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Blogs

Featured Entries

From the CEO: Marc's Blog

Marc’s 6th IDHW Reflections, Part Two

Previous Entry: Part One of 6th IDHW Reflections...continued Genetic Diversity Is Not a Side Conversation At the International Dog Health Workshop in Bologna, one message came through clearly in almost every discussion: We cannot improve dog health without talking about genetic diversity. For too long, genetic diversity has been treated as something technical. Something for geneticists, population scientists, or people who enjoy complicated charts and long discussions about allele frequencies.
Guest Posts

Healthier Conversations for Healthier Dogs at the 6th International Dog Health Workshop - By Lauren Bennett

Lauren Bennett Clip 6th IDHW.mp4 Editor's Note: Lauren Bennett was among our panel of distinguished speakers at the 6th International Dog Health Workshop in Bologna, Italy (30 May - 1 June 2026). Her presentation was entitled, 'Influencing Choice: Marketing's Impact on Pet Welfare and Breeding Practices'. View a brief clip from Lauren's presentation here > Working in animal welfare can sometimes feel like fighting an uphill battle. But coming together with other professionals, all with o
Gregoire Leroy's Blog

Limiting popular sire phenomenon

A recent study, published a few weeks ago, investigated measures that can be used to limit genetic erosion within dog breeds, using simulation of the dutch Golden retriever population. It is not the first time that the main author, Jack Winding, interests himself on questions around management of genetic variability in dogs. He wrote among others with Kor Oldenbroek a book on dog breeding (in Dutch), and build also an interesting monitoring tool for kennel clubs interested in the management of g
Gregoire Leroy's Blog

Dog size, breed popularity and fashion effects

In a last post, we saw how different breeding parameters are impacted by the size and the weight of the dogs. It has yet to be stated that these parameters may also, more or less directly, impact breed demographics, in relation to fashion trends which will make some dog breeds popular or not. The figure below illustrates the evolution of population size in France according to the average female weight of the breeds. Large breeds (and in a lesser extent giant ones) have experienced a clear declin
Gregoire Leroy's Blog

Why size matters

A few days ago, I have been sent this graph published in 2014 by the excellent Information is Beautiful website. In this infographic, popularity (based on AKC 2011 registrations) was plotted against a synthetic index based on various information related to health, longevity, cost and convenience (data can be found there). Of course, the choice on variable and data source can be discussed (as always), yet I was surprised, at first sight, to see how large or giant breeds where generally poorly ra
Gregoire Leroy's Blog

When dog looks like a star: the purebred paradigm

Contrary to what could imply the title, instead of dealing with dog shows, in this post I will talk about population genetics... With development of genomics in the last fifteen years, population geneticists have been able to study the genetic structure of domestic species, investigating among other things the genetic relationships among breeds. Phylogenetic trees constitutes classical tool used for representing such relationships graphically. However those tree assume that once lineages have di
Gregoire Leroy's Blog

Inherited diseases: the adequate breeding strategy (2)

It the previous post, we have seen the parameters to be taken into account for the establishment of a breeding strategy. It does however not say which measure should be taken in what circumstance, which is not surprising given the number of factors involved. A few general guidelines however exists such as the ones developed by Animal Health Trust, the problem being that each situation is rather unique. The “What If” procedure: In 2012, we developed a method to assess the potential impact of
Brenda's Blog

New Data on Registrations and Tests

We are receiving data from our Partners on registration statistics and screening tests. For example, Astrid Indrebö has provided a wonderful spreadsheet of Norwegian data (will be available soon in Downloads). Ann Milligan (IPFD staff) is busy integrating material from various sources into the breed pages. She is also working closely with Eddie Dzuik from OFA on getting more links to their statistics. Hopefully, as we follow developments it will give us more and creative ideas on how best t
Gregoire Leroy's Blog

Inherited diseases: the adequate breeding strategy (1)

In relation to the concerns regarding pedigree health, as well as to the growing number of genetic tests available, there is an increasing demand from breed clubs about guidelines regarding the management and selection against inherited diseases. Indeed, the commercialization of a given test does not always mean it allows to indentify all carriers of the targeted disease. Also, removing all carriers may create genetic bottlenecks and can, in some cases, be the surest way to favor the emergence o
Centrale Canine

Final of the General Agricultural Competition for Dogs at the International Agricultural Show 2015 in Paris

On the podium: 1st : Meisterhaus Signet Higher'N Higer ; Breed: Basenji ; Owner: Lise DURLOT and Dimitri HEBERT ; Breeder: Brenda CASSELL and Tad BOOKS 2nd : Fall In Love Forest Ohara Of Bloom White ; Breed : Samoyede ; Owner: Mira MITKOVA ; Breeder: Elisabeth FAUCON 3rd : Eternal Drago Of Nordic Forest ; Breed : Siberian Husky ; Owner and breeder: Valérie CHARNEAU
Brenda's Blog

2nd International Dog Health Workshop

How exciting to meet with over 120 dog colleagues from about 20 countries. From as far away as Ecuador, we assembled in Dortmund, Germany with the shared goal of developing collaborations to tackle the most important issues in dog health. Such a great demonstration of the international nature of dog interest and confirmation that issues of dog health are truly global. The VDH (German Kennel Club) did a fantastic job with organization and everyone was impressed with the venue, the food...everyt
Gregoire Leroy's Blog

Inbreeding and breed health: no simple relation?

