Kennel Club reminds judges of breed health monitoring process

The Kennel Club has issued a reminder to championship show judges of Breed Watch category two and three breeds that they must complete a judges’ breed health monitoring form following an appointment at Challenge Certificate level.

Breed Watch enables anyone involved in the world of dogs, but particularly dog show judges, to note any visible points of concern which they should take into consideration and penalise when judging the breed. This is essential towards preventing the introduction of health and welfare concerns that are detrimental to a dog’s wellbeing as well as maintaining high standards of health in the show ring.

To ensure the health and welfare of pedigree dogs continues to improve, The Kennel Club is reminding all judges of category two and three breeds to complete a health monitoring form following CC appointments. The breed health monitoring form can be found on The Kennel Club website.

This mandatory form plays an integral role in influencing the future development of a breed, as well as contributing to the process of health monitoring. For ease of reference, the online breed health monitoring form is tailored to each category two or three breed and includes each breed’s specific points of concern. Once complete, the online form will be sent to The Kennel Club Health department and reviewed by the Dog Health Group.

Judges are strongly recommended to familiarise themselves with the published breed-specific points of concern prior to their appointment and must complete and send the health monitoring form to The Kennel Club after their appointment. Further information regarding individual breeds and helpful reference materials to assist with the completion of this mandatory form can be found by visiting the Breed Watch section of The Kennel Club website. A Breed Watch Illustrated Guide can also be purchased by on The Kennel Club website.

Judges of category one breeds will still be able to access the optional form in the back of the judging book but this will not be applicable to category two or three breeds.