Exhibition Ban
Information for exhibitors – as of July 2026
In consultation with the Veterinary Authority of the City of Kassel, Dr. Purkl
Forms / documents for download
Under Section 10, sentence 1 of the German Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance (Tierschutz-Hundeverordnung – TierSchHuV), it is prohibited to exhibit dogs or to organise dog shows involving
1. dogs whose body parts, in particular ears or tail, have been completely or partially amputated in violation of animal welfare requirements.
> Exhibition ban for cropped / docked dogs
Exceptions are only possible for dogs used for hunting where the procedure was indispensable for the intended hunting purpose, as well as in cases of medically necessary amputation. Appropriate documentation must be provided in both cases.
2. dogs in which, due to hereditary factors, body parts or organs required for species-appropriate use are absent, unsuitable or altered, resulting in pain, suffering or harm.
> Exhibition ban for dogs with extreme breeding traits
The following regulations serve to implement the provisions of Section 10 of the German Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance. The exhibition ban for dogs with so-called “Qualzucht” traits is based on the decree issued by the Hessian Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment (HMLU) in March 2026 in conjunction with the guidelines of the Animal Welfare Working Group (AGT)*, current practical experience and information provided by specialist institutions. The examination concept and the forms will be further developed following the show.
* Guidelines on the interpretation and enforcement of the exhibition ban under Section 10 of the German Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance – recommendations for the competent authorities regarding the legally compliant implementation and enforcement of the prohibition under Section 10 TierSchHuV, Animal Welfare Working Group (AGT) of the Working Group on Consumer Protection of the German Federal States (LAV), as of October 2025.
1. What examinations does my dog require?
Whether your dog requires a veterinary examination prior to the show depends on its breed and age.
Is your dog older than one year and is its breed included in the “Overview – General Clinical Examination”?
A General Clinical Examination must then be carried out and certified by a veterinarian before the show.
Is your dog’s breed also included in the “Overview – Special Examinations”?
The additional special examinations and/or exercise/fitness tests specified for the respective breed are then also required.
Is your dog’s breed not included in either of these lists?
As a general rule, no prior veterinary certificate is required. However, spot checks will be carried out at the show. These may apply to dogs of all breeds, irrespective of whether a veterinary examination prior to the show was required.
2. General Clinical Examination
Dogs that are included in the “Overview – General Clinical Examination” and are older than one year must undergo a General Clinical Examination before the show.
The examination provides a professional and objective assessment of clinical findings. Its purpose is to establish whether there are indications of extreme breeding traits. The guidelines of the Animal Welfare Working Group (AGT) are also used as an aid to interpretation.
The examination and the specific findings must be documented by the veterinarian using the “General Clinical Examination” form. The form has been revised in accordance with the criteria set out in the AGT guidelines, and the documentation of findings – for example regarding tail length, dentition or hairlessness – has been specified in greater detail: New (revised) form.
Validity of the certificate
The certificate of General Clinical Examination is generally accepted if the examination was carried out no more than two years before the date of the show.
Different or simplified validity requirements apply to certain breeds identified accordingly in the breed list. The information provided in the “Overview – General Clinical Examination” is decisive.
Which form applies in 2027?
As a general rule, the new (revised) “General Clinical Examination” form must be used for newly performed examinations. The following transitional arrangements apply to existing certificates for the 2027 show:
Situation
Requirement
The existing certificate is more than
two years old on 9 and 10 January 2027.
A new examination using the new form is required, in particular for certificates issued on or after 15 August 2026 (date of publication on the VDH LV Hessen website).
A certificate using the previous (“old”) form is still valid.
It may generally continue to be accepted.
Exceptions
English Bulldog, French Bulldog, Boston Terrier or so-called hairless breeds
The new form is required, even if an existing certificate using the “old” form is still within its two-year validity period.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
The new form is required, even if an existing certificate using the “old” form is still within its two-year validity period, plus the supplementary sheet for Chiari malformation / syringomyelia.
From 2028 onwards
Only the new form will be accepted.
