Anti-doping
Administering medication to your dog before a dog show in Sweden is prohibited and classified as doping. There may be waiting periods for certain substances, as well as for some physical treatments. It's essential that you are aware of this and read more here.
Please read this importent part of the national Swedish regulations against doping of dogs.
Doping and other inappropriate measures
Participating of ill or injured dogs is not permitted. Furthermore, the dog must not be affected in any forbidden way, i.e., been subjected to measures aimed at inappropriately altering their appearance, performance or reactions/character, or intended to conceal signs of injury or illness.
It is the obligation of the person responsible for a dog to ascertain how a specific treatment or other measure may affect the eligibility of that dog to take part in a trial, competition or show.
A dopingtest can be carried out. If the management for the show decides to take a sample for the investigation of possible doping or other, inappropriate measures, the person responsible for the dog is obliged to make the dog in question available for testing and for any further examination resulting from the test.
Neutered male dogs/bitches
Male dog that has been neutered by medical treatment or by chip treatment is not allowed to take part in shows, trials and competitions in Sweden. Exemption to take part is not available.
Bitches that have been neutered by continuously medical treatment is allowed to a general exemption to take part in shows, trials and competitions in Sweden.
Coat, nose and skin
Please note that dogs whose coat, nose or skin has been treated with substances intended to change the colour or texture may not take part in the show. You can read more about doping in our show regulations.
Contact the Swedish Kennel Club for questions about dogs & doping
For details of regulations regarding prohibited treatments and measures, and for information about waiting periods following medical treatment or other measures, please contact:
Email: doping@skk.se
Read more
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The purpose is to protect the dog
The initiative for the current anti-doping regulations was taken in connection with the decision to introduce parimutuel betting on greyhound racing in Sweden from the year 2000. Both the dog organizations (the Swedish Kennel Club, the Swedish Federation of Sled Dog Sports, and the Swedish Greyhound Racing Federation), as well as betting organizers and the responsible authorities, demanded clear rules to ensure that dogs would not be exposed to doping or other undue influence.
At the same time, a comprehensive approach to animal welfare issues in all forms of competitions, trials, and shows was taken. Even before this, practices such as dyeing dogs' coats and noses at shows were already prohibited.
Focus on the dog's well-being
The primary motive behind the anti-doping regulations is animal welfare. This needs to be emphasized because it can be difficult to understand why treatments like painkillers, acupuncture, chiropractic care, and more would be considered "doping or undue influence." The reason for these restrictions is simple: a dog requiring any form of treatment is clearly not healthy and should therefore not participate in activities that are fundamentally for the handler’s satisfaction. The basic requirement is that a dog in a competition, show, or trial must not be injured or ill.
When people hear the word "doping," they often think of athletes taking performance-enhancing drugs. However, in the context of dogs, this is not the main issue—dogs, unlike athletes, cannot choose for themselves what health risks they are willing to take by consuming various “supplements” or other substances.
The primary motivation behind the restrictions on doping and other undue influences on dogs is not primarily to prevent "cheating," although this aspect is also considered, for example in competitive evaluations. The focus is on animal welfare, which is why withdrawal periods are also based on animal welfare considerations. These periods are calculated according to the time it takes for the dog to recover from the illness or condition that is typically treated with the specific substance or method.
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Your responsibility to check
There is no official list of natural remedies, herbal medicines, or dietary supplements for either animals or humans, as these products are not subject to the same controls as pharmaceuticals. Therefore, there are no guarantees that these preparations contain only what is stated on the packaging, nor that different production batches have the same composition.
It should be noted that the listing of substances subject to withdrawal periods can never be completely exhaustive. This is because new medications and substances of various kinds are continuously introduced worldwide.
