Exaggerations of Conformation: Pre-Workshop Required Reading

    Please see report from the Nordic Kennel Union:  NKU STATEMENTS AND PROPOSALS REGARDING RESPIRATORY HEALTH IN BRACHYCEPHALIC DOGS.pdf     For topical discussion of latest media reports on Brachycephalics, please read Brenda's Blog:
Veterinary Record: "Brachycephalic tipping point: time to push the button? "   You will receive an Attendee list in your package at the workshop. But here is the Full Attendee List (by Theme): Attendee List IPFD 3rd International Dog Health Workshop.pdf        

General Goals and Outcomes - all Themes: 
By the conclusion of the 3rd IDHW participants should leave with a clear sense of key decisions on priorities / needs within the theme; remaining gaps/ challenges/ controversies; List of specific tasks/ actions to be undertaken over the next two years, by whom; and a clear understanding of how they, personally, will help achieve the desired outcomes.
 
Please see: 3rd IDHW_Program Overview, Schedule, Themes and Speakers  for further information.
    Exaggerations of Conformation Theme
•    Working Group Coordinator(s): Åke Hedhammar, Sweden; Kristen Wear-Prestrud; Norway
•    IPFD/SCC Steering Committee Liaison:  Brenda Bonnett, Canada; 
•    Resource persons:  Rowena Packer, UK; 
•    Facilitator(s):  Pekka Olson, Sweden;
•    Notetaker:  Astrid Indrebö, Norway     Keys To The Exaggerations of Conformation Theme
Exaggerations And Extremes In Dog Conformation: Health, welfare and breeding considerations; latest national and international efforts.  Exaggerations of conformation affect the health and welfare of wide variety of dog breeds from giant to extremely small breeds, those with exaggerations of physical characteristics like skin or ears, or anything that might be referred to as hyper-type.  Recently, there has been intense focus, in many countries, on health and welfare concerns in brachycephalic dogs.  In addition to issues for the dogs, themselves, any treatment of the problem should include discussion of the human factors that lead to a demand for extreme dogs, in general.  
  As a basis for discussion, we propose the following:
•    There is a need for further good quantitative data, but there is reasonable evidence that there is a high prevalence of health and welfare problems in several breeds with exaggerations/ extremes in conformation.  
•    The Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) is the most severe and significant example of problems related to Extremes in Dog Conformation
•    The extent of suffering and discomfort related to the brachycephalic constitution is not properly understood among owners, breeders and puppy buyers. It is common that certain health issues are regarded as breed-specific characteristics and often classified as “normal for the breed”, even at least implicitly by some veterinarians. This leads to several problems: 1) failure to exclude sick dogs from breeding; 2) failure to give sick dogs the treatment they need; 3) failure to reduce the desirability of these breeds.
•    Despite attention and awareness in most countries, there has not been a successful reduction of health problems related to BOAS; in fact, by increased popularity of brachycephalic breeds more dogs than ever suffer from BOAS related health problems. 
•    It is unclear what percent of affected dogs are coming from commercial breeders.
  Continue reading below or download PDF   3rd IDHW Guide for Participants_Exaggerations of Conformation_14April2017.docx