Great news, after a lot of hard work, the Kennel Club have reclassified Bloodhounds to a category 2 breed

Following careful consideration of the evidence, we are pleased to confirm that The Kennel Club is reclassifying the Bloodhound as a Category 2 breed, effective from 1st January 2025. This decision reflects the tremendous progress made by the Bloodhound community, while also considering the broader genetic diversity and other challenges facing the breed. Your dedication and hard work have not gone unnoticed, and we commend the efforts of the community in reaching this important milestone. 

 This reclassification means, as of 1st January 2025, Best of Breed winners at General and Group Championship Shows will not be required to undergo a veterinary check before entering the group competition. Additionally, dogs will not need to pass a veterinary health check for their Champion title to be confirmed. 

 However, we would like to highlight that the reclassification process involved an in-depth evaluation of the new Category 3 criteria, which we have attached for your reference. 

Although the Bloodhound will move to Category 2, we must advise continued vigilance. The review noted areas that require improvement, particularly the low uptake of conformation-related health testing, specifically for hip and elbow dysplasia. Additionally, concerns regarding temperament were also highlighted. We strongly encourage the breed to continue to make progress in these areas to ensure we see further advancements in the breed’s overall health and welfare.