Doping

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Why is anti-doping necessary for dogs?

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 know

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.

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