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General

Featured Entries

General

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
General

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.
General

6th IDHW Reflections...continued

Continued from my previous entry: All Roads Lead to Dog Health...and They've Converged in Bologna Better Breeding for Health Means Measuring What Matters One of the most valuable things about the International Dog Health Workshop is that I’ve seen now that we do not always leave with neat, easy answers. Sometimes we leave with better questions. That may not sound like progress, but it is. Because if we are asking the right questions, together, across countries, organizations and disciplines, we
General

All Roads Lead to Dog Health...and They've Converged in Bologna

The 6th International Dog Health Workshop (and the second IDHW I've been part of) is underway, and it is quickly becoming another monumental learning journey. The first morning brought us…. Workshops are not conferences. They are not conventions. And they are certainly not just a lineup of presentations. At their best, workshops create space for real collaboration, honest discussion and shared problem solving. They allow people to challenge the norm, open new doors of communication and lean into
Supply and Demand

FCI Online conference: ‘Illegal puppy trade in the European Union – Causes, consequences and solutions’

I attended the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) online conference on the illegal puppy trade on 4 February. The conference program included a slate of expert speakers who addressed various aspects of this important issue.   Educate the buyers – Without demand, there’s no supply In their opening speeches, Dr. Tamás Jakkel (FCI President) and Jørgen Hindse (President of the FCI European Section) emphasised the need for cooperation between different stakeholders in this ar
Reviews and Horizon Papers

Horizon Topic paper: A new future for dog breeding

Helle Friis Proschowsky, from the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Copenhagen University, has just published a Horizon Topic paper with Maja Arendt, Brenda Bonnett, Camilla Bruun, Irena Czycholl, Merete Fredholm, Dan O'Neill, James Serpell, and Peter Sandøe. The title of the paper is "A new future for dog breeding". The paper presents a review of modern dog breeding, outlining the current situation and suggesting improvements to enhance the health and welfare of dogs in the f
finnish kennel club news

Finnish Kennel Club webinar: Breed bans or breed rebuilding - what is the future of dog breeding?

Closed populations and the pursuit of exaggerated traits predispose dog breeds to health and behavioural problems. What should be done in this situation to ensure that pedigree dog breeding can continue in the future and that the reputation of pedigree dogs is enhanced? Some countries have gone the way of breed bans, but in Finland the solutions are different. The Finnish Kennel Club's (FKC) webinar on 21 November 2024 explored what these solutions might mean in practice. The webinar was op
Genetic testing

New breeding tools from Wisdom Panel and Embark

Wisdom Panel and Embark have new features in their tests that may be of interest to dog breeders and owners:   Wisdom Panel’s new Behaviors feature Wisdom Panel Premium test has a new feature called Behaviors. The feature includes these 15 analyses related to dog behavior: Nesting Crossing paws General fear and anxiety Splooting Propensity to gain weight Pointing Avoids getting wet Friendly towards strangers Hesitant
Partners actions

New breed-specific breeding norms in the Netherlands

IPFD Partner, The Raad van Beheer (RvB), has published the first five ‘foknormen’ (breeding norms) for breeding. The first breeds to have breeding norms are the Borzoi, the Beagle, the Manchester Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Breeding norms are mandatory pre-mating tests and/or screening results for a dog and bitch. These may include eye examinations or screening for hip or elbow dysplasia, or a minimum breeding age or a (positive) result of a beh
Educational material

How to breed healthy dogs - Projects and infographics from the Netherlands

Breeding for health in pedigreed dogs Wageningen University in the Netherlands has completed an interesting project ‘Breeding for health in pedigreed dogs’. An excerpt from the project page: The “Science shop” of Wageningen University has set up this project in response to questions from three breeding organisations, with the aim to provide knowledge on how to better breed for healthy dogs and use the latest insights from scientific developments. Next to dealing with health problems, g
General

Reflections on the 5th International Dog Health Workshop

My First IDHW – Well Worth the Wait! As the CEO of the International Partnership for Dogs (IPFD), I had the privilege of attending my first International Dog Health Workshop (IDHW), co-hosted by the Finnish Kennel Club in Helsinki, this past June. Having been with IPFD for just over 18 months, I consider this workshop a significant milestone – for me personally and for our organization – as it showcased our accomplishments and growth since the previous IDHW in 2019 (co-hosted by The Kennel Clu
New research

High heritabilities for BOAS grades in Finland

Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS), observed in many flat-faced dog breeds, is one of the most urgent welfare problems in pedigree dogs. A Finnish study evaluated the results gained from the Finnish Kennel Club's (FKC) BOAS test and estimated the heritability for clinically graded BOAS signs. The BOAS test used by the FKC includes: an exercise component with a recovery assessment, BOAS grading by a veterinarian that evaluates upper respiratory signs before and
New research

Nordic collaboration study: Is there enough variation to breed healthier Pugs, English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs and Boston Terriers?

