Almost 70 of the most popular dog breeds in Britain face the prospect of being banned from breeding under new government legislation that uses a ten-point checklist to identify dogs with extreme physical characteristics deemed harmful to their health.
The assessment tool, revealed by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare, scores dogs against a range of physical traits including excessive skin folds, bulging or outward-turning eyes, drooping eyelids, mottled colouration, under or overbites and muzzle shapes that interfere with breathing. Only dogs that score eight out of ten or above would be permitted to breed under the proposed rules. While currently voluntary, the assessment is expected to become law within the next five years.
As many as 67 popular breeds could be affected if the checklist is strictly applied — including some of Britain’s most beloved dogs. Among those at risk is the Corgi, historically the favourite breed of the late Queen Elizabeth II, which could fall foul of the rules due to its characteristically short legs. Under the guidelines, dogs whose chest sits less than one third of their shoulder height above the ground are flagged as potentially at risk, with short stature linked to spinal deformities, joint pain, arthritis and limb abnormalities.
Margaret Hoggarth, secretary of the Welsh Corgi League, pushed back against the inclusion of Corgis, describing the animals as “very healthy” and arguing they were being “lumped in” with genuinely unhealthy breeds simply because of their stature.
Marisa Heath of the APPG for Animal Welfare sought to clarify the intention behind the tool. “The IHA is a voluntary welfare tool designed to encourage breeding from dogs with healthy conformations. It does not target particular breeds and is not intended to make any breed extinct — quite the opposite, as it is about making those breeds healthier and sustainable by moving them towards good innate health,” she said, noting that breeds including Corgis and Dachshunds had already passed the assessment in practice.
The checklist expands on protections already contained within the Animal Welfare Act, which currently prohibits the breeding of dogs that are suffering. The legislation is expected to be formally introduced within five years.
The full list of 67 breeds identified as potentially at risk:
- Affenpinscher
- American Cocker Spaniel
- Australian Cattle Dog
- Australian Shepherd
- Basset
- Basset Bleu
- Basset Fauve
- Beagle
- Beauceron
- Bergamasco
- Bloodhound
- Border Collie
- Boston Terrier
- Boxer
- Bracco
- Brittany
- Brussels Griffon
- Bull Mastiff
- Bulldog
- Cairn Terrier
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Cesky Terrier
- Chihuahua
- Chow Chow
- Clumber Spaniel
- Dachshund
- Dandie Terrier
- Dogue de Bordeaux
- French Bulldog
- Glen of Imaal Terrier
- Grand Basset
- Great Dane
- Japanese Chin
- King Charles Spaniel
- Lancashire Heeler
- Lhasa Apso
- Mastiff
- Mudi
- Neapolitan Mastiff
- Newfoundland
- Norfolk Terrier
- Norwich Terrier
- Old English Sheepdog
- Pekingese
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi
- Petit Basset
- Polish Lowland
- Pug
- Pyr Mastiff
- Pyr Shep
- Rough Collie
- Schipperke
- Scottish Terrier
- Sealyham Terrier
- Shar Pei
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Shih Tzu
- Skye Terrier
- Smooth Collie
- Spanish Water Dog
- St Bernard
- Staffordshire Terrier
- Sussex Spaniel
- Swedish Vallhund
- Tibetan Mastiff
- West Highland White Terrier
