The Kennel Club has recently unveiled its updated Health Standard for 2025, a comprehensive guide aimed at improving the health and welfare of pedigree dogs across the UK. This initiative marks a significant step in the ongoing effort to promote responsible breeding practices and enhance the overall well-being of our canine companions.
What is the Health Standard?
The Kennel Club Health Standard is essentially a roadmap for breeders, providing them with clear, evidence-based guidelines on which health tests should be prioritised before breeding. This standard is not static; it evolves based on ongoing data collection, scientific research, and feedback from breed health coordinators and breed club communities. The aim is to equip breeders with the knowledge to make informed decisions that will lead to healthier puppies with fewer genetic diseases and conformational issues.
Key Changes in the 2025 Standard
Simplification of Health Test Categories: The new standard simplifies the categorisation of health tests into two priority levels, based on the prevalence and impact of conditions within specific breeds. This makes it easier for breeders, especially new ones, to understand which tests are important. Good practice tests have strong evidence and are a minimum level expected. Best practice tests are also important but may not be as critical as good practice ones. Remember: not all health conditions can be tested for. “Health-tested” does not mean the same as “healthy”.
Emphasis on Evidence-Based Practices: The Health Standard is grounded in over a decade of collected data through the Breed Health and Conservation Plans. It integrates this information to guide breeding practices, ensuring decisions are made not just on tradition but on solid scientific evidence.
Ongoing Health Monitoring: With the standard, there’s a commitment to continuous review, with a comprehensive five-year annual review of all data and health test categorisations planned. This ensures the standard remains current with the latest health research and emerging conditions.
Collaboration with Breed Clubs: The Kennel Club actively involves Breed Health Coordinators and breed clubs in shaping the standard, ensuring that the guidelines are breed-specific and meet the unique health challenges each breed faces. This collaborative approach has led to over 150 health tests being re-categorised based on community feedback.
Impact on Breeders and Dog Owners
For breeders, this standard means clearer guidelines on health testing, potentially reducing the prevalence of hereditary diseases in future litters. It encourages:
Responsible Breeding: By providing a framework for health screening, breeders can focus on producing puppies that are not only true to breed standards but also healthy and robust.
Public Awareness: Dog owners and potential puppy buyers can have greater confidence in the health status of Kennel Club registered puppies, knowing that breeders are adhering to these new, stringent health guidelines. The KC’s Find a Puppy list now identifies those litters where relevant health testing has been carried out (examples below) and prioritises those litters at the top of any searches.
Support for New Breeders: The simplification of health testing categories makes the process less daunting for those new to breeding, ensuring they start with a focus on health from the get-go.
Looking Ahead
There’s an ongoing invitation for breed clubs to submit new DNA tests for recognition, showing an openness to adapt and expand the health screening based on new scientific findings. Additionally, external experts like geneticists and veterinarians are being consulted to tackle complex health issues, ensuring the standards are at the forefront of canine health science.
Conclusion
The Kennel Club Health Standard represents a proactive, science-driven approach to dog breeding. By focusing on health testing, data collection, and community collaboration, the Kennel Club is setting clear guidance for what responsible breeding should look like. This standard is not a fixed set of rules but a dynamic tool that will evolve, ensuring that every puppy born has a healthier life. For everyone involved in the world of dogs, from breeders to owners, this is significant and should be a welcome advancement in canine health and welfare.
The Health Standard for Dachshunds
