As part of the ongoing project to introduce standardised terminology across all Kennel Club breed standards, minor revisions have been made to the breed standards of over 150 breeds which came into effect on 1 April 2025.
The revisions form the latest part of a major project to ensure that the breed standards are used and interpreted consistently by judges, exhibitors and breeders.
The review came about, initially, as a result of feedback from those breed clubs which were consulted by the former Non-Breed Standard Colours Working Party. As a result, the majority of the latest revisions see new wording added to the colour clauses of breed standards to ensure that non-breed standard colour dogs are not rewarded in the show ring.
There continues to be a wider review of all breed standards, with a particular emphasis on ensuring consistency in the terminology used to describe features that can be detrimental to health or temperament.
The standardisation of terminology in breed standards is based on a table of definitions which has been produced to describe and align how words such as desirable, acceptable, permissible, tolerated, undesirable and unacceptable are used in Kennel Club breed standards.
The new table of definitions, which should be a useful guide for judges, is as follows:
| Term | Definition |
| Preferable/Desirable | A feature that ideally one would wish to see in the exhibit, often a breed feature |
| Acceptable | A feature that is often found in the breed |
| Occurs/May occur/Permissible | A feature that may be present and is not to be faulted |
| Tolerated | A feature that ideally one would rather not have, but one that is not considered a fault |
| Undesirable | A feature that should be considered a fault |
| Highly undesirable | A feature that should not be present in an exhibit being awarded high honours |
| Unacceptable/Not acceptable | A feature that is a severe departure from the breed standard, sometimes associated with health or welfare and must not be rewarded in the show ring. |
The revisions which became effective from 1 April 2025 have been agreed in consultation with the registered breed clubs across those breeds. The list of breeds whose standards have been revised can be found in the April issue of the Kennel Club Journal which is available here.
The Kennel Club remains in consultation with further breeds over potential revisions to be announced in due course.
Judges with appointments in these breeds after 1 April 2025 should consult the Kennel Club website to familiarise themselves with the minor revisions to breed standards.