The biological causes usually advanced for the welfare problem experienced by dog breeds are either related to selection on traits indirectly deleterious to health, or to reduction of genetic variability, through dissemination of inherited disorders (popular sire effect), or inbreeding depression. It is however not simple to measure if one of those causes is preponderant on the others, which could be of interest to prioritize the efforts to be made for improving breeds health. In that purpose, a
  • Gleroy
Centrale Canine

52nd edition of the International Agricultural Show in Paris

The 52nd edition of the Salon International de l’Agriculture, The International Agricultural Show, has started this weekend; it is a 9 days exhibition taking place at the Porte de Versailles show grounds in Paris from the 21st of February until the 1st of March 2015. The Salon de l’Agriculture has been for more than 50 years the annual meeting place for key players of the agricultural world: breeders, local farmers, regions, professional organizations and agricultural professional unions, differ
Centrale Canine

French 2014 Dog Scene

The French 2014 dog scene, as each year, was concerned by several issues: registrations and most popular breeds, shows, legislation topics, and the SCC orientations. by Anne-Marie Class Last year saw 34 CACIB shows, 94 CAC shows, over 300 regional and national breed club championship shows, 130 confirmation sessions and presentations, over 30 cups and national working championship competitions, 1700 working trials (rescue, defense, tracking, herding, hunting, sight hounds racings, agility compet
SKK, Dept. of breeding and health

Breeding healthier bulldogs – A new Swedish breeding strategy for the English bulldog

English bulldogs have been in the spotlight of authorities and media for a long time. The breed has a striking appearance and is often mentioned when health issues in pedigree dogs related to their appearance are discussed. With this background and as a starting point the Swedish Kennel Club in collaboration with the Swedish Club for English bulldogs have recently launched a new breeding strategy for the breed. The strategy presents hands on advice for breeders on how to make visible progress ov
SKK, Dept. of breeding and health

Shar Pei - cute or at risk of health problems?

The wrinkles must be reduced – statement from the SKK regarding breeding of Shar Pei dogs   The Shar Pei breed is characterized by its distinctive features of thickened skin and heavy wrinkles. The underlying accumulation of hyaluronic acid, resulting in a feature named hyaluronosis, may if exaggerated lead to several heath issues, for example eye injuries caused by the eyelashes curling inwards irritating the eye.    (click image to enlarge) A “moderate” western type of Shar Pei. (Photo: Anna T
Gregoire Leroy's Blog

Inbreeding, an ideal culprit?

If you ask people on the streets about the main problem of purebred dogs, you can bet the first word coming from their mouth will be "inbreeding". Inbreeding makes dogs ill, inbreeding makes dogs stupid, inbreeding makes dogs aggressive... This oversimplification eludes a large part of what is behind by inbreeding and what is the part taken by inbreeding in the current issue of dog health. To begin with, inbreeding may have several meanings. It can indeed refer to either a measure of shared ance
Gregoire Leroy's Blog

… and responsibilities

So who is responsible? Of course, breeders will probably be the first to be blamed, because they are those who are at the origin of the selection and evolution of dog breeds… also because, in comparison to other domestic species, dog breeders have almost no constraints to make their own selection. Legal background for breeding and reproduction is indeed more permissive than in livestock species, while, as breeding remains a hobby for most, breeders have a large liberty in choosing their reproduc
Gregoire Leroy's Blog

Causes…

As a starting point of this blog, I find interesting to get back to the reasons why we have such health problems in companion animals. I have got the inspiration to write about it, because of a speech made about hypertype by the former member of Standard Commission of FCI Raymond Triquet in 2013, underlining the shared responsibilities behind this old problem… Enlarging the question to all the inherited conditions deleterious to dog health, this appraisal appears for me as an interesting entry t
  • Gleroy
Gregoire Leroy's Blog

First words…

In the last two centuries, since the creation of first kennel clubs, an incredible number of new dog breeds have emerged, thanks to the work of dog lovers. The first companion of man has also been able to provide new services, among others because selection work on behavior allowed some breeds to fulfill specific tasks. Yet, this incredible phenotypic and behavioral diversity generated at the species level did not occur without side effects. There is an increasing concern about the welfare of do
  • Gleroy
SKK, Dept. of breeding and health

Welcome!

Hi!   Welcome to this blog!   SKK, the Swedish Kennel Club, owes its existence to the work of breeders and dog owners. Hence, breeding issues is one of the most important topics in the organization. The Department of breeding and health, at the SKK central office in Stockholm, currently employs eight persons. Among our staff are two breeding consultants, a veterinarian and a geneticist. The department works with various issues related to breeding, health and behavior in Swedish dogs. For example
Brenda's Blog

First entry

It seems appropriate that I should start a blog to share ideas and news from IPFD and DogWellNet. I am working these days at the Swedish KC offices, where, on any given day there are easily 40 to 60 (and I am told up to 100) dogs in attendance with their owners. Incredibly, it is rare that you hear any barking or noise - from the dogs, at least. Puppy Idon, pictured here, captured my heart instantly, last week. Her brother Grim is here today and it is interesting the personality differences, eve

Blogs Disclaimer
The contents of these blogs are for informational purposes only and represent the opinion of the author(s), and not that of the International Partnership for Dogs (IPFD). This is not intended to be a substitute for professional, expert or veterinarian advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We do not recommend or endorse any specific tests, providers, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on, or linked to from these blogs.

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