Welcome to The KarltonINDEX
The Karlton Index was launched in March 2011, with the hope of bringing something constructive and helpful to the heated debates around dog welfare. Our founder, Philippa Robinson, has brought tried and tested tools from the world of business and applied them to activities related to dog health. The Karlton Index monitors the health of dog breeds in the UK and applies an Index / Score, to help dog buyers make an informed decision. The framework is designed to explore how people can engage with, collaborate on, and discuss dog health more objectively.
Our News Feeds
Latest NewsTwitterFacebookKennel Club
- The Great British Ex-breeding Dog Survey 2017
- They ship ’em out and they ship ’em back in again
- Breed Specific Legislation is the absolute pits: but Shakira’s on a mission to change it
- Taken on trust
- Where’s the Harm in Demand?
- Scanning is not a big ask nor a big task but does your vet scan?
- Feeling festive
- Biographical details: matter for dogs
- Why we’d be wise to ask more whys?
- Meet the Marc Abraham I know
- Radical Transparency
- Dog health – Setting the tone
The Aim

The overall aim of The Karlton Index is to put dog breed health in the spotlight, but in a way that removes as much of the heat that tends to come when debated. The way we do this, is by focusing on facts, data and trends and applying objective measurement.
Dog Buyers Guide
It is essential when choosing a companion animal, you take due regard for the animal’s size, temperament and physical and mental requirements. This section gives advice and gives a Karlton Index to each dog breed.
The Framework

The Karlton Index framework is based on a simple but well known cycle of continuous improvement: plan–do–review. The best way of understanding it, is to think of it as a structured set of four steps, each of which will contribute to improved dog breed health.
How To Improve
The framework is designed to give breed communities a structure to help organise their health activities. The scoring gives a clear sense of what they are doing well and areas to focus on next, to ensure moving in a positive direction.