The Task Force for Healthy Dog Breeding is an independent association of experts from veterinary medicine and genetics. Its aim is to prepare and provide scientific knowledge related to animal breeding in a practical and accessible way, so that it can be used and implemented in practice by veterinarians as well as by breeders. (from TGH website)

On 19 March 2026, the TGH published its first Guidelines document, Principles of Dog Breeding to "support responsible breeding, a good start to a dog’s life, and obligate breeders to find suitable and responsible homes for their puppies". Subsequent TGH publications will expand to include guidelines for various specific health and welfare priorities in dog breeding and ownership.

With thanks to Agria Pet Insurance (English site) / Agria Tierversicherung (German site), all current and future guidelines are available free of charge in both German and English as text and downloadable PDFs. Read Agria's press release announcing its support for the TGH here (in German – use your browser's translation function to view in other languages).

Many of our breed clubs have implemented extensive health programmes. Nevertheless, responsible breeders and breed clubs are frequently faced with criticism, which is at least partly based on a lack of awareness of the measures already in place.

For this reason, I believe it is important that our breed clubs communicate their health initiatives more openly. Making this information accessible through the IPFDogs database is a great chance to share this information.

– Dr. Jan-Peter Bach, Veterinarian and TGH Member (Germany)