Laura Anderson
Dogs. Practically everyone loves them. I think I can speak for the majority when I say we can’t get enough of these adorable pooches! However, has our love for these canines become excessive? Are we damaging them more than we think? What problems have arisen from this puppy love?
I’m often not surprised by the ignorance of the human race when it comes to animal care. I have written several articles on the injustice of certain domesticated animals and how we humans have impacted these creatures’ lives. Though those cases usually stem from a lack of education, the clarity of the ethical issues surrounding many dog breeds seem to be glossed over so simply in favour of “cuteness”.
We flock to the screens when we see internet famous “Doug the Pug”, and buy these toy dogs by the thousands, with their population in the UK alone doubling between 2010 and 2017. Yet not many stop to think about the quality of life we are providing these animals. Pugs have been modified over the years through selective breeding, they went from beautiful long snouts, to beastly flattened faces. These animals can hardly breathe and many puppies require surgery to ensure they live a long life. And why did we dampen this pooch’s wellbeing? All in favour of it being more “cute.”
I’d love to think that pugs were the only dog breed that have been ruined by the Kennel Club, but unfortunately that is not the case. Many dog breeds have fallen victim to humanity’s preference of cuteness over health.
German Shepherds have gone from nice, straight backs to curved spines that have caused an influx of health problems, including paralysis. Similar to this, Dachshunds have been bred with long backs, and it comes to no surprise that this has caused many back problems in the breed. My Grandma used to have a dachshund named Oscar, who unfortunately had a slipped disk which led to his paralysis from the waist down. Whilst my family provided Oscar with a fulfilled life, rolling him around in his wheelbarrow, he never got to feel the joy of running in the fields with the other dogs. English bulldogs have been selectively bred to have massive heads, which has made natural birth impossible; nearly all English Bulldog mothers have to go through surgery to have puppies, and that’s even if they make it to that stage. The complete decimation of their breathing, skeletal structure and skin has made it almost impossible for these dogs to naturally mate. Contrary to this, Caviar King Charles Spaniels have been bred to have tiny heads. This shrinking of the skull has had a massive impact on their brains, which now barely have any room inside of these little dogs’ heads. Around 95% of Calvier King Charles Spaniels has a chiari-like formation, which can lead to the neurological condition, Syringomyelia. This condition is extremely painful, and whilst it is rarely fatal, many of these dogs are put down due to the uncontrollable pain. We, as a society, have bred these dogs to be in pain, and yet we do nothing to help them, or to stop this cruel act. Though, there are a few individuals who have taken a great stand on this problem. In the Netherlands, a breeder has been working tirelessly to improve the health of the much loved French Bulldog - a national favourite of ours, ranking in the top 100. Hawbucks French Bulldogs is aiming to build a breed where the snout is more pronounced, abolishing the French Bulldog skull malformation and breathing problems. It may be a tiny step in the world of 350 dog breeds, but it's a movement that has caught the eyes of many. But what can we do? For starters, we can begin spreading awareness of the situation, inform others about the devastating health impacts that breeding has had on our dogs. Stop buying these animals and support those who are working towards a healthier dog breed, rather than a cute one that will get you likes on social media. We’ve showered these canines in love for centuries, so let’s start acting like we really care.
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