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It's the new set of breeding guidelines that has canine lovers divided - dog health checks are expected to become law within the next five years and there are fears that it could see up to 67 of Britain's much-loved breeds becoming banned in the future. MPs want pooches to undergo screening for distinctive features which could make a pet poorly, including fat faces, short legs, bulging eyes or an overbite. But worried campaigners warn it could lead to some of the most popular breeds, including corgis, dachshunds, Shih Tzus and border collies, being branded unhealthy.

A voluntary 10-point checklist unveiled by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare is challenging extreme physical characteristics which can leave dogs in pain or discomfort, struggling to breathe, move or unable to give birth naturally. The assessment - currently voluntary but expected to become law within five years - aims to educate new puppy owners and support breeders and pet care experts - and some local councils are already using it to assess breeders.

But the move has bitterly divided dog lovers over whether it will truly improve pets' welfare. While many animal charities, including the PDSA and Dogs Trust, praise the free Innate Health Assessment Tool (IHA), there is also growing concern over how it could affect the future of some of the UK's much-loved breeds. TV star Jeremy Clarkson, who owns labradors, declared: "Under new proposals you will not be permitted to choose which dog you want, based on its face or its ears or its temperament. You will have to select one from a government approved list."

Well known for her love of dogs, corgis were synonymous with Queen Elizabeth II's reign. Her adoration for the breed dates back to her childhood when she fell in love with a neighbour's corgi. At seven-years-old, her father, who was Duke of York at the time, got one for her and her sister, Princess Margaret. They named the dog Dookie after the Duke, and so began a lifelong love affair.

After Dookie joined the royal household, corgis were the late Queen's canine of choice with Her Majesty going on to own at least 30 of them throughout her 70-year reign. She had a very special relationship with them, and they were said to live the life of luxury, sleeping in wicker baskets, receiving stockings at Christmas and enjoying lavish meals served on silver trays.

After she died, her two surviving corgis, Sandy and Muick, were taken in by her son Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.

"It would seem everything Andrew touches ends in disaster," remarks Beverley Cuddell. "The corgi has gone from being pretty much the poshest dog in the world to in effect being cancelled since he became their guardian."

Campaigners describe the checklist as crude and discriminatory. Beverley Cuddy, founder of the Union of Good Dog People, says the proposed law is "a sledgehammer to crack a nut". She tells the Express: "If you make it impossible for ethical breeders to continue, demand for puppies will not disappear. The gap will simply be filled by those who care least about welfare."

Opponents of the new dog health check regime warn it will punish ethical breeders, while cruel puppy farmers continue to thrive as the pedigree trade is driven underground. They claim this could have the complete opposite effect of what the well-meaning MPs intended.

Ethical breeders insist they already do everything possible to produce healthy, happy dogs. They complete health tests, research bloodlines and provide a lifetime safety net for the puppies they breed.

"Many of the dogs that are genuinely born to suffer are not coming from small ethical breeders," says Beverley. "They are being produced by large scale puppy farmers and scammers who will never follow the rules anyway."

But the MPs' group insist the welfare tool would not lead to the banning of any breeds. Spokesperson Marisa Heath says: "It does not target particular breeds and is not intended to make any breed extinct, quite the opposite as it is about making those breeds healthier and sustainable by moving them towards good innate health. Responsible breeding should focus on improving health within breeds, not fuelling unfounded fears about their disappearance."

She adds that many breeds which are cited as a risk, including corgis and dachshunds, have already passed the assessment in practice.

Under the requirements, only dogs with a health assessment score of eight out of ten or above are allowed to be bred. It is believed that this could increase to nine in five years, and then ten within a decade.

So who is right? Owners of affected breeds share their thoughts about the new tool...

IN SUPPORT: Martyn Smith

After losing his cherished Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in 2020 at just six years of age, Martyn Smith has vowed he will never get the breed again.

"They are one of the most loving and giving breeds, but losing her and seeing her struggle broke our hearts," says Martyn, 52. "It was very hard to go through, and we wouldn't want to experience that again."

The adorable pooch, named Bella, suffered with Syringomyelia, a severe, hereditary condition which affects the spine and nervous system. For this, she had to be on steroids from the age of two-and-a-half. The spaniel also had a heart murmur which is sadly very common for the breed. "It was difficult knowing she was in pain at times, and it made us feel sad and worried, but we did everything we could to keep her comfortable and give her a happy life,"says Martyn.

Going through such a harrowing time with his beloved hound means that the art director, from Colchester, Essex, sees the need for the new dog health assessment tool. "I understand it aims to improve dog welfare and reduce health problems caused by extreme breeding traits," he says.

Martyn, who now owns a working cocker spaniel called Mac with his wife Sandra, hopes that the IHA helps solve the health issues of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. "[If so] we'd have another straight away," he says.

AGAINST: Paul Lawrence Keevil

Terrier lover Paul Lawrence Keevil has three dogs that feature on the list and believes the initiative is too drastic. The retired art dealer owns Dandie Dinmont terriers, and cares deeply for the breed.In fact, he looks remarkably like one himself and has even won numerous dog lookalike competitions. "This assessment tool is ill-conceived, overly regulated, and does not deal with the core issues," he says.

The Dandie Dinmont is a small Scottish dog and one of the rarest native breeds in Britain. It's also the only one to be named after a literary character - the unusual name comes from the Sir Walter Scott novel, Guy Mannering.

Paul, 70, believes that the government should focus on different ways to improve the health and welfare of Britain's large canine population.

"First, they need to tackle the scourge of the dreaded puppy farms, which are responsible for most of the health issues in badly bred puppies," he explains. "Then they need to tackle overseas imports - many from puppy farms."

Paul, who lives on the Surrey/Sussex border, has never had any health issues with his Dandie Dinmont terriers, which he says are dignified little dogs with enormous personalities.

They have all lived long, healthy lives, and one of his much-loved female dogs recently died from natural causes at the advanced age of 17.

"Our dogs regularly live to 15-plus years with no major health issues," he says. "Dandie Dinmonts are a national treasure that should be saved."

AGAINST: Jo Lovell

Corgi-mad Jo Lovell believes there are flaws to the new tool which could see her beloved breed labelled unhealthy because of their short legs. "It doesn't recognise science and instead is using opinion over fact," she says. "There are good, established physical and genetic tests available."

The full-time carer, from Camberley, Surrey, owns six cardigan corgis, and loves their strong personalities and enthusiasm. "They are a robust dog who are happy doing hours on a walk or chilling under your desk," she says. "They are amazing family pets who fit into people's lives so well."

Jo, 54, accepts that there are risks in having any four-legged friend but asserts that her history with the breed, which was much-loved by the late Queen, does not meet the statements made by the IHA.

"My corgi Rubus is 12 and has never had an unwell day in his life," she says. "He has good hips, eye screening and genetic testing."

The canine lover believes that the health assessment will not have the effect the government hopes for.

"Many of the most extreme dogs currently around have come from unethical breeders," she says, "and many are unlicensed and won't be affected by this."