Collaboration & Partnership

International Dog Health Workshops (IDHWs)

IPFD's  International Dog Health Workshops confirm the benefits from inclusion of a diverse range of stakeholders who all play relevant and collaborative parts to improve future canine health and make progress towards improving breed-related welfare.

• The 1st International Dog Health Workshop (IDHW) was organized by the Swedish Kennel Club (SKK) and held in June 2012 in Stockholm.
• The 2nd IDHW was co-hosted by the German Kennel Club (VDH) and held in Dortmund, Germany in February 2015.
• The 3rd IDHW was co-hosted by the French Kennel Club (SCC) in Paris in Spring 2017.
• The 4th IDHW was co-hosted by the Kennel Club in Windsor, UK in 2019.
• The 5th IDHW is scheduled for 13-15 June 2024, in Helsinki, Finland, co-hosted by the Finnish Kennel Club.

• The outcome of discussions in Genetic Testing for Dogs Theme sessions lead to IPFD's creation of the Harmonization of Genetic Testing for Dogs Database.
• The Health Strategies Guide page offers resources with an international perspectives on management of breeds.
• The Extremes of Conformation Theme has been discussed at the Dog Health Workshops held in 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2019. This document provides a timeline-based group of resources available on DogWellNet including articles, blogs and links to plenary presentations from the workshops. brachy - extremes theme - dwn - idhw - 1-4 - timelin.
• Read the report: Moving from Information and Collaboration to Action: Report from the 4th International Dog Health Workshop, Windsor in June 2019

• Additionally, the International Collaborative on Extreme Conformations in Dogs (ICECDogs), is a global multi-stakeholder group that works together with our members and collaborators to minimize welfare issues resulting from extreme conformations in dogs by seeking out and applying evidence-based canine and human approaches. ICECDogs was initiated by the International Partnership for Dogs (IPFD) at its 4th International Dog Health Workshop in Windsor, UK, in 2019.

IPFD Webinars

Virtual International Dog Health Meeting 1 - Theme: Standardizing Genetic Testing
The aim of the meeting was to discuss and share relevant information around these challenges, and others, relevant to standardizing genetic reports.

Virtual International Dog Health Meeting 2 - Theme: Genetic Diversity
The focus of this free webinar was on genetic diversity (primarily from a genetic tests/tools view), and discussions aimed to identify genetic diversity tools and resources, and discussion of priorities and actions for the benefit of dogs.

Virtual International Dog Health Meeting 3 - Theme: Parentage Profiling for Kennel Clubs
The aim for this meeting was to provide information and support to Kennel Clubs at all stages of integrating genetic parentage profiling and other genetic testing into registration systems or health plans, or those who are considering this for their club in the future.

Virtual International Dog Health Meeting 4 (Oceana Region)  - Theme: Breeding for Health and Purpose
The aim of this session, co-hosted by Orivet, was to help dog breeders to develop holistic breeding plans that improve health and welfare, as well as to meet the goals of the breeder using evidence-based tools balancing the art and science of dog breeding.

Virtual International Dog Health Meeting 5 - Theme: Breeding for Health – Supporting “Whole Dog” Health from Planning to Pregnancy
The aim for this session was to help dog breeders consider options for supporting reproductive health and breeding healthy puppies for the future. Talks included information on pre-breeding testing, breeding/mate selection considerations, and reproduction for purpose-bred dogs of all types.

International Actions

Our International Actions section contains articles on International efforts for health and welfare in brachycephalic dogs and other breeds with extreme characteristics and the Think Globally, Act Locally category contains articles promoting collective and collaborative actions for dog health and welfare and human-dog interactions.

IPFD's 'Get a GRIHP!' initiative, i.e. Globally Relevant Integrated Health Profiles.
IPFD is creating a series of articles on the Big Picture of health and welfare within breeds as resources for veterinarians, owners, caretakers, breeders and others who want to understand the key issues for individual dogs and breed populations, internationally.

Dog Breeds: What You Need to Know - an IPFD Feature in the WSAVA Clinical Bulletin
IPFD Collaborating Partner, The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) publishes a regular feature in their online news section (and in the WSAVA Bulletin) that highlights IPFD resources on a particular breed with a focus on breed-specific diseases including links to Breed-Specific Health Reports - GRIHPs.

The Health Strategies Database for Dogs (HSDD) is a searchable database that includes breed-specific health/mentality testing requirements and recommendations established by Health Strategy Providers (HSPs) including kennel clubs, breed clubs, veterinary organizations, etc. The Database (HSDD) is designed to provide an interactive resource by breed and condition for all diseases/conditions considered important in health strategies from international and local kennel clubs and breed organizations. The goal is to present the Big Picture of health and welfare within breeds by offering resources for those who want to understand the key issues for individual dogs and breed populations, internationally.