[SABELLESMOM]

Oh dear. Too bad. Both parents are out of standard dogs, and should not be used as breeding stock. Dogs (males) should be between 24-27" at the whithers, and bitches between 22-25". The fact that "he's their biggest male," has absolutely nothing to do with being a COE breeder. Being bigger is not a favor, nor desirable for this breed. It seems the larger the breed, any breed, the greater the likelihood for dysplasia.

COE= Code of ethics. Health testing would include things like OFA ratings, heart and eye certifications... not how 'big" the dog is. I truly wish you had come to this forum before choosing your breeder. There are many articles already witten on what to look for in a truly reputable breeder. Sadly, breeding out of standard size dogs, puts your breeder into the BYB category. I hope your dog does not beset with health and physical problems as time passes. There's always luck, I suppose.

Still knowing there may be problems down the road may prompt you to seek early intervention. For example you can have many of these health certs done on your dog. No I don't mean a simple vet visit.

There is a very sensitive stethescope, not all vets have as the first step in ruling out heart problems. Some pups have valve problems. A good breeder would have had the parents tested and know the history of the grandparents, as well as keep track of and litter's he has produced so far.

When he's old enough, after he's 2, you can get hip x-rays for OFA. Check you area when a breed club or club is sponsoring an eye certification clinic. Do yourself and you dog a favor. Get these things done for him. You need to know he's as healthy as can be. Some problems, if detected early, can be more successfully addressed. I hope your dog is good to go, but it's wise to check., right?