Health Papers at Canadian Shows
How health and eye results are read when a herding breed is entered in Canadian conformation shows, which club documents to keep, and what to check before
Shepherd Health Journal - Practical Veterinary Insights
Real-world veterinary wisdom for shepherd and herding dog owners. 25 years of hands-on experience caring for working Border Collies and farm dogs.
Latest Articles
Infection Control Where Dogs Are Kept and Trained
A written infection control plan, a customer notice and fair staff sickness rules for small premises where dogs are kept, trained or boarded.
Kelpie, Cattle Dog, Australian Terrier: Choosing
Working breeds for active homes: the kelpie, the cattle dog and the Australian terrier, and the health and exercise questions to settle before you choose one.
The Bull Terrier: Standard, Home Life, Health
From James Hinks to the modern sofa: what the Bull Terrier standard describes, how the breed lives in a family home, and the health tests a buyer should ask
LOF Papers and Health Tests for an Aussie Puppy
What documents and hereditary tests to ask for before reserving an Australian Shepherd puppy in France, and how to read a breeder's health papers.
Russkiy Toy: Standard, Coat and Health Checks
The FCI 352 standard for the Russkiy Toy, coat varieties, health checks in a very small breed and how to recognise a serious breeder.
Russian Breeds: Work, Standard, Screening
Samoyed, borzoi, Caucasian shepherd and West Siberian laika: the work each was bred for, what their standards describe and the screening recorded today.
25 Years in the Field
Shepherd Health Journal is written by Dr. Robert Hayes, BVetMed, MRCVS, GPCert(SAM). A country veterinarian in Herefordshire with over two decades treating working Border Collies and farm dogs across rural Britain. No ivory tower theories here - just practical advice that actually works.
About Dr. HayesReference Guides for Herding Dog Health
These practical guides stay on the shelf because they are revisited as veterinary understanding develops and remain useful reference points for shepherd and herding dog owners.
Eye Conditions in Herding Breeds: A Practical Guide to What Matters
A clear guide to inherited eye disease, clinical examinations, DNA testing, and the findings that matter most in working herding breeds.
Hip Dysplasia in Herding Breeds: What the Score Actually Means
A practical explanation of hip scores, joint development, clinical signs, and the breeding decisions those results can and cannot support.
The MDR1 Gene: A Practical Guide for Herding Breed Owners
Understand the MDR1 mutation, affected medicines, testing choices, and the everyday precautions that make veterinary care safer.
The Annual Wellness Exam: What Your Herding Dog's Vet Should Actually Be Checking
Use the yearly appointment well with a focused checklist for eyes, heart, joints, weight, teeth, and breed-specific risks.
Puppy Health Checks for Herding Breeds: What to Do in the First Six Months
A first-six-month plan covering examinations, vaccinations, growth, early warning signs, and the health foundations puppies need.
Hemangiosarcoma and Cancer Warning Signs Every Shepherd Owner Should Know
The silent splenic cancer that fells German Shepherds with sudden collapse.
Stress and Anxiety in Herding Breeds: Why These Dogs Worry More
A vet's perspective on why shepherd and collie breeds are more prone to anxiety, what it looks like in practice, and what actually helps versus what wastes your time.
Further Veterinary Reading
These focused resources extend the journal's guidance on inherited conditions, screening records, and practical decisions for herding dogs.
The Airway Ledger
For clinicians and biomedical engineers, The Airway Ledger is an independent English-language magazine covering single-use respiratory, anaesthesia and critical care devices, from ventilator breathing circuits adult neonatal to HME filters, CPAP masks and airway suction catheters.
American Cocker Knowledge
Owners weighing a cocker spaniel against a shepherd, or checking whether a breeder's claims hold up, will find a plain-English American Cocker Spaniel guide covering breed standard, coat care, health screening and how to read canine sources critically.
CaneCorsoFokker.nl
For owners weighing up a large guarding breed, this Dutch-language Cane Corso magazine sets out breed history and character, how to judge a breeder and a litter, and practical feeding, training and transport guidance.
Collie Eye Anomaly guide
A specialist explanation of CEA, its screening process, and how to read findings across affected herding breeds.
Canine eye certification
Practical help with certification records, examination timing, and the renewal schedule breeders need to track.
Elbow score database
A focused reference for elbow dysplasia scores, inherited risk, and breeding decisions, distinct from hip assessments.
Ivermectin sensitivity guide
A medication-safety reference that groups MDR1-sensitive drugs by vigilance level for informed veterinary conversations.
Families sharing MDR1 stories
Family accounts and travel checklists showing how owners communicate MDR1 status during boarding, trips, and emergencies.