Introduction

The Kennel Club has identified a number of breeds and designated them as ‘High Profile’, due mainly to conformational issues. The Kennel Club works closely with the clubs for these breeds in identifying key issues to be addressed within the breed, obtaining the opinion of breed experts on the issues identified, advising on how breed clubs can effectively address health and conformational issues and investigating how the Kennel Club can assist.

For more information from the relevant breed clubs regarding what is being done to ensure health and welfare remains a top priority, please visit their websites* below:

• The Basset Hound Health Group
• The Association Of Bloodhound Breeders         
• The Bulldog Breed Council                           
• The Chow Chow Breed Council             
• The French Bulldog Club of England  
• The Mastiff Association
• The Old English Mastiff Club
• The United Kingdom Neapolitan Mastiff Club      
• The UK Pug Dog Club                                      

* Whilst the Kennel Club makes every effort to vet external sites it does not endorse or accept responsibility over any external sites that may be linked to or from this site.

Q.  What is a High Profile Breed [HPB]?
A .  The definition of a HPB from the Kennel Club Show Regulations is as follows:

F(1) Paragraph 27.
Definition of a High Profile Breed.  A breed from time to time designated by the General Committee as requiring particular monitoring by reason of visible conditions(s) which may cause health or welfare concerns.  The list of designated High Profile Breeds is kept under regular review and is published from time to time in the Kennel Gazette.

Q.  Which are the HPBs?
A.   Basset Hound, Bloodhound, Bulldog,
Chow Chow, Clumber Spaniel,
Dogue de Bordeaux,
French Bulldog,
German Shepherd Dog,
Mastiff,
Neapolitan Mastiff,
Pekingese, Pug,
St. Bernard, Shar Pei.

N.B The Chinese Crested has now been removed from the HPB list

Q.  Where can I find information on the particular conditions faced by these breeds?
A.  Kennel Club website – Dog Health Group Annual Report. Kennel Club website – Breed information Centre: Breed Watch.

Q.  Why are breeds added to the HPB list?
A.  The Kennel Club will have received expressions of concern about the breed. These may be from, for example, the general public, veterinary / scientific experts / specialists, animal welfare organisations, judges, breed organisations, and they should be sufficient in number or degree of concern to merit further investigation. This investigation would then be carried out taking into account available evidence and information, including health surveys and health reviews for that breed, expert veterinary and scientific opinion, expert knowledge of judges, level of interest from external organisations including media coverage.

The next step would be to meet with representatives of the breed to explain High Profile Breed categorisation, identify key issues to be addressed within the breed, advise on how breed clubs can effectively address health and conformational issues and investigate how the Kennel Club can assist

Q.  What is the Kennel Club Dog Health Group (DHG)?
A.   A group of experts in various areas, from within the KC and externally, who set policy and monitor progress. The Dog Health Group has three sub-groups: Assured Breeder Scheme Sub-group; Breed Standards and Conformation Sub-group; Genetics and Health Screening Sub-group.

    Its remit is:

• To develop strategy for the Kennel Club’s health work.
• To provide overall co-ordination and monitoring of such work.
• To supervise the Fit for Function: Fit for Life campaign and other ‘public’ campaigns.
• To be responsible for recommending, on advice from the various sub-groups, the requirements for health schemes, the Assured Breeder Scheme requirements and other breeding strategies.
• To produce an annual report on the Dog Health Group work.

Q.  How long has the DHG existed?
A.   The group was established in 2002 under the name of ’European Convention Study Group’, and the current name was adopted in 2010.

Q.  How can a breed be removed from the HPB list?
A.   Policy for the Removal of a Breed from the High Profile Breed List:

The Dog Health Group Breed Standards and Conformation Sub-group should, starting in 2013, undertake an annual review of the status of the currently-listed High Profile Breeds. In preparation for this, such breeds would be invited to submit, if they wish, a proposal that their breed should be removed from this category. Such an application should include:

• a report of a recent breed health survey and/or detailed report on outcomes of breed-specific screening programme of individual dogs that address the breed-specific issues of concern
• if possible a report from a veterinary surgeon (or equivalent authority) on the progress made in addressing the particular conformation- related health issues prevalent in that breed incorporating wherever possible quantitative data.
• other supporting material such as reports on breed council / club(s) work to promote action to address the breed-specific problems and uptake of membership of the Assured Breeder Scheme within the breed.

The Breed Standards and Conformation Sub-Group of the Dog Health Group would take into account:

• Championship Show Judges’ Reports
• Reports by Observers of Judging at Championship Shows
• Outcome of Veterinary Inspections of Best of Breed winners at general and group championship shows and inspections of prospective champions
• Other material information including specialist veterinary comment, preferably supported by quantitative data, and feedback from epidemiological studies.

Follow-up:
In order to ensure maintenance of progress, any breed removed from the category of High Profile Breed would be formally re-evaluated three years after removal.

High Profile Best of Breed Veterinary Checks - FAQs
FAQs for Show Societies, Exhibitors and Judges
 

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Dog Health and DNA 

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