The Kennel Club has released a film that looks at the issues affecting dog health and wellbeing in this country, and what is being done in 2012 to help ensure that dog welfare stays at the top of the agenda.

‘Dogs – A Healthy Future’

The film focuses on the main issues that affect dog health and welfare, including hereditary diseases, issues created by breeding dogs for the way that they look and the problem of cruel puppy farms that breed dogs for profit without regard for their health and welfare.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “Huge strides have been made to improve dog health, particularly with the knowledge that has been gained in recent years thanks to the advancement of genetic science, but there is still more to do. We particularly need to address the issue of people breeding dogs for money at the expense of health and for looks, whether these be pedigree or crossbreeds. The Kennel Club would like to see tighter regulations governing the way people breed their dogs in order to help clamp down on cruel puppy farms, and we ask people to sign our petition asking the government to act.“

What is being done in 2012

* Dog welfare - The Kennel Club will continue to campaign for an end to the cruel puppy farming trade. It is urging people to sign a petition that asks that principles and standards similar to those followed by members of the Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme are made mandatory for all breeders, as most breeders are currently effectively unregulated.

* From 2012, the Kennel Club will not register more than four litters from a single bitch in its lifetime. The legal limit is currently six litters per bitch but the Kennel Club is concerned that this number could be detrimental to a bitch’s welfare.

* The Kennel Club will refuse to register any further puppies born to a bitch that has previously had two caesarean sections, as this could indicate an underlying health problem that means they should not be having more puppies.

* Breeding for looks and fashion - Although the Kennel Club breed standards, which are a description of the appearance, characteristics and temperament of pedigree dogs, make clear that health must come before looks, some breeders continue to breed for looks and fashion. Dog shows can be a powerful lever for change, by rewarding and encouraging the breeding of healthy dogs. The Kennel Club is introducing further changes to dog shows in 2012 to ensure that unhealthy dogs are not rewarded in the show ring. This includes introducing vet checks for each of the 15 high profile breeds so that Best of Breed awards are not given to any dogs that show signs of health problems.

* The Kennel Club Breed Watch programme continues, allowing breeders and judges to report back to the Kennel Club any changes which occur within breeds which may affect their health.

* The new craze for fashionable ‘designer’ dogs, such as crossbreeds like Labradoodles and micropets, means that some breeders are cashing in on demand and breeding for looks at the expense of health. The Kennel Club urges people to ensure that the parents of their new purebred or crossbreed puppy have had all of the health tests relevant to their breed or breeds, before they buy.