The Kennel Club has announced the most recent updates to the breed-specific health testing and screening schedule for the Assured Breeders scheme, aimed to further improve dog health and responsible breeding.
The range of breed-specific health testing and screening requirements and recommendations under the scheme is regularly reviewed following consultations with breed clubs and councils and with the agreement and advice from The Kennel Club Dog Health Group, in a collaborative effort to ensure that health and welfare issues are kept at the forefront of what the scheme sets out to achieve: the encouragement of responsible breeding.
The list of breed-specific scheme requirements and recommendations is updated twice a year to ensure that they remain relevant and of maximum health benefit to all dogs bred by Kennel Club assured breeders. Further tests can be expected to be announced as they are developed.
The most recent updates come into effect immediately. However, existing assured breeders have a period of grace of six months to comply with any new requirements and recommendations, to allow them to take account of any existing breeding plans.
The scheme guidelines emphasise the importance of conducting not only the required health tests but the recommended ones also. Results provide data which allow researchers to help develop a picture of how each breed is affected by particular diseases, and how best to improve the health of affected breeds and develop cheaper and faster testing methods.
Breed clubs and breed councils wishing to make changes to the breed-specific requirements and recommendations for their breed should contact their breed health co-ordinator, who can then liaise with Health (The Kennel Club) and review available data to support the change.
Breed specific updates are as follows:
Border Collie
Bull Terrier (Miniature)
Estrela Mountain Dog
German Shepherd Dog
Portuguese Water Dog
Russian Toy (IMP)
White Swiss Shepherd Dog (IMP)
Bill Lambert, Health, Welfare & Breeder Services Executive at The Kennel Club, said: “The last few years in particular have seen a soaring demand for puppies, reinforcing the importance of signposting puppy buyers to breeders who do all they can to produce healthy puppies.
“The Assured Breeders scheme offers a way to source these breeders, and regular review of the scheme ensures we can continue to maintain maximum progress for dog health improvements and encourage good breeding practices, in order to protect the future of the UK’s much-loved pedigree dogs.”
More information on the Assured Breeders scheme, including the latest list of health testing requirements and recommendations, can be found on The Kennel Club website.
The range of breed-specific health testing and screening requirements and recommendations under the scheme is regularly reviewed following consultations with breed clubs and councils and with the agreement and advice from The Kennel Club Dog Health Group, in a collaborative effort to ensure that health and welfare issues are kept at the forefront of what the scheme sets out to achieve: the encouragement of responsible breeding.
The list of breed-specific scheme requirements and recommendations is updated twice a year to ensure that they remain relevant and of maximum health benefit to all dogs bred by Kennel Club assured breeders. Further tests can be expected to be announced as they are developed.
The most recent updates come into effect immediately. However, existing assured breeders have a period of grace of six months to comply with any new requirements and recommendations, to allow them to take account of any existing breeding plans.
The scheme guidelines emphasise the importance of conducting not only the required health tests but the recommended ones also. Results provide data which allow researchers to help develop a picture of how each breed is affected by particular diseases, and how best to improve the health of affected breeds and develop cheaper and faster testing methods.
Breed clubs and breed councils wishing to make changes to the breed-specific requirements and recommendations for their breed should contact their breed health co-ordinator, who can then liaise with Health (The Kennel Club) and review available data to support the change.
Breed specific updates are as follows:
Border Collie
- Add requirement of DNA testing for DNA test – CEA
- Add requirement of DNA testing for DNA test – NCL (NCL5)
- Add requirement of DNA testing for DNA test – TNS
- Add requirement of DNA testing for DNA test – GGD (Gonio)
- Add requirement of DNA testing for DNA test – SN
- Add requirement of DNA testing for DNA test – IGS
- Add requirement of DNA testing for DNA test – MDR1
- Add recommendation of DNA testing for DNA test – Raines Syndrome
Bull Terrier (Miniature)
- Add recommendation of eye testing (Downgrade from requirement)
Estrela Mountain Dog
- Add recommendation of eye testing
- Add requirement of elbow grading
German Shepherd Dog
- Add recommendation of eye testing (Downgrade from requirement)
Portuguese Water Dog
- Add requirement of elbow grading
- Add requirement of hip scoring
- Removal of the participation in the Five Star Health Scheme
Russian Toy (IMP)
- Add recommendation of patella testing
- Add recommendation of eye testing
White Swiss Shepherd Dog (IMP)
- Add requirement of elbow grading
- Add requirement of hip scoring
- Add recommendation of DNA profiling
Bill Lambert, Health, Welfare & Breeder Services Executive at The Kennel Club, said: “The last few years in particular have seen a soaring demand for puppies, reinforcing the importance of signposting puppy buyers to breeders who do all they can to produce healthy puppies.
“The Assured Breeders scheme offers a way to source these breeders, and regular review of the scheme ensures we can continue to maintain maximum progress for dog health improvements and encourage good breeding practices, in order to protect the future of the UK’s much-loved pedigree dogs.”
More information on the Assured Breeders scheme, including the latest list of health testing requirements and recommendations, can be found on The Kennel Club website.