Recognised in China since 2017 and admitted in Brazil in 2026, the Laizhou Hong is still not recognised by the FCI. Each date below states where the information comes from. See also History and Recognition and clubs.
What "recognised" means#
The word covers very different things depending on the organisation:
- The CKU (China Kennel Union, 中爱联合纯种犬文化发展中心) is China's member of the FCI. It registers the breed, publishes its standard and shows it. This is recognition by the country of origin.
- The FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) brings together national kennel organisations. It does not recognise the Laizhou Hong. The CKU itself lists it among the "breeds not recognised by the FCI".
- National organisations in other countries (CBKC in Brazil, ENCI in Italy…) can admit a breed to their own stud book or accept it at shows. This does not amount to FCI recognition.
- Private registries, such as the Chinese Red Dog Registry in the United Kingdom, keep lineage records. This registry itself states that it does not replace the CKU, the breed's official registry in China.
- Sports organisations, such as the United Kennel Club in the United States, can open their events to dogs whose breed is not recognised.
In China#
| Date | Event | Status |
|---|---|---|
| October 2016 | The CKU launches a conservation club for native Chinese breeds. It states that it has no partner club and runs registration and shows for these breeds on its own. | Confirmed by two CKU texts |
| 2017 | The club runs registration and specialty shows for four breeds: Shaanxi sighthound, Chongqing Dog, Chuandong Hound and Laizhou Hong. | Stated by the CKU |
| 4 October 2017 | At the FCI Asian Cup in Shanghai (3-6 October), organised by the CKU, the club presents the Shaanxi sighthound, the Laizhou Hong and the Chongqing Dog to the public. The CKU describes a free showcase, not a competition. | Confirmed by the CKU, the organiser. Number of dogs unknown |
| 15 December 2017 | First CKU specialty show devoted to the Laizhou Hong, with assessment of dogs outside the ring, in Weifang (Shandong). | Confirmed by the CKU (announcement and report). Number of dogs and results unknown |
| 2017 or 2018 | The CKU standard is put online, in Chinese and English. The page carries neither a date nor a number. Its oldest archived copy dates from 23 June 2018. Some kennels and foreign websites date it to 2017. | Uncertain date: online by June 2018 at the latest |
| August 2018 | The CKU prepares an illustrated handbook of standards for five native breeds, including the Laizhou Hong, and calls for photos. | Announced by the CKU. Publication not verified |
| 1 September 2018 | CKU shows held under CAC rules open a group 11 (non-FCI breeds), created to encourage native breeds. The Laizhou Hong competes there. | Stated by the CKU |
| 30 April-3 May 2019 | FCI World Dog Show in Shanghai, organised by the CKU. The programme announces a presentation of five native breeds not recognised by the FCI: Shaanxi sighthound, Laizhou Hong, Chuandong Hound, Chongqing Dog and Tang Gou. The announcement describes them as "on the road to recognition". | Confirmed: programme carried by the Chinese press, presentation in group 11 reported by the Chinese Wikipedia |
| 1 November 2020 | At the CKU 国SHOW, a "China Aboriginal Breeds" presentation class is added (150 yuan per dog). The Laizhou Hong appears in the list of breeds not recognised by the FCI. | Announced by the CKU (notice of 14 October 2020). Venue and actual participation unknown |
| 2019-2026 | Cities list the breed among "fierce" dogs banned in urban areas, crosses included. The texts range from Lianyungang (27 April 2019) to Ankang (1 May 2026), with a peak in 2020-2021 in Hebei and Shandong. At least nine cities ban it through a final list. No national text has been found. | Confirmed by the municipal texts. Details: The Laizhou Hong and the law in China |
Recognition by the CKU and municipal bans do not contradict each other: the first comes from a kennel organisation, the second from local authorities, which also target the German Shepherd or the Rottweiler.
Outside China#
| Date | Event | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | The breed arrives in the Western world, via the United Kingdom. | According to the Chinese Red Dog Registry and the Alysium Red Dogs kennel. No import record published |
| 2021 | Founding of the Chinese Red Dog Registry, a private registry based in the United Kingdom. | According to the registry itself |
| 9 September 2023 | First recorded litter born in the United States: six puppies. | According to the Alysium Red Dogs kennel (two consistent documents) |
| 22 April 2024 | Incorporation of Chinese Red Dog Aid UK, a rescue and rehoming organisation. | Confirmed by The Gazette, the UK official public record |
| 2024-2025 | In its official results for sports events, the United Kennel Club (UKC) lists Laizhou Hongs as an "Unrecognized" breed. | Confirmed by the results published by the UKC |
| 6 February 2026 | The Brazilian Kennel Confederation (CBKC) places the breed in its group 11, for breeds it recognises outside the FCI. 6 February 2026 is the date given for the standard. The Laizhou Hong Brasil kennel refers to the "NR32" standard. | Confirmed by the CBKC website. Date of admission not stated |
| June 2026 | At the international show in Bologna (3-6 June), the Italian federation (ENCI) enters two dogs under the internal breed code 1003. This is the first documented appearance of the breed at a show held by a European FCI member. | Confirmed by the official ENCI catalogue. Results unknown |
| 2026 | Laizhou Hong Club Global, which presented itself as the breed's worldwide club, closes. Its website now redirects to the Chinese Red Dog Registry and Chinese Red Dog Aid UK. | Observed on the club's website. Closed between January and September 2026, exact date unknown |
On the other hand, no source reports recognition by The Kennel Club (UK), the American Kennel Club or the Société Centrale Canine (France). These findings cannot be dated.
What about the FCI?#
The breed is not recognised by the FCI. The CKU standard assigns it to group 2 (molossoid breeds), and the Bologna catalogue places it in that section. But the CKU and the CBKC present it in a group 11 reserved for non-FCI breeds. The likely explanation, which no source spells out: group 2 is the intended place, group 11 the classification of a breed that is not recognised. ENCI's code 1003 is not an FCI standard number, and the "FCI number" field on the CBKC page is empty.
According to a 2017 CKU article, the FCI requires the following to recognise a breed:
- a complete standard
- 5 registered generations
- 8 different lines
- 1,000 registered dogs
- an application filed by an FCI member, which for a Chinese breed means the CKU.
The CKU says it is strengthening its ties with the FCI Standards Commission. It does not, however, publish any population figures: it is not known how many Laizhou Hongs it has registered since 2017, nor how many lines or generations. No application has been announced. The Finnish Wikipedia mentions a "process under way", but no other source refers to it. The Chinese Red Dog Registry says it is "very close" to the number of dogs and lines usually required, without giving any figure.
What remains to be confirmed#
- The date, number and version of the CKU standard, and whether the handbook announced in 2018 was published.
- The number of Laizhou Hongs registered with the CKU, and whether an application has been filed with the FCI.
- Whether CKU registration is actually open to dogs living outside China, as the CKU had announced.
- The number of dogs shown and the results in Shanghai and Weifang (2017), at the World Dog Show (2019), at the 国SHOW (2020) and in Bologna (2026).
- The dates of the first imports to the United Kingdom and the United States.
- The full text of the CBKC standard and the date the breed was admitted in Brazil.
- The status of the breed with the American Kennel Club and in Germany.
- The exact closing date of Laizhou Hong Club Global.