A Nordic collaboration study aimed to reveal if there is enough phenotypic and genotypic variation to breed for a change in anatomy and predisposition for Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS). The study gathered data and samples from each Scandinavian country on a wide variety of individual dogs of four brachycephalic breeds – English bulldog, French bulldog, Pug and Boston terrier. Here's the summary of the study: Lack of success in reduction of illness related to a
Research Blog

Various stakeholders' awareness, experiences, and opinions on canine Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS)

A new research paper from Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences explored the awareness and experiences of health issues related to the physical appearance of brachycephalic breeds and compared perceptions and opinions on how to counteract these issues among various stakeholders. The research is based on an online survey which was distributed to a random sample of owners and breeders of brachycephalic as well as non-brachycephalic dogs, show judges, and veterinarians. Altogether, 1602
News on dog breeding

The Supreme Court in Norway: It is allowed to breed English Bulldogs but not Cavalier King Charles Spaniels

Norway's Supreme Court has upheld the order of the Court of Appeal, which ruled that it is contrary to Section 25 of the Norwegian Animal Welfare Act to breed the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. For the English Bulldog, the judgment requires health screenings for the breeding dogs. The requirements are identical to those of the Norwegian Kennel Club (NKK) today, so for the organized breeding of the English Bulldog, the verdict has no new consequences. "This is a recognition of the work
Research Blog

AMR - Research - updates

Marco-Fuertes A, Marin C, Lorenzo-Rebenaque L, Vega S, Montoro-Dasi L. Antimicrobial Resistance in Companion Animals: A New Challenge for the One Health Approach in the European Union. Veterinary Sciences. 2022; 9(5):208. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9050208    This research includes data collected from multiple EU countries on use of Antibiotics in companion animals - cats/dogs along with other species (cows, sheep, chickens...) Alternatives to Antibiotic Use are covered. C
finnish kennel club news

Finland is a pioneer in cross breeding - 2023 - Crossbreeding Projects for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and French Bulldogs

Finland is a pioneer in cross breeding! See the press release: The Finnish Kennel Club accepted separate cross breeding projects for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and French Bulldogs Excerpts... "The Board of the Finnish Kennel Club accepted cross breeding projects for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and French Bulldogs in their meeting on 15 June. In the same meeting, a decision was made to start a new cross breed register where the crossbred dogs will be registered in." The
Research Blog

Dobermann Dog Breed - Genetic Diversity and Inherited Disease Risk - Application of Citizen Science

Comment: Grassroots efforts by people who know and care for breeds can lead to better understanding of issues affecting breeds of dogs - this study taps into internationally based "Citizen Science" project collections along with Kennel Club resources. It is remarkable that in today's sometimes divisive society, where different views of how to best manage dog health and welfare exist, that Citizen Science project data collected can be analyzed by scientific researchers to offer potential ideas fo
Brenda's blog

How Beliefs and Attitudes about Dog Health and Welfare Limit Behaviour Change - Four Years On

This week is the anniversary of the First International Conference on Human Behaviour Change for Animal Welfare that took place in the UK 2016. All the talks are on their YouTube channel. See our article following the Conference. I was honoured to give a presentation - and in that process to learn about the knowledge, methodology, and tools available from human behaviour change theory and practice to help us. My talk is posted on the HBC's YouTube channel under the title:  How Bel
Research Blog

Mapping of initiatives to prevent inherited diseases and exaggerated phenotypes in dogs

Bruun, C. S., Fredholm, M., Proschowsky, H. F., & Sandøe, P. (2023). Mapping of initiatives to prevent inherited diseases and exaggerated phenotypes in dogs. Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen. PDF Link: https://static-curis.ku.dk/portal/files/333480261/Rapport_om_avl_af_racehunde_Jan_23.pdf (Internal: Rapport_om_avl_af_racehunde_Jan_23.pdf) Excerpt... "Aim The aim of this report is to describe initiatives – and when possible also the
IPFD and Partners

What does IPFD offer to its kennel club Partners?

IPFD - non-political and evidence-based The International Partnership for Dogs (IPFD) is a not-for-profit organisation leading a global, multi-stakeholder effort to improve the health, well-being, and welfare of dogs. We are an evidence-based, non-political, independent organisation that gathers, presents, and promotes issues on dog health and welfare. Sharing and exchange We are a large, diverse community whose members benefit from shared discussions and the exchange of info
New research

New study on front limb conformation in three short-legged breeds: clinical findings and methods for breeding healthier dogs

Lappalainen et al. from Helsinki University have published a study on differences in front limb conformation between three chondrodysplastic breeds. Chondrodysplasia is a skeletal disorder characterized by dwarfism and abnormal body proportions, giving the short-legged breeds their characteristic phenotype. The researchers studied angular front limb deformity (ALD), which refers to an excessively curved limb conformation, seen in some chondrodysplastic dog breeds. Common characteristics of
New research

Review on ocular surface disorders in brachycephalic dogs

A review on ocular surface disorders in brachycephalic dogs has been published in December 2022. This review by Lionel Sebbag and Rick F. Sanchez "offers a summary of the physiological and anatomical features of brachycephalic ocular syndrome (BOS) that predispose brachycephalic dogs to develop ocular surface disease, followed by a concise description of common ocular diseases associated with BOS. It ends with an overview of evidence-based guidelines and animal welfare legislation that some in t

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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