To Test or Not..... should all breeding stock be health tested?

Many breeds are susceptable to problems or faults such as eyes, hips and hearing which can be tested for to establish the status of a puppy or adult dog. Dalmatians are no exception but there are those who test, and those who don't. I have always tested my stock but in "discussion" with other breeders, I have come across some strange (to me) reasons NOT to test. The oddest one was, "I had a really bad result in one litter, most were affected, so I decided I wouldn't test in the future". BUT she still carried on breeding and one might assume that the same problems arose but to my mind she was (a) sticking her head in the sand and pretending it wasn't an issue and (b) selling puppies at full price which COULD have the fault and perhaps either give the new owners major problems in the future or be passed on through future breeding.
I don't want this to develop into a debate on what you do with the results because I think that is a separate issue..... but what do people think about testing for faults?

As you know I have cocker spaniels, yearly we have their eyes tested for GPRA/CPRA/Glaucoma, IF any of my dogs came back as positive then they would be removed from breeding.

I also know a cocker breeder (now retired) that NEVER tested, she always said that the test results were only good as the minute they were tested and your dogs could go on to develop the disease later........in one sense I agree, but to check yearly you would pick up on an eye disease that may not be visible in the dog for a good few years, and in that time a bitch could of had another 2 litters or stud could of sired many litters, and these pups gone on to have litters themselves.

We are hoping to get all our girls Optigen tested this year, now they have found the marker gene that causes PRA, yes it's expensive £100 per dog, but it's a DNA test that has to be done just the once, with a lifetime result.

So I'm all FOR testing!

I wouldn't touch a dog that wasn't bred from health tested dogs...have had 2 bad experiences with dogs from non health tested stock...never again.
IMO reputable breeders health test...

I share this opinion
A reputable breeder to me is someone trying to improve there breed and this can't be done without health testing there dogs.

I would not go to a breeder that did not health test. Heart testing is one of the things I ask about (usually one of the first questions)

im with the others on this

i would never get a dog from a breeder that didnt health test as you often run into all kinds of problems later in the dogs life and if a dog is found to have a problem then the breeder deff should not continue breeding from it

hope that makes sense x x x