Table 1 Identified priorities and planned actions in the 5th International Dog Health Workshop

Supply and Demand.

Peter Friedrich, Germany

Illegal activities such as illegal importation need to be addressed through more effective legislation and enforcement.

Explore new opportunities for better collaboration between researchers and other interested parties with greater access to consumers and breeders to provide the data and information on dog buyers needed to guide action.

Meet virtually on a regular basis, to ensure continued collaboration and exchange of ideas.

Breeding for Health and Well-Being.

Kirsi Sainio, Finland

It is imperative that the well-being and lives of dogs are prioritised in all canine activities. Discussions need to continue, but the solutions improving canine health and well-being need to be found urgently.

Kennel clubs need to communicate better and more forcefully with their judges to make them understand their role and responsibility in protecting the health and well-being of all breeds.

More effective education and understanding within puppy buyers, breeders, and show judges is needed to ensure research and evidence are put at the heart of the action.

All stakeholders who care about dogs should strive to be champions of canine health and well-being first and then to consider how this relates to maintaining existing breed concepts.

Big Data.

Kari Ekenstedt, USA

Launch a pilot project to test data collection and analysis.

Set up a working group to identify which traits have currently Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) in different countries and how these EBVs can be used more effectively.

Create an online resource on DogWellNet.com to list key datasets held by different organisations for research purposes.

Does the Colour Matter? Defining Breed vs. Variety.

Heidi Parker, USA

Routine crossbreeding between varieties of the same breed should be allowed and even promoted.

Move towards harmonisation of rules and terminology regarding breed varieties and crossbreeding.

Gather information about the rules on crossbreeding in different countries.

Make a series of webinars available globally through DogWellNet.com covering the history of breeding and experiences with crossbreeding, including best practices and common pitfalls.

All stakeholders should give more attention to work to increase genetic diversity in dog breeds.

All themes

Compile a list of studies related to the four workshop themes to be shared on DogWellNet.com.

Educate puppy buyers, breeders, show judges, and other interested parties on issues that affect canine health and welfare.