GENETIC STATUS OF UK KENNEL CLUB BREEDS
(Based on data in Lewis et al 2015)

The FAO (the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) uses one of the easiest ways to assess the vulnerability of a population of animals to genetic deterioriation or extinction.
For dogs, we can use the risk categories established by FAO for domestic breeds with “high reproductive capacity” (e.g., pigs, rabbits, guinea pigs, dogs, and poultry). These categories were numbered sequentially for breeding females (e.g., <100 = 1; 101-300 =2; 301-1000 = 3; etc.) and likewise for males. These are listed in the columns “Dams” and “Sires” in the data table below.
The risk assessments in the table below for UK Kennel Club breeds are based on the data in Lewis et al (2015). ​Data for number born, number of sires, and number of dams for dog breeds in England and Ireland in 2014 are from the individual breed reports that accompany the paper by Lewis et al 2015 (available for download on the UK Kennel Club website). The FAO table below was then used to determine the risk assessment for each breed.
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FAO Risk Categories for Domestic Breeds
Data from: Lewis et al. (2015). Trends in genetic diversity for all Kennel Club registered pedigree dog breeds. Canine Genetics and Epidemiology 2:13; ​DOI 10.1186/s40575-015-0027-4.