I agree about getting a guarantee on any pup you purchase. However, all the certifications may not be necessary, depending upon who you get the dog from and what breed of dog you get.

I breed an occasional litter of FDSB English Setters from my own stock of three bitches and one stud. They are all house pets and I hunt and field trial with all of them. It just so happens that they are rather nice dogs and people like the pups they produce, and their pedigrees have very few, if any incidences of bad hips, elbows or eyes. I usually sell the pups for $500-600. If I were forced to obtain certification for all of my dogs, I would have to raise the puppy prices considerably...perhaps $700-800...and that may eliminate some potential buyers from consideration. Enable only upscale buyers, so to speak.

Now if you are buying a breed that is hugely popular, such as the Lab, and you are buying it from a large kennel, by all means demand certification. But if you are purchasing your partner from a small, private breeder such as myself, who is very careful and certain of the genetics, I would hope that you would accept my written guarantee to buy back the dog at your purchase price if you have a problem.