The Truth Behind the Headlines: Are 67 Dog Breeds Really Being Banned in Britain?

5 days ago
4 min read

Recent headlines, such as those from the Daily Mail, have raised alarms about 67 popular dog breeds potentially facing bans in the UK due to new breeding guidelines.

dailymail.co.uk

Breeds like the Shih Tzu, Dachshund, and even the late Queen Elizabeth II's beloved Welsh Corgis are mentioned, leading to widespread concern among pet owners. But is this an imminent ban, or is the story more nuanced? Let's dive into the facts, based on reliable sources, to separate sensationalism from reality.

What Sparked the Controversy?

The story originates from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Animal Welfare, which launched a new "Innate Health Assessment" tool in early March 2026.

inews.co.uk

This voluntary online tool evaluates dogs on a 10-point scale for extreme physical features—known as "conformations"—that can cause health problems. These include short muzzles (leading to breathing difficulties), short legs (causing back issues and arthritis), excessive skin folds (prone to infections), bulging eyes, drooping eyelids, under- or overbites, and absent or stumpy tails that impair communication.

The goal? To encourage breeders to select dogs with less exaggerated traits, improving overall canine health over time. Currently, it's voluntary, but campaigners—including the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), RSPCA, and APPG—hope it becomes mandatory within five years, potentially affecting breeding licenses from local councils.

inews.co.uk

Professor Dan O’Neill from the RVC emphasized that breeds like Dachshunds have evolved over decades and can continue to change for the better: “Dachshunds that you look at now are totally different from how dachshunds looked 50 years ago.”

Is It Really a Ban on 67 Breeds?

No, despite what some headlines suggest.

The campaign is not proposing to outright ban any breeds but to phase out extreme features through selective breeding. For instance, breeders could mate pugs with slightly longer snouts or Pekinese with marginally longer legs to reduce health risks.

A dog passes the assessment if it fails no more than two criteria—meaning many breeds with only one issue, like the short-legged Welsh Corgi or Dachshund, would actually pass overall.

The "67 breeds" figure appears in reports from critics who argue that applying the criteria strictly could label many popular breeds as unhealthy.

standard.co.uk

However, only about 10 breeds—such as Pugs, Shih Tzus, French Bulldogs, English Bulldogs, Pekingese, Basset Hounds, Boston Terriers, Dogue de Bordeaux, Brussels Griffons, and Japanese Chins—are at high risk of failing the tool due to multiple extreme traits.

Even then, it's about improving the breed, not eradicating it. As the RSPCA notes, thousands of dogs suffer from these features, struggling to breathe, run, play, eat, or sleep normally.

The List of 67 Potentially Affected Breeds

Critics, including some media outlets and animal rights groups like PETA, have compiled a list of 67 breeds that could be impacted if the guidelines become law, based on breeds commonly exhibiting at least one of the flagged traits.

peta.org.uk

Here's the full list for reference (note: this doesn't mean all individuals in these breeds would fail the assessment, and no ban is currently in place

Affenpinscher

American Cocker Spaniel

Australian Cattle Dog

Australian Shepherd

Basset

Basset Bleu

Basset Fauve

Beagle

Beauceron

Bergamasco

Bloodhound

Border Collie

Boston Terrier

Boxer

Bracco

Brittany

Brussels Griffon

Bullmastiff

Bulldog

Cairn Terrier

Cardigan Welsh Corgi

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Cesky Terrier

Chihuahua

Chow Chow

Clumber Spaniel

Dachshund

Dandie Terrier

Dogue de Bordeaux

French Bulldog

Glen of Imaal Terrier

Grand Basset

Great Dane

Japanese Chin

King Charles Spaniel

Lancashire Heeler

Lhasa Apso

Mastiff

Mudi

Neapolitan Mastiff

Newfoundland

Norfolk Terrier

Norwich Terrier

Old English Sheepdog

Pekingese

Pembroke Welsh Corgi

Petit Basset

Polish Lowland

Pug

Pyr Mastiff

Pyr Shep

Rough Collie

Schipperke

Scottish Terrier

Sealyham Terrier

Shar Pei

Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie)

Shih Tzu

Skye Terrier

Smooth Collie

Spanish Water Dog

St Bernard

Staffordshire Terrier

Sussex Spaniel

Swedish Vallhund

Tibetan Mastiff

West Highland White Terrier

This list has been echoed in various reports and social media discussions.

Criticisms and Broader Context

While animal welfare groups like PETA applaud the move as a step toward ending exploitative breeding—arguing that all dog breeding is inherently cruel due to forced pregnancies and health issues in certain breeds—others call the tool a "blunt instrument."

peta.org.uk +1

Some X users have even linked it to unrelated cultural or religious pressures, but there's no evidence supporting those claims; the focus is purely on welfare.

@RealDonKeith

In reality, over a quarter of UK dogs suffer from extreme conformations, according to RVC data, and a 2024 Dogs Trust study found more than a fifth have flat faces.

inews.co.uk

The campaign aims to fix this within a decade by promoting healthier individuals already within breeds.

Final Thoughts

If you're a dog owner, there's no need for immediate panic—no bans are happening now, and existing pets won't be affected. This is about future-proofing canine health through ethical breeding. For more details, check the APPG's tool directly or consult sources like the RSPCA. Animal welfare is important, but so is accurate information—headlines can sometimes bark louder than the facts.

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