Dogs of many breeds suffer from hereditary disorders that cause progressive vision loss due to gradual degeneration of their retinas. These disorders are collectively known as progressive retinal atrophies (PRAs). The research team has identified 15 Berger Picards that suffer from hereditary PRA. This study aims to identify the gene defect that underlies this disease. Once a gene defect has been identified, they will develop a test that will detect whether a dog has one or two defective copies of the gene. Only dogs with 2 defective copies are at risk for PRA, but dogs with one defective copy can pass it on to their offspring. Breeders will be able to use the test to screen their dogs prior to breeding so that they can avoid producing affected puppies. Consistent use of this test over multiple generations should enable breeders to eventually eradicate PRA from the Berger Picard breed.