After the pandemic, WFH and others, I’ve been thinking about having a dog lately. Obviously a busy journalist, with minimal grooming (like me), modest but regular exercise (and above) and amicable temperament (mainly above).
I want a pug or an English or French bulldog because it looks cute and is an excellent companion for all accounts. For example, I’ve never heard of them groaning at the police while pouring drugs into a swamp, beating their children to death or being used as criminal “status dogs.” But I never buy such varieties. Because what people did to these sweet best friends was indescribably cruel.
Why do dog lovers accept, and more precisely, do poor hybrids have to endure the painful and life-threatening medical problems caused by breeding? A few weeks ago, the unprovoked pug had a crushed muzzle that was sometimes too short to breathe properly, known as “brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome,” and was therefore not even a typical dog by the Royal Veterinarian. It was blamed by the university. I am suffering from skin and back problems.
Veterinarians also demanded a boycott of English bulldogs with similar breed-induced illnesses until the pedigree world began to act more rationally. Similar discussions have been made with breeds that are prone to hip displacement, such as the Old English Sheepdog and Alsatians, but the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel suffers from severe, compulsive scratches and severe pain due to the deformed head and neck. I’m suffering.
Some breeds suffer more than others-and suffering is a word-and most have some characteristics that can cause some problems, but the welfare of the animals is severely sacrificed. There are too many cases and it is cruel and unacceptable.
Many are said to be in bad breeders and puppy breedings, and efforts are being made to breed some of the genes that cause the worst pain (and the biggest veterinary invoices). Still, bulldogs and their pedigree Cham are happier if kennel clubs around the world simply adjust breeding standards to remove creatures from caricatures and make them look like truly healthy and working ancestors a century or two ago. They are healthier, more agile animals and live longer in front of them.
Would you like to say that the pug’s nose should be long? Is it asking for too much?
By the way, “designer” hybrids should have avoided some of the problems of intensive inbreeding, but in my experience the popular Labradoodle is a bit of a bet. With Labrador and Poodle cloths, you can get the best of both wise and obedient varieties, but at worst they are stupid and too excited. The “teacup” varieties of handbags and the trend of minor husky epidemics are also unlikely to work for everyone involved.
Of course, for individual dog buyers, the answer to all of this is to hire hybrids from shelters. All of us will be able to live together in perfect health harmony with fewer dogs of pedigree, health problems, euthanized stray dogs and unwanted pets.
You can see the aesthetic appeal of the handsome Irish Setter, Schnauzer and Saluki, but I don’t know what else they are doing. I have a cat, but I have allergies. Do you have any further advice?
