Legislation

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In recent years, several brachycephalic (short-faced) breeds have been targeted and banned by various areas in Europe. These breeds include the Bulldog (or English Bulldog), French Bulldog, and Pug, and they are being targeted because of correlations between these breeds and breathing problems.

What are brachycephalic breeds?

Brachycephalic means "short-headed" and refers to the cephalic index of these dogs (if the width of the skull is at least 80% of the length, the dog is considered to be brachycephalic). There are a wide variety of dog breeds who are brachycephalic (French Bulldogs, Chihuahuas, Rottweilers, Presa Canarios, etc.), and only a few of them are associated with breathing problems, but there are still breed bans in various regions as a result. 

Why do these laws exist?

Some brachycephalic breeds are associated with breathing problems, and some municipalities have chosen to ban them as a result, but these breathing problems are a result of unethical breeding, not an attribute of these breeds. When bred ethically, Bulldogs, Pugs, and French Bulldogs are perfectly healthy and more than capable of competing in agility and other dog sports; however, the reputation created by puppy mills and other unethical breeders has resulted in stereotypes that these breeds are inherently unhealthy and riddled with breathing problems. The main issue is a breathing disorder known as BOAS (Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome) and its association with these three breeds.

What is BOAS and what causes it?

BOAS is a breathing condition found in some Bulldogs, Pugs, and French Bulldogs who have stenotic (restricted) nares and an elongated soft palate, resulting in restricted breathing, inability to cool down, and ultimately a shorter lifespan. Most dogs of these breeds (and other brachycephalic breeds) do not have this issue, but these breeds have received a disproportionate amount of scrutiny due to the shape of their heads. Ethically bred brachycephalic dogs do not experience this health condition and are perfectly capable of succeeding at agility and other sports, but the prevalence of BOAS in unethically bred brachycephalic dogs has polarized many nations against the breeding of these dogs, resulting in bans on entire breeds.

A recent study has found a link between the ADAMTS3 gene and similar breathing problems in the Norwich Terrier, which is not a brachycephalic breed. This gene is common in French and English Bulldogs, but further research is required to determine whether it is a contributing factor to BOAS in these breeds. Many veterinary staff members, dog trainers, and others believe we should abandon breeding brachycephalic dogs in order to end our contribution to their suffering, but if this gene is the cause of their health issues, breeders could control for it during the breeding process and eventually weed BOAS out of the populations of these dogs.

Should brachycephalic dogs continue to exist?

Absolutely. The shape of a dog's head does not cause breathing problems, as you can clearly see if you watch French Bulldogs and Pugs compete in Agility trials. We should have legislation that prohibits unethical breeding practices like breeding dogs who clearly have health problems (including hip dysplasia, difficulty breathing, etc.), but these laws should be based on science not stereotypes. Most brachycephalic breeds have no issues with breathing throughout the breed, and the few breeds who can have BOAS only develop it if they were created unethically.