Don’t Buy a Bulldog Until the Breed Is Reshaped

Bulldogs, a dog breed with a flat face, look cute, but this breed can experience a lifetime of suffering. Hence, vets are asking people to refrain from buying one. A study revealed that these dogs suffer twice the health risks as other dog breeds.

Experts from the Royal Veterinary College say urgent action is needed to reshape the dog breed. They are already banned in the UK (United Kingdom), and dog experts are now asking more countries to ban them.

They want people to stop buying the likes of English bulldogs, Pugs, and French bulldogs till their breeding issues get addressed.

Urging people to stop promoting them on social media

Experts are asking people to stop promoting these breeds by posting their pictures on social media and liking them on those platforms.

In the last decade, these dogs have become increasingly popular. The breed referred to as the British bulldog has earned comparisons with Winston Churchill for their jowly faces.

Bulldogs were seen as symbols of endurance and courage historically. Dr. Dan O’Neill, one of the authors of the study, and the Royal Veterinary College said that with their flat faces and bulging eyes, there is no doubt that these dogs are cute.

However, he also pointed out that years of selective breeding have rendered their body shape extreme, which has brought about their downfall.       

People should demand healthier dogs

He opined that many dog breeds, such as bulldogs, suffer from poor innate health and extreme conformations relating to the appearance and structure of a dog.

Therefore, he feels that people have a huge role to play in this context by asking for dogs with moderate – and thus healthier – conformations. He advised prospective owners to stop and think if they would buy a flat-faced dog breed or not.

The history of these dogs 

Once upon a time, these dogs were athletic and muscular as a breed, but over the years, they have shown a tendency towards having a short skull, skin folds, protruding jaws, and squat build.

Dr. O’Neill says that the public does have a significant role to play in this context by not liking posts or posting images of these dogs on social media. He feels it is an inadvertent way of advertising them, and not doing so is a significant way to drive a change.

 

The phenomenal popularity of these dogs 

However, Dr. O’Neill has acknowledged that these dogs are popular and know why that is the case. It has primarily to do with the psychological effect that these dogs have on us. Thanks to their large heads, docile temperament, and big eyes, they remind us of babies and trigger our nurturing instincts.

He says that we interpret these as signs of cuteness – he also understands that it is natural and hard to fight against as human beings. However, he has also warned that what we think of as cute is anything but so.

It is especially so when you live the life of such a dog. In several cases, this means going through a lifetime of suffering.

Status of bulldog breeding in various countries 

Many countries have banned the breeding of bulldogs. A working group comprising welfare groups and vets, such as the Royal Veterinary College, says the same thing may happen if nothing gets done.

If you own such a dog, you must be aware of the health issues such as eye problems, skin fold infections, and difficulty breathing.

If you are concerned by them, they opine that you must get advice from the vets.

The history of health issues in these breeds

Dr. Alison Skipper, a veterinary historian of King’s College London, says that breeders already know about these diseases connected to the body shape of these dogs and have done so for over 100 years.

She feels that placing priority on health and breeding responsibly; might improve the well-being of the iconic and popular breed.

The Kennel Club says that if the breed is banned, the problem runs the risk of being driven underground.

What do they want the people to do?

Bill Lambert, a spokesperson for The Kennel Club, says that the welfare body wishes to see an urgent change in how people choose their dogs. He does not want them to buy one just because they like how much dogs look driven by celebrities on social media.

He says they must look for breeders using the proper health tools and not breeding such exaggerated dogs. They must choose healthy specimens as preordained by the breed standards.

The study was published in the Journal of Canine Medicine and Genetics and has compared the health of hundreds of English bulldog pets with other dog breeds.

Over there, it has been found that bulldogs have twice the propensity of suffering from health issues in a year compared to other breeds.

The issues that they commonly suffer from 

• The health issues the dog breed suffers from are skin fold infections (bulldogs are 38 times likelier to suffer from skin infections compared to other dog breeds)
• Lower jaw protrusion (they are 24 times likelier to suffer compared to other breeds)
• Eye disorders known as cherry eyes (these dogs are 26 times likelier to suffer from them compared to other breeds), and
• Breathing issues (19 times likelier to suffer than other dog breeds).

Conclusion 

A recent study has also found that pugs are at high risk of suffering from these diseases. Apart from these, English bulldogs also suffer from issues such as brachycephalic airway syndrome, temperature regulation, bone, and joint diseases, headshakes, allergies, heart and thyroid diseases, and cancer. Early detection can be helpful in these cases.