I’ve been practising for ten years now and, during this time, I’ve seen a fair number of the brachycephalic breeds including Pugs, French Bulldogs and English Bulldogs. These breeds can have a lot of health problems.
In 2016, the Australian Veterinary Association and the RSPCA Australia joined forces to produce the Love is Blind campaign. Watch this short 3 minute video:
The message is fairly clear – consumer preference is driving the breeding of these dogs. So increase the understanding of the health implications consequences of that cute, squishy face, and change the breeding standards, too.
In the show ring, it’s suggested that you give the blue ribbon to the healthiest dog. Not a bad idea.
Kathleen Crisley, Fear-Free certified professional and specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand
DoggyMom.com 