Crufts 2024: Vets reveal top questions to ask when buying a puppy to avoid unwanted health issues
01 Mar 2024
The Canine Health Schemes (CHS), established by the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the Kennel Club, works with expert veterinary surgeons to offer dog health screening schemes for a number of known hereditary conditions in order to improve dog health and welfare.
The schemes allow breeders to screen their dogs for a range of inherited diseases, helping them to make informed and responsible breeding decisions.
Our mission is to improve dog health and welfare by reducing the incidence and severity of inherited disease. The schemes are open to both pedigree and crossbred dogs and submissions from outside the UK are welcome.
All pedigree and crossbred dogs can suffer from inherited diseases which are passed on from parent to puppy.
Health testing and screening allows owners and breeders to screen for inherited diseases, the results can then be used to help make sure that only healthy dogs are bred from. Responsible breeders should always health test the dogs they plan to use for breeding. To make sure you are buying a happy and health puppy, always ask to see the relevant health test results for both parents.
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You can use The Puppy Contract, developed by the Animal Welfare Foundation and the RSPCA, to help you ask all the right questions, including questions about health testing, when buying a puppy.
The Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme promotes good breeding practice and aims to work together with breeders and buyers to force irresponsible breeders, or puppy farmers, out of business.