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Last updated: 07/18/08.
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Introducing the Bulldog Breed Council's Health Assessment Why is there a scheme? We will endeavour to explain the Health scheme as many people are not sure what it is all about ! As a Breed Council when we negotiated the voluntary changes in the Breed Standard [ 2003 ]We were invited to send representatives to the Kennel Club to a meeting. On the Agenda was the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals and the threat it poses to our breed and many other favourite breeds in the UK .The pressure from Europe gets stronger every year with many countries caving in and ratifying it, France recently did so . Bulldogs have several characteristics that are outlined in the document as being a problem we decided by taking away extremes in our written standard and exaggerations, we will not change the look of the bulldog too much but draw attention to the areas where bulldogs are criticised in the document. Future Judges will be applying the ‘Standard’ in its present form hopefully this will address over a period of time some stated problems. We informed the Kennel Club that we would put our efforts into educating the bulldog breeders about health issues especially the first timers, and the long awaited Health Certificate has been put into practice. The Assessment The Certificate at the moment has no pass or fail , it’s a non invasive test of the general visible health aspects with regard to hereditary problems ,and health issues applicable for breeding stock over 1 year old . It is just a statement of the dog’s health. The only compulsory element is dogs must be micro chipped/or tattooed for identification purposes and the number is put on the Certificate. Bitches are to be tested prior to breeding, Stud dogs annually. The Breed Council Approved Vet examines the animal and checks and records chip number, all the points, weight, height, eye conditions, skin problems and folds, tails, listens to their heart, views width of nostrils. Should he find a problem he will discuss it in confidence with the owner, but if he finds something he feels would be detrimental to the dog and is against breeding the dog he will tell you so and why ,the results are in confidence. The final decision is yours but any you make will be in full knowledge of probable outcomes. It may just be to point out what you must look for in a future mating from the sire or dam. The Kennel Club have made the form a voluntary element of their Accredited Breeder Scheme and a copy can be shown to puppy purchasers . Where do I get the Form? The form is in triplicate, it has a copy for you, the vet and it has a copy you can chose to send into the Breed Council to register your dog as participating in the scheme [this is entirely voluntary.] If you so wish you can remove yours and dogs name sending in only the dogs micro chip number on the Breed Councils form. Forms are totally confidential and the data on them may be used for anonymous statistical analysis . You may order from the Breed Council Secretary ,by cheque and post the cost is £1.50 each +postage .Click here for Order details Alternatively if you would like to order and pay for them online we have set up Paypal ,Click Here Some Breed Clubs may hold stocks of them ask your Breed Club Secretary
Some Frequently Asked Questions I’ve been breeding bulldogs for years my dogs are healthy, why should I get them tested ? Its now the 21st Century and we are accountable to the Kennel Club and veterinary surgeons as breeders The Kennel Club will support our breed if we are seen to be actively working on the problems that are known to exist in the Bulldog .The prospective puppy buyers are much more health conscious nowadays and by testing your dogs you can be seen to have done everything possible to ensure you have healthy puppies. We do know that ofcourse some conditions will be not apparent and there is always the possibility that something can come through from the back pedigree but we feel that this health assessment is a way forward to improve what is visible in the breeding stock .
Why aren’t we using a current BVA scheme? Because Bulldogs do not suffer from one condition to the exclusion of others, unlike some other breeds whose problems can be tested for in existing schemes . For instance a recent Breed Council Survey showed that Cherry eye was the commonest problem encountered , not hip, eye or any other hereditary condition that there is a current BVA scheme for in other breeds .
Why was the nose roll mentioned in the standard changes ? The majority of bulldogs in this country are sold as pets with a very small percentage being exhibited. One criticism from Europe and from the Veterinary sources is that skin soreness and infections come from heavy wrinkle. Not everyone finds keeping these areas clean easy and dogs are presented at the vets with soreness in this area frequently. If as breeders we are aware of this and try to breed out a ‘huge over hanging nose roll’ this can improve the comfort of bulldogs throughout their lives. Commonly and mistakenly people think this new wording in the standard was for keeping the nostrils unrestricted for breathing purposes however there is no evidence to show the nose roll affects the breathing . Why are tails mentioned and the type recorded ? On another Survey the Breed Council found that 75% of exhibited bulldogs had a screw or kinky tail ,some immobile. Ideally the perfect Bulldog should have a straight tail [see the standard] but there are very many variations of tail .One of the most common problem with bulldogs is tail infections if the new owner isn’t diligent with cleaning and observing .The mode of inheritance of straight tails is not simple or easy, many two straight tail dogs produce tight tails , no one at the Breed Council has the answer to this but by being aware of the need to breed for straighter tails , as in all breeds ,any dog should have a tail and it should be mobile. Can I use any Vet or must it be one from the Approved list ? No only vets who expressed an interest in Bulldogs were approached to do this assessment for us .We have negotiated a set price of £35 per dog assessment with all the listed vets. We have tried to cover most of the country however if your own vet is ‘bulldog friendly ‘ if you are more than reasonable distance from an approved vet we will be interested in trying to recruit some more vets into the scheme. Contact Co ordinator of the Breed Council's Health Committee with the contact details for the vet and we will ask if they are willing to join .
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