Why are 'brachycephalic dogs with high health risks' such as bulldogs and pugs continuing to gain popularity from their owners?



Bulldog and French bulldog , pug nose, such as a short ' short head type dog', even though easy to suffer from health problems, has continued attracted strong support from people who have a dog of short-head species The research result was announced. Experts have expressed concern that dogs that are naturally vulnerable to illness are raised or bred for human convenience.

Come for the looks, stay for the personality? A mixed methods investigation of reacquisition and owner recommendation of Bulldogs, French Bulldogs and Pugs
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0237276

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Brachycephalic dogs, which have a shorter nose than general dogs, are more likely to develop a disease called brachycephalic airway syndrome because the airways such as the nose and throat are narrow. Also, according to the science news site Inverse, short-headed dogs have an average lifespan of about four years shorter than long-nosed dogs. In addition, a 2020 study focusing on the causes of heat stroke in dogs shows that ' brachycephalic dogs are at the same risk of heat stroke as older dogs .'



According to Dr. Rowina Packer, who studies animal welfare at Royal Veterinary College, a British veterinary school, brachycephalic dogs have skyrocketed in popularity over the last decade, despite their high health risks. And that. A 2010 study analyzed that the ' infant diagram effect' associated with the appearance of a baby might affect the popularity of pets, but in brachycephalic dogs. No large-scale survey of owners has ever been conducted.

Therefore, the research team of Mr. Packer and others asked the owners of a total of 2168 bulldogs, French bulldogs, and pugs who participated in another study conducted before, 'Do you want to keep the same kind of dog in the future?' We conducted a questionnaire asking 'Do you recommend the breed of dog you currently own to those who are trying to keep a dog for the first time?'

According to this questionnaire, 93% of the respondents answered that they would like to keep the same kind of dog in the future, and 65.5% said that they would recommend the dog breed that they currently own to those who have a dog for the first time. Was shown. Also, as a result of analyzing the description column that the research team asked to write 'reasons to recommend the current breed to the first dog owner', those who have bulldogs and pugs prefer short-headed dogs. It turned out that the reasons can be roughly divided into the following three categories.

◆ 1: Positive behavioral characteristics
'Positive behavioral traits' are those who have a loving and loyal personality, who look comical and humorous, and who like to play. One pug owner replied, 'I'm a very friendly and affectionate companion,' and another French bulldog owner said, 'They are small and funny clowns. They know they are funny.' I think. '



◆ 2: Low need for exercise
The fact that brachycephalic dogs are considered 'less exercising' means that it is recognized that they do not need to be taken for frequent walks or given ample breeding space. Means For example, one owner who helped with the survey replied, 'Pugs are perfect for people with disabilities, the elderly, and people living in apartments.' Another bulldog owner replied, 'It's a good dog for working people because it's lazy and doesn't require a lot of exercise.'

◆ 3: Suitable for families with children
Some owners replied, 'The character of brachycephalic dogs is suitable for families with small children.' In particular, the tendency to be gentle and laid-back seems to be useful in families with children with autism and

attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) .

On the other hand, the number of dogs was smaller than the number of owners who answered 'I recommend brachycephalic dogs to those who keep dogs for the first time', but 'health problems', 'problems of high breeding costs', 'ethics related to breeding dogs' Some owners answered that they do not recommend brachycephalic dogs because of problems such as 'health problems', 'adverse effects on the owner's lifestyle', and 'negative behavioral characteristics'.

'It's interesting that people who have short-headed dogs honestly say,'I don't need a walk,'' Packer said of the findings. This is because he wants a dog that doesn't need a walk. However, it may indicate that it is not taboo, but in fact, because every dog needs some form of outdoor time for exercise and stimulation, 'Brachycephalic dogs' The image of 'is lazy' is dangerous. '

'Sure, short-headed dogs have great qualities, but we have the health benefits of short-headed dogs,' said Bill Lambert, health and welfare officer at the Kennel Club in the United Kingdom. I'm worried that some owners don't know the problem, and some owners simply think 'because they're cute' first. '

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