Making room for small ethical breeders

Making room for small ethical breeders

Author: maryvy March 6, 2026 Duration: 36:43

 

With Crufts taking place this weekend, we explore the future of dog breeding. Recent media attention has focused on breeding practices, conformation, the Innate Health Assessment Tool, and the Royal Kennel Club’s new nose‑to‑tail assessment / Breeding For Health Framework.

Mary catches up with Beverley Cuddy, a former podcast guest, to discuss these developments. A key theme of the conversation is the importance of involving breeders in discussions about the future of dog breeding. Beverley recently founded the Union of Dog People, representing those small scale breeders who believe that breeding a dog brings with it responsibility. 

As previously discussed on the podcast, puppy farming poses significant risks to animal welfare. Small, ethical breeders can and do play an important role in the fight against puppy farms, providing support and education for new dog owners, and enabling people to bring dogs into their family that are healthy and socialised. 

There's a lot to discuss, with social media full of different points of view on the best way forward, from academics, charities, breeders and everyone who has spent their life with dogs. Hopefully, by working together, we can find a solution to the problem of extreme conformation and have many future generations of healthy, happy dogs. 

More Information

Welcome to the Union of Good Dog People - Dogs above everything

Breeding for health framework | The Royal Kennel Club

Innate Health Assessment | Promote Healthy Breeding Now

RKC and APGAW Dog Health Action Plan

 

 


What does it truly mean to care for an animal, whether it's a beloved pet at home or a species on the brink in the wild? Animal Welfare Conversations digs into that question through candid, often surprising discussions with the people on the front lines. Hosted by maryvy, each episode brings you directly into dialogue with veterinary surgeons and nurses making critical medical decisions, conservationists designing field interventions, and animal owners navigating daily ethical choices. The scope is deliberately broad, covering pets, domestic animals, farm residents, zoo inhabitants, and wildlife, because the principles of compassionate care connect them all. You'll hear concrete stories about decision-making and the realities of providing a good life, not just abstract theory. This is a podcast built on curiosity and a willingness to re-examine what we think we know, challenging assumptions about standard practices and long-held beliefs in the pursuit of tangible improvement. It’s for anyone-families, science enthusiasts, or nature lovers-who believes animal welfare is a complex, evolving conversation worth having. Tune in for perspectives that are both deeply personal and rigorously practical, reminding us of our shared responsibility toward the creatures in our care.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 41

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