For the breeds expressly listed above, the new form is therefore required even if a certificate using the previous (“old”) form is still within its two-year validity period.
Additional requirement for other breeds with congenital short tails
If the previous (“old”) certificate form is still being submitted for a breed in which congenital short tails occasionally occur – for example the Welsh Corgi Pembroke or Australian Shepherd – because the certificate is still within its validity period, a specific statement regarding tail length must additionally be recorded on the form. The certificate must state whether the tail length is at least half the distance from the base of the tail to the level of the stifle joint.
Please note:
According to the AGT guidelines, a dog cannot be exhibited
if, due to hereditary factors, the tail is less than half the distance from the base of the tail to the level of the stifle joint;
if hereditary complete or partial hairlessness (“hairlessness”) is present.
Photographic material may additionally be requested in individual cases.
3. Special examinations and exercise / fitness tests
For certain breeds included in the “Overview – Special Examinations”, further veterinary examinations are required in addition to the General Clinical Examination:
U4: orthopaedic-neurological examination
U5: cardiac ultrasound and/or ECG
U7: exercise/fitness test for brachycephalic breeds (Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome/BOAS)
The “Overview – Special Examinations” specifies which examinations are required for each breed, the age from which they must be performed and how long the respective certificates remain valid.
The certificate form for Special Examination U4 (orthopaedic-neurological examination) has been revised: New form.As a general rule, only the new form may now be used for Special Examination U4; only this form can be accepted.
Exercise / fitness test (U7)
The standardised Cambridge Respiratory Function Grading Scheme (BOAS grading) is accepted as an exercise/fitness test. The standardised treadmill fitness test is also accepted. The respective examination centres provide the appropriate forms; these certificates must be submitted.
Other exercise or BOAS tests can only be accepted if the examination report clearly documents that
the test was performed according to a standardised protocol;
respiratory sounds were assessed by auscultation using a stethoscope both at rest and after exercise; and
the degree of stenosis of the nostrils was assessed and documented in accordance with the grading scheme by Liu et al. 2016 (the grading scheme is included in the appendix to the “General Clinical Examination” form).
4. Submission of documents
The required certificates must be submitted when entering the dog for the show or no later than the third entry deadline.
The certificate forms must be completed fully and unambiguously. Otherwise, they cannot be accepted. The current forms and the lists of affected breeds are available on this information page.
5. Checks at the show
If all required veterinary examinations have been submitted in full and are comprehensible, dogs may generally enter the ring. A comprehensive veterinary examination upon admission to the show is not planned. However, spot checks for conspicuous characteristics / extreme breeding traits will be carried out at the show, particularly where dogs appear conspicuous despite the submission of examination certificates.
These checks may apply to dogs of all breeds, including those for which no veterinary examination prior to the show was required.
During these spot checks, particular attention will be paid to the following anatomical characteristics and / or symptoms:
tail length;
complete or partial hairlessness (alopecia);
pathological respiratory sounds, breathing difficulties or signs of impaired thermoregulation;
brachycephalic syndrome;
redness or inflammation of the eyes and excessive tearing;
symptomatic ectropion or macroblepharon;
symptomatic entropion;
exophthalmos or microphthalmos;
other eye abnormalities or impaired vision;
inflammatory skin changes or excessive skin folds;
inflammatory changes of the ears or excessively long drop ears;
merle colouring or predominantly white coat atypical for the breed;
deafness or other neurological symptoms;
lameness or movement abnormalities, for example due to relevant conditions such as hip dysplasia (HD), vertebral abnormalities or disc disease.
6. Exclusion from the show
Dogs showing conspicuous characteristics associated with relevant medical conditions within the meaning of Section 10 No. 2 TierSchHuV may be excluded from the event by the official veterinarian or the organiser. In such cases, the dog must leave the ring and/or the show without being judged. Instructions issued by the VDH and/or show management, the judges and the official veterinarian must be followed.
The judges are also instructed to observe and apply the Breed Specific Instructions (BSI). For the breeds included in the BSI, particular attention will be paid to health and functionality as well as to potentially harmful exaggerations of breed characteristics.