Exaggerated features that can cause dogs to suffer
Below are examples of problems that pedigree dogs can suffer from as a result of selective breeding range from irritating to life-threatening issues, or those that require risky surgery.
Theres been a lot of media coverage recently about brachycephalic dogs (dogs with short, flat faces) because many of them suffer from serious health issues. In recent years the popularity and ownership of these dogs had grown drastically, fuelled in part by their increased use in advertising and the media. Although their squishy faces and big eyes are often considered cute or comic, sadly these features can cause painful health problems and prevent dogs from being able to enjoy normal activities like playing and running. It can also be really distressing and expensive for owners.
The breathing problems that these dogs are at risk from are well-documented. But did you also know that many brachycephalic dogs also suffer from eye problems? A recent study found that brachycephalic dogs were 20 times more likely to be affected by painful eye ulcers than non-brachycephalic dogs. Another study found that extreme brachycephalic dogs died at a much younger age (8.7 years) when compared to other dogs without short, flat faces (12.7 years).
What About Those Who Think Dog Shows are a Good Idea?
Dog show lovers see shows as educational and entertaining. Some people are exposed to breeds they’ve never seen before, while others who are thinking about getting a dog can gain an idea of what to look for and may lean toward a breed they never thought of. The National Dog Show, which is held on Thanksgiving morning right after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, has become a family tradition for many.
Breeders advocate dog shows because of the information they can collect about the dogs and their value. There are also opportunities for networking and advertising.
And those who participate in dog shows, especially those whose pup wins, may achieve a certain status in a particular section of society. Dog show planners say that they are improving “survival of the fittest,” but their breeding for certain qualities is not the same as Darwin’s theory of evolution.
Meanwhile many organizations breeding dogs for police work or to aid the disabled routinely do use data registries to maintain health information and make smart pairing decisions that reduce the prevalence of inherited ailments. The Seeing Eye, a guide dog school in Morristown, N.J., for example, uses genetic testing and keeps a database that tracks all dogs’ potential problems. “We have a geneticist on staff who evaluates each dog as a potential breeder, and we occasionally bring in dogs from other guide schools to ensure our gene pool doesn’t get too restricted,” says Michelle Barlak, senior public relations associate at The Seeing Eye.
Consequences of breeding For almost 4,000 years people have been breeding dogs for certain traits—whether it be a physique ideal for hunting pests like badgers or a temperament suitable for companionship. But the vast number of modern breeds—and the roots of their genetically caused problems—came about over the past two centuries, as dog shows became popular and people began selectively inbreeding the animals to have specific physical features. Over time the American Kennel Club (AKC) and other such organizations have set standards defining what each variety should look like. To foster the desired appearance, breeders often turn to line breeding—a type of inbreeding that mates direct relatives, such as grandmother and grandson. When a male dog wins numerous championships, for instance, he is often bred widely—a practice known as popular sire syndrome (pdf)—and his genes, healthy or not, then are spread like wildfire throughout the breed. As a result, purebred dogs not only have increased incidences of inherited diseases but also heightened health issues due to their bodily frames and shapes, such as hip dysplasia in large breeds like the German shepherd and the Saint Bernard, and patellar luxation, or persistent dislocation of the kneecap, in toy and miniature breeds.
In the 1850s, for example, the bulldog looked more like today’s pit bull terrier—sturdy, energetic and athletic with a more elongated muzzle. But by the early 20th century, when dog shows became popular, the bulldog had acquired squat, bandy legs and a large head with a flattened muzzle. This altered figure makes it nearly impossible for them to reproduce without assistance, and the facial changes cause severe breathing problems in a third of all bulldogs. Breeders frequently turn to artificial insemination because the female bulldog’s bone structure cannot support the male’s weight during mating. Most cannot give birth naturally either, because the puppies’ heads are too big for the birth canal.
Large head size and short legs are part of the written standard, so Serpell believes these standards would have forced the bulldog into extinction if breeders did not rely on artificial insemination. “By essentially requiring judges to select animals that are the written standard, the club, in a way, signed the bulldog’s death warrant,” Serpell says.
This article is provided by Scienceline, a project of New York Universitys Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program.