Kennel Club steps up action on healthier brachycephalic breeds

​The Kennel Club has outlined a series of strengthened measures in 2025 aimed at improving the health and welfare of brachycephalic (flat-faced) dog breeds, which remain hugely popular in the UK despite well-documented health problems such as breathing difficulties, heat intolerance, and birthing complications.

Central to the Kennel Club’s approach is education and awareness. It has expanded public-facing resources, including videos and guidance for owners and prospective buyers, to highlight breed-specific health risks and reduce demand driven by advertising and social media portrayals. Alongside this, the organisation has invested £170,000 into dedicated health research through a charitable trust, supporting evidence-based solutions to complex respiratory and welfare issues.

A key practical initiative is the Respiratory Function Grading Scheme, developed with the University of Cambridge, which provides an objective assessment of breathing health and helps guide responsible breeding decisions. From Crufts 2025, new health-based entry requirements for popular brachycephalic breeds will further reinforce the message that healthier conformation matters in the show ring.

The Kennel Club also leads the Brachycephalic Breeds Working Group, bringing together breed clubs, vets, and welfare organisations, and has published an illustrated Breed Watch guide to help judges and breeders avoid rewarding exaggerated features. Tools such as the free Mate Select database support breeders in making informed, health-focused breeding choices.

While these measures represent a broad and proactive strategy, debate continues over whether they go far enough. Welfare groups argue that deeper changes to breed standards may still be needed. Even so, the Kennel Club’s 2025 initiatives mark a significant, multi-layered effort to shift breeding culture toward healthier, happier dogs, emphasising shared responsibility across breeders, buyers, veterinarians, and the wider dog-loving public.

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