The Kennel Club has announced the launch of a Development Register, designed to support health-focused, breeder-led initiatives aimed at improving genetic diversity within pedigree breeds. The Development Register has been introduced specifically for the Leonberger, in collaboration with LeoGen, an international group of breeders who have developed a structured outcross programme to address concerns over genetic bottlenecks in the breed.
A restricted gene pool can, over time, lead to increased incidence of disease and the rate of loss of genetic diversity must be kept at sustainable levels to avoid population decline. The Kennel Club, which collects dog health data and develops evidence-based tools to help breeders to make responsible, informed decisions, historically operated an open registry system that permitted controlled outcrossing when necessary, and this new Development Register seeks to carefully reintroduce this principle in a health-driven, evidence-based manner.
The Leonberger Development Register (LDR) will operate alongside, but separately from, the existing Breed Register. Its purpose is to provide a structured pathway for the inclusion of carefully selected outcrossed dogs into the breed population.
The LDR will allow the registration of progeny resulting from controlled outcrosses between Leonbergers and other selected breeds or landraces, as part of the LeoGen programme. These dogs will be registered under the Leogenz kennel name. All dogs within the LDR must undergo the full suite of health testing required for their parent breed(s), ensuring they meet the health standard for the breed.
Individual dogs from the LDR may be considered for transfer to The Kennel Club Breed Register once they reach maturity. This process will involve demonstration of clear health results, independent assessment by two championship judges, and a staged registration system: transferred dogs will carry a *** designation; their offspring will carry **, etc. This tiered approach allows careful monitoring of the impact of outcrosses on breed health and conformation.
“The Kennel Club is committed to safeguarding the long-term health of pedigree dogs, and this Development Register is an important step in enabling responsible, breeder-led initiatives that put health first,” said Dr Joanna Ilska, Geneticist at The Kennel Club. “By working in partnership with LeoGen and the wider Leonberger community, we are creating a framework that allows carefully managed outcrossing to strengthen the genetic base of the breed while maintaining welfare and breed type.”
The Development Register reflects The Kennel Club’s commitment to enabling breeders to take evidence-based, health-focused initiatives to protect and improve their breeds’ future. By developing this register in partnership with LeoGen, it aims to support genetic stewardship while maintaining high welfare and conformation standards.
The Kennel Club will monitor how the development register is working with breeders and its Health and Breeding Team to evaluate its outcomes. Learnings from the Leonberger Development Register will help shape future approaches to maintaining healthy, sustainable breed populations.
More about the LeoGen project can be found at leogen.org/.
The Kennel Club also has information about managing genetic diversity available at thekennelclub.org.uk/genetic-diversity.