Nearly 70 of Britain’s favourite dog breeds could be banned from breeding under tough new government rules targeting unhealthy canine features.
Government’s Strict Health Check for Dogs
The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare has revealed a brutal new 10-point checklist designed to sniff out extreme physical traits that harm dogs’ health. Breeds will be scored on issues like:
- Excessive skin folds
- Bulging or outward-turning eyes
- Drooping eyelids
- Mottled skin colouration
- Severe underbites or overbites
- Muzzle shapes that hinder breathing
Only dogs scoring less than eight out of ten will be allowed to breed. While voluntary now, this could become law within five years.
The measures build on existing Animal Welfare Act protections, which currently ban breeding dogs suffering from health issues. The full legislation is expected within five years — shaking up dog breeding across the UK.
Here Are the Doomed Breeds
The full list of 67 dog breeds that could lose their right to breed includes:
- Affenpinscher
- American Cocker Spaniel
- Australian Cattle Dog
- Australian Shepherd
- Basset
- Basset Bleu
- Basset Fauve
- Beagle
- Beauceron
- Bergamasco
- Bloodhound
- Border Collie
- Boston Terrier
- Boxer
- Bracco
- Brittany
- Brussels Griffon
- Bull Mastiff
- Bulldog
- Cairn Terrier
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Cesky Terrier
- Chihuahua
- Chow Chow
- Clumber Spaniel
- Dachshund
- Dandie Terrier
- Dogue de Bordeaux
- French Bulldog
- Glen of Imaal Terrier
- Grand Basset
- Great Dane
- Japanese Chin
- King Charles Spaniel
- Lancashire Heeler
- Lhasa Apso
- Mastiff
- Mudi
- Neapolitan Mastiff
- Newfoundland
- Norfolk Terrier
- Norwich Terrier
- Old English Sheepdog
- Pekingese
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi
- Petit Basset
- Polish Lowland
- Pug
- Pyr Mastiff
- Pyr Shep
- Rough Collie
- Schipperke
- Scottish Terrier
- Sealyham Terrier
- Shar Pei
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Shih Tzu
- Skye Terrier
- Smooth Collie
- Spanish Water Dog
- St Bernard
- Staffordshire Terrier
- Sussex Spaniel
- Swedish Vallhund
- Tibetan Mastiff
- West Highland White Terrier
