KENNEL CLUB UPDATES RFG SCHEME CRUFTS ENTRY CRITERIA FOR BULLDOGS, FRENCH BULLDOGS AND PUGS
The Kennel Club has today (6 October) announced an update to the Respiratory Function Grading (RFG) Scheme entry criteria for Crufts 2026, as part of its commitment to monitoring and improving brachycephalic dog health.
From 2026 onwards, all Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, and Pugs with a Grade 2 or Grade 3 RFG Scheme assessment will not be eligible to attend Crufts. Previously, this exclusion applied only to Grade 3 dogs.
The RFG Scheme, developed by the University of Cambridge and The Kennel Club, assesses Bulldogs, French Bulldogs and Pugs for a breathing disorder, called brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). The assessment, which can be carried out by specially-trained assessors, involves listening to the dog’s airway both before and after an exercise tolerance test. Assessors then use a pre-defined protocol to grade the dog from zero to three. Dogs graded as 0 will be free of respiratory signs of BOAS, while dogs graded as 3 will show severe respiratory signs of BOAS, indicating that further veterinary examination is advised.
All Crufts exhibitors of Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, and Pugs will be required to upload an RFG Scheme certificate for dogs exceeding 14 calendar months to their Fosse Data account - certificates must be valid and up-to-date for the day of the show. Once uploaded, the certificate will be sent to The Kennel Club for validation. Exhibitors will be notified as soon as possible if their certificate has been approved or rejected. Certificates that have already been approved and remain in date do not need to be re-uploaded.
This year, international exhibitors will need to ensure their dog has an RFG Scheme assessment before entering. International RFG Scheme assessments issued by licensed organisations, and carried out by approved assessors, will be accepted. The Kennel Club is working closely with breed clubs and assessors both in the UK and internationally to ensure all dogs have the opportunity to be assessed under the Scheme ahead of entries closing.
The full RFG Scheme entry criteria and further information will be included in the Crufts 2026 schedule and will be available on the Kennel Club website. Further information is available by contacting the Health and Breeding team at health@thekennelclub.org.uk.