain tests must be accompanied by a Certificate of microchip scanning or tattoo number as described above (Separate certificates for items 1, 2, and 3, plus item 8 if applicable).
1. CERF within one year of date of breeding if 4 yrs or younger. CERF within 6 month if over 4 years (supply either the CERF number or original exam form, it need not be registered with CERF)
2. BAER hearing test (can be original form, it need not be registered with OFA)
3. OFA Patella clearance (can be original exam form, it need not be registered with OFA)
4. Copy of your bitches' AKC registration slip
5. Copy of your bitches' pedigree and photos of your bitch if I haven't ever seen her.
6. Progesterone test level (exempt if contract is signed for no return service)
7. If being flown in, a negative stool check and health certificate for airlines.
8. If over 6 years, lab results for CBC/SMAC, letter from vet stating bitch is fit for breeding.