What is happening?
§ Section 10 of the Animal Welfare Dog Law (TierSchHuV), which was revised in 2021, has now been given an implementation guideline – i.e. instructions for state vets on how the regulations must be applied in practice, and a list of genes/characteristics that fall under “torture breeding” (Qualzucht) in the also listed breeds. A dog with such a trait is excluded from shows, exhibitions, sport trials, can´t be used as therapy dog, and is also banned from any other public event where there is a potential audience. The “defects” range from hairlessness and albinism to skellet abnormalities. If a dog is diagnosed with one of these “defects” by a vet or this “defect” is confirmed by a genetic test, it means the end of its career in the public eye. The crude thinking behind this: if people no longer see the breeds/affected dogs, neither at sporting events nor in action for sick children or the disabled, then there is no incentive to buy, ergo, the breeds in question go extinct.
What does that mean for the Dachshund?
The dachshund is listed for several defects, some of which have no relevance at all in the breed (albinism). However, the column concerning chondrodysplasia and chondrodystrophy (CDDY + CDPA) is critical, and also not very clear: the genetic test only refers to chromosome 12 (CDDY) – a possible mistake, because CDPA (chromosome 18) is also specifically identified as “torture/defect breeding trait”. As the table is generally extremely full of typing errors and other mistakes (for an official document), there is certainly room for interpretation here. Either way, since both (CDPA and CDDY) are listed as torture breeding traits, and dogs must have a test to show that they are free (n/n), this would exclude 99.999% of all dachshunds in Germany from any event participation – also for events that are needed for breeding certificate, as a breeding show. If the table will be updated (what already happened, as some breeds magically “disapeared” from the CDPA/CDDY section), this section must be definetly made clearer, e.g. the CDPA must be eradicated to avoid confusion. If they really mean they want Dachshunds to be n/n for both – CDPA/CDDY – this would be the end of the breed, as such specimens do not look like Dachshunds at all, more like a bigger version of a jagd terrier/terrier-mix.
But also if only a CDDY test must be conducted, the percentage of Dachshunds that are n/n is so low in Germany, that 99% of dogs are nevertheless excluded from all events (also breeding shows). Especially the smaller sizes (Kaninchenteckel), and also the long-haired variants have far too few heterozygous dogs to generate CDDY-free lines. And even in the wirehaired standard, which has the highest number of heterozygous dogs, it is impossible to generate CDDY-free lines within one generaton. Either way, the guidelines are the end of regulated, club-based breeding in Germany – no new dogs can be registered as breeding stock, as they cannot legally be judged according to the standard.
Have there already been direct effects of the guidelines?
The guidelines have only just been sent out, which means that the state veterinary offices have to familiarize themselves with their very complex and sometimes unclear content. It is not known when and to what extent they will begin to demand specific genetic tests or impose bans. We will keep you up to date as soon as the first breeding shows or sporting events are affected – in addition to the dachshund, many other breeds suffer from the guidelines that are not generally associated with torture breeding. The CDDY/CDPA section alone includes French Bulldogs, Scotch Terriers, Basset Hounds, Beagles, Bichon Frisé, Welsh Corgi Pembroke, Chihuahuas, English and American Cocker Spaniels, Miniature Pinschers, Maltese, Pekingese and Shih Tzus – meaning also costly tests for the owner of such dogs, when they just want to partizipate in an Obedience trial or a small, club Agility event.