Dogs Australia Canine Health & Wellbeing

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The Shih Tzu Club of Victoria BOAS Testing Rebate Announcement

The Shih Tzu Club of Victoria (STCV) is committed to the ongoing health and welfare of the shih tzu breed in Australia. As a brachycephalic breed it is important to demonstrate through testing the respiratory health of our breed.

As part of the Club’s commitment to health and welfare, funding has been allocated in this year’s budget to collect Respiratory Function Grading Results as conducted by approved Veterinary Assessors and uploaded to the ORCHID database. Currently Shih Tzu are assigned a BOAS negative or BOAS positive result, whilst not a specific grade, it does give significant information on respiratory health for the breed.

The aim of the funding is to encourage testing uptake by easing the financial burden that comes with health testing. STCV will offer its members (both full and associate) a rebate of $50 per dog. Only Dogs Australia State Affiliate registered pedigree Shih Tzu are eligible, both Main and Limited register.

Dogs must complete the Respiratory Function Grading Assessment in its entirety and submit their results along with the rebate application form to the club for collation. *Conditions apply

Collecting health results such as these is the only way to protect our breed long term from those who would seek the banning of all brachycephalic breeds.

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CRUFTS TO INTRODUCE HEALTH ENTRY REQUIREMENT FOR POPULAR BRACHYCEPHALIC BREEDS FROM 2025
To continue to ensure that dog shows remain an effective platform to monitor and improve dog health, The Kennel Club has announced it is introducing health-related entry requirements for some brachycephalic breeds for Crufts 2025.
All eligible Pugs, Bulldogs and French Bulldogs will need to have a valid Respiratory Function Grading scheme assessment result to compete at Crufts 2025. Assessments must be undertaken every two years and those assessed as grade 3 will not be able enter the competition.
The Respiratory Function Grading Scheme, developed by the University of Cambridge and The Kennel Club, assesses Bulldogs, French Bulldogs and Pugs for a breathing disorder called brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). The assessment, which can be carried out by specially-trained assessors located across the UK, involves listening to the dog’s airway both before and after an exercise tolerance test. Assessors then use a pre-defined protocol to grade the dog from zero to three. Dogs graded as zero will be free of respiratory signs of BOAS, while dogs graded as three will show severe respiratory signs of BOAS, indicating that further veterinary examination is advised.
Following an increase in the popularity of some brachycephalic dogs and the launch of The Kennel Club’s report: ‘Play Your Part: Breeding, Buying and Bringing up Brachycephalic Dogs Better’, which urges collaboration to address health issues, this new requirement for Crufts 2025 is part of The Kennel Club’s commitment to improving brachycephalic dog health.
Charlotte McNamara, Head of Health at The Kennel Club, commented: “Protecting and improving the health of brachycephalic breeds remains one of our top priorities and while the role of dog shows in shaping the purchasing trends of the wider general public is minimal, they do provide a platform to educate breeders and the wider dog owning public.
“We hope that introducing a health-related entry requirement for Pugs, Bulldogs and French for Crufts 2025 will influence a wider positive impact on dog health. Crufts is a great opportunity to showcase good examples of each recognised breed, and celebrate the work being carried out by responsible breeders and breed clubs to protect and improve health. The Respiratory Function Grading Scheme is the strongest mechanism currently available to improve the breathing of these breeds, collect data on Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS), and demonstrate the commitment of the show community to tackling BOAS within these breeds.”
Dr Laura Hamilton, veterinary surgeon and French Bulldog Breed Health Coordinator added: “Some brachycephalic breeds, including French Bulldogs, are hugely popular, with little to no awareness amongst puppy buyers of any health concerns, and many rogue breeders producing puppies simply for profit. And whilst Crufts can and does educate people about important issues around dog ownership and health, and this new entry requirement for the 2025 event is welcome and we hope will have a positive wider impact, realistically social media and celebrity culture tends to have a bigger influence. It’s absolutely crucial that any would-be owner fully researches the breed before making any decisions, speaks to experts, and finds a responsible breeder who health screens their dogs using the RFG scheme.”
More about The Kennel Club/University of Cambridge Respiratory Function Grading scheme for Bulldogs, French Bulldogs and Pugs is available at thekennelclub.org.uk/rfgs and more information about what The Kennel Club is doing to protect and improve brachycephalic dog health can be found at thekennelclub.org.uk/brachyhub.
The Kennel Club is also expanding its Breed Watch system, which enables anyone involved in the world of dogs to develop their knowledge and identify, monitor and report any breed-specific conformational issues which may impact on health. The changes, outlined below, will ensure more extensive monitoring of health and welfare concerns that are detrimental to a dog’s wellbeing.
From September 2024, Breed Watch will introduce:
• A new digital judges’ health monitoring form – which will be integrated into judging contracts, judges’ training and Breed Appreciation Days – and a reminder process;
• Updated guidance for veterinary health checks at dog shows;
• Updated points of concern wording for all breeds to ensure consistency and clarity, following consultation with breed clubs.
The changes should help not only judges, but also breeders, exhibitors and owners, to secure the future of healthy and happy pedigree dogs, and is part of The Kennel Club’s continued commitment to education about how to protect and improve health.
Ian Seath, Chairman of The Kennel’s Club’s Breed Standards and Conformation Health Group, commented: “The show ring can, and should, be a force for improving dog health, and all those involved – from judges and exhibitors, to vets who perform checks – have an important role to play.
“The decision to introduce these changes was made by The Kennel Club Dog Health Group, which is made up of independent vets, dog experts, canine researchers and welfare organisations, following a recommendation from the group’s Breed Standards and Conformation sub-group, and approval from The Kennel Club Board.”
1. All dogs must have RFG assessment in place if they are 12 months old on or before January 1 for that year. Puppies under this age are excluded as they are not eligible to be assessed. Puppies can enter and be at the show; if they are 12 months old on or before January 1 for that year they need to have a valid assessment. If they are too young then this doesn’t apply to them.
2. Overseas dogs will be provided with the opportunity to have dogs assessed in a private area at any time from the first day of the show. Dogs’ RFG assessment must be provided before they can progress with entry.
UK dogs must have a valid RFG assessment in place on entry. Overseas dogs need to either have a valid RFG assessment in place provided from a licensee country for the RFG scheme or commit to have the assessment done at the show. Prior to their class we will be providing further details and assistance relating to this requirement for overseas exhibitors.
With the knowledge that grade 3’s are not prohibited, it is felt extremely unlikely a grade 3 could travel a great distance to the show without other complications; this is the most severe grade for the RFG scheme.
3. These are the three breeds this scheme has the protocols and evidence in place for. We await outcomes of ongoing research before making any decisions relating to other brachycephalic breeds.
Respiratory Function Grading Scheme | Health | The Kennel Club

Respiratory Function Grading Scheme | Health | The Kennel Club The Kennel Club and University of Cambridge's respiratory function grading scheme assesses Bulldogs, French Bulldogs and Pugs for BOAS.