Evolving Breed Standards: Balancing Tradition, Health, and Welfare
- veterinaryvoicesuk
- Nov 1
- 3 min read
Dog breeding has always been a topic of passionate debate. For some, it represents the preservation of heritage and the careful refinement of canine traits. For others, it highlights the dangers of prioritising aesthetics over welfare. While opinions differ, one fact remains clear: breeding practices can either support or seriously compromise canine health and welfare.
The Changing Landscape of Dog Breeding
Kennel clubs and pedigree registration systems once defined the breeding landscape, with breeders adhering to strict “breed standards” and issuing formal pedigrees. Today, however, their influence has shifted as demand for puppies did not meet those registered breeders.
The rise of social media trends, and the growing popularity of unregistered or “designer” breeds has also reshaped the breeding landscape. As well as ‘purebred’ dogs getting bred outside of the Kennel Club without any health testing or consideration of health and welfare - often catering to ‘extreme’ looks that meet consumer demand for certain aesthetics. Reduced regulation and breeding outside of formal systems can lead to welfare risks, including poor selection against inherited disease or exaggerated physical traits.
Health, Welfare, and the Middle Ground
This is not a debate of purebred versus crossbred. Both can be healthy — or unhealthy — depending on the breeding choices and practices made.
The key concern lies in breeding for appearance rather than function and welfare.
Scientific evidence continues to demonstrate the health costs associated with breeding for extreme conformation — such as excessively flat faces (brachycephaly), skin folds, elongated backs.
At the same time, it’s important to recognise that crossbreeding is not a perfect solution, or indeed the right solution, but certainly there has been some fascinating outcrossing work done. Designer or mixed-breed dogs can also carry inherited diseases or behavioural issues. It can be argued that the predictable aspects of purebred dogs — such as size, temperament, coat type, and known genetic risks — can actually help owners make informed choices. It is equally important to acknowledge that there are many areas for improvements within the specific breed standards.
Breed Standards Are Not Static
A frequent argument in dog breeding discussions is the importance of maintaining “breed standards.” However, breed standards are not fixed relics of the past — they evolve with new evidence and understanding.
The Kennel Club, which governs official breed standards in the UK, periodically reviews and updates these descriptions to reflect modern welfare knowledge. Breed standards outline the ideal characteristics, temperament, and physical features of each breed, but they must also safeguard health.
Notably, in 2009 The Kennel Club conducted a full review of all breed standards, incorporating veterinary input to ensure that exaggerations detrimental to health were explicitly discouraged.
Recent updates have continued this work:
French Bulldog – November 2021
Pug – December 2022
Bulldog – February 2023
Each revision further emphasised that extreme features compromising health are unacceptable, and that physical traits like visible nostrils, clearly defined muzzles, and sound structure are essential to welfare.
Collaboration for Progress
The Brachycephalic Working Group (BWG), established in 2016, exemplifies this collaborative approach. The group brings together breed clubs, veterinary professionals, welfare organisations, and academics to improve the health of flat-faced breeds.
By combining research — such as studies from the University of Cambridge — with practical guidance, these efforts aim to move breed standards toward healthier, more functional dogs.
A Future Focused on Welfare
As stated in the academic paper “A New Future for Dog Breeding” (Cambridge University Press), the best path forward lies in the middle ground:
“The organised dog world must re-open breed registries, remove wording that promotes extreme conformation, select against disease-predisposing traits, and refocus breeding on health and appropriate behaviour.”
This balanced approach recognises the value of breed identity and predictability, while placing health, temperament, and welfare at the centre of breeding goals.
Conclusion
Dog breeds, like the societies that shape them, must evolve. The refinement of breed standards and the collaboration between breeders, vets, welfare groups, and researchers signal positive progress. By prioritising health and behaviour over aesthetics, the future of dog breeding can move toward a place where dogs not only meet the ‘standard’ — but the standard reflects dogs that live long, happy, and healthy lives because of it.
Opinion Article
Comments