Bulldogs: Should We Stop the Suffering?

This NY Times Magazine article poses the question, "Can the Bulldog Be Saved?"

It's a fascinating read, even for someone like me who already knows a decent amount about genetics and dog breeding (at least for someone who hasn't actively studied either). As many dog lovers know, there are certain breeds that have more genetic defects and are more susceptible to diseases than others. With certain breeds, if you get a reliable breeder, you can avoid most of those issues. However, there are a few breeds that are simply designed to have shorter lifespans and have health issues their entire lives. This is one of many reasons why many animal advocates suggest that prospective dog owners get a mutt from the shelter - not only are you saving a dog's life, but that life might end up being longer and healthier than a purebred's anyway.

I think the most tragic point that the article makes is that the worst offenders in the dog breeding industry - besides puppy mill owners, of course - are the most "reliable" breeders of all, the leaders of the Bulldog Club of America. These people refuse to see a problem with bulldogs as a breed despite the fact that they literally cannot breed with one another or have puppies without human assistance. Plus, their lifespans are so short - as little as two years but almost no longer than nine. The entire time they are alive they suffer from respiratory problems, finding difficult to breathe in even the most benign circumstances. And why? All because these people think that bulldogs have to look a certain way (the author of the article suggests more "human-like") to be bulldogs - they say this even though the original bulldogs look nothing like the ones of today.

So what's the answer? The British Kennel Club adopted new standards for the bulldog breed that doesn't include quite so horrific of qualifications. Others suggest outbreeding and mixing with other breeds or discontinuing the breed entirely.

As for me, I've always thought breeding bulldogs and other brachycephalic breeds, plus breeds with crazy pop-eyes like Cavalier King Charles spaniels, shouldn't be bred at all. Why would you want a sick dog? Why would want animals to suffer?