Flat-faced dogs and the Dutch rules: health, breeding and what is allowed

Can you still breed flat-faced dogs in the Netherlands?

Only from a dog that meets 6 criteria. They are set out in a policy rule on brachycephalic dogs, and a vet can assess the dog against them. If a dog fails them, or has other serious hereditary defects or diseases, it may not be bred from. A pedigree makes no difference to that.

The legal basis is article 3.4 of the Besluit houders van dieren, the Dutch animal keepers decree: anyone who breeds may not pass harmful physical traits, serious hereditary defects or diseases on to the puppies. For flat-faced dogs this has been set out in measurable criteria since 2019. In August 2023 the agriculture ministry laid them down in a policy rule.

The 2023 policy rule scrapped one exception and made one rule explicit:

• No more exception for crossing. An adult dog that fails the criteria may no longer be used for an outcross: deliberately crossing with a longer-muzzled dog to improve the breed.
• No breeding after surgery. You may not breed from a dog that has had surgery to help it breathe, for example to widen the nostrils: it still passes its unhealthy traits on to its puppies.

A planned caesarean is banned in flat-faced dogs: a vet may only perform one when it is medically necessary. The NVWA enforces the rules together with the national animal welfare inspectorate (Landelijke Inspectiedienst Dierenwelzijn) and visits breeders. According to the Dutch government (2023), a breeder who breaks the rules can be fined €1,500, usually with an order subject to penalty payments on top.

How do you measure whether a dog's muzzle is too short?

Use a tape measure. Measure the nose from the stop, where the nose meets the forehead, to the tip of the nose. Measure the skull from the stop to the bump at the back of the head. Divide the nose length by the skull length: that is the craniofacial ratio. Below 0.3, the muzzle is too short to breed from.

1. 1Find the stop. That is where the nose meets the forehead.
2. 2Measure the nose. Run the tape from the stop to the tip of the nose.
3. 3Measure the skull. From the stop to the end of the bump you can feel at the back of the head, towards the neck. In some dogs that bump is flatter and feels more like a small ridge.
4. 4Divide. Nose length divided by skull length.

A worked example from the NVWA: a nose of 3.5 centimetres and a skull of 12.5 centimetres give a ratio of 0.28. That is below 0.3, so this dog may not be bred from. Measuring at home gives you a first idea. If you want to be sure, see your vet.

The vet declaration

Vets can use the PetScan for this, a scoring form developed at Utrecht University. The vet enters how the dog scores on the 6 criteria and gets the result straight away. The signed form serves as the vet declaration. The assessment can only be done once the dog is fully grown; for most breeds that is between 1 and one and a half years. A declaration does not expire, but it remains a snapshot.

Can you buy, keep or import a flat-faced dog in the Netherlands?

Buying, selling or keeping a flat-faced dog is not banned: the ban only covers breeding. Breeders abroad do not have to follow the Dutch criteria, and their dogs can be imported, even when the muzzle is too short. A keeping ban has been discussed for years, but there is none yet.

In 2024 the Dutch parliament passed a motion asking for a trade and keeping ban on animals that may not be bred in the Netherlands. In answers to parliamentary questions on 9 March 2026, the state secretary for agriculture wrote that such a ban for extremely flat-faced dogs is complicated. Not all flat-faced dogs suffer from their traits, and there is no trait yet by which you can recognise an extremely flat-faced dog younger than 1 year.

The veterinary genetics centre at Utrecht University is therefore studying whether a puppy's skull development can be predicted early. That study started in December 2025 and runs for two years; the state secretary expects the results in the first quarter of 2028. If it produces a usable trait, a keeping ban will be introduced, he wrote.

What should you check when buying a flat-faced puppy?

Ask for the vet declaration of both parents, for example a completed scoring form. It shows how the parent dogs score on the 6 criteria. You cannot tell from the puppy itself yet: the measurement is only reliable in an adult dog. Treat a declaration as a minimum, not a guarantee.

1. 1Ask for the mother's and the father's declaration. According to the state secretary, the father is almost never present with the puppies. Ask for his form anyway.
2. 2Do not trust the form blindly. It is not an official document, and according to the state secretary a buyer cannot reliably check whether both parents meet the criteria. If the form does not match what you see in the mother, do not buy.
3. 3Look at the mother yourself. Does she make noise when breathing, or snore? Does she have a nose wrinkle, narrow or barely open nostrils, visible white of the eye, or eyes that do not close properly? Those are signs of a muzzle that is too short.
4. 4Do not rely on a pedigree alone. In November 2024 the KNMvD, the Dutch veterinary association, warned that dogs with a muzzle that is too short were still getting a pedigree despite the breeding ban.
5. 5Take your time. If you have doubts about the breeder or the paperwork, do not buy. If the seller disappears after the sale, you have nowhere to go with questions or problems.

Factor in the costs too. According to the KNMvD (2024), buying a flat-faced dog easily costs around 2,500 euros, and treatment costs can rise to 10,000 euros, for example for airway or dental surgery. Not every insurer covers flat-faced breeds: Univé, for one, does not. Check before you buy. What a dog costs month to month is in the cost of owning a dog. Still unsure about the breed? Read which dog suits your life first.

What health problems do flat-faced dogs have?

The main problem is breathing trouble. According to the NVWA, dogs with a short muzzle have a high chance of BOAS: narrower airways and nostrils, so they can be very short of breath, find panting harder and overheat faster. They also have a high chance of dental problems, sleep problems, eye problems and overweight.

The shorter the muzzle, the higher the risk. British research by Packer and colleagues (2015) showed this. They measured 700 dogs of all breeds and crosses that came to a Royal Veterinary College referral hospital for all kinds of reasons. Of the dogs whose muzzle was less than a tenth of the skull length, over 80% had BOAS. No dog with a ratio of 0.5 or more had it. In a second study by the same team, of 154 flat-faced dogs that came mostly from breeders, the risk also rose with excess weight.

How do you look after a flat-faced dog?

Take extra care in warm weather, clean the nose folds regularly and keep your dog from getting overweight. The NVWA lists these among others. A flat-faced dog finds panting harder and overheats faster, the skin in the folds can become inflamed, and obesity raises the risk of breathing trouble.

• Warm weather: keep your dog cool on hot days.
• Nose folds: clean them regularly so the skin does not become inflamed. Ask your vet how best to do it.
• Weight and exercise: make sure your dog gets enough exercise and does not get too heavy. How much exercise a dog needs is covered in how often to walk your dog.

We would also suggest:

• Walk smart: in warm weather, pick the coolest times of day.
• Pace: let your dog set the pace and take a break as soon as their breathing gets heavier. On a private walk your dog walks alone with the walker and does not have to keep up with a group.

Frequently asked questions about flat-faced dogs