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A breeder is reengineering French Bulldogs to make them healthier
Thanks to years of selective breeding, French Bulldogs suffer from a whole array of health complications
A breeder has demonstrated their efforts to completely ‘reengineer’ the face of the French Bulldog in an attempt to make the breed healthier.
It’s no secret that ‘designer’ dog breeds come with a whole array of devastating health complications – in our obsession with purebred and pedigree dogs, we have inadvertently destined our pets to a bleak life of continuous vet visits and painful medical issues.
But French Bulldogs in particular have drawn the short straw – the breed, which is the second most popular in the UK, has a severe skull malformation due to years of breeding selection that purposely makes their necks short and their noses and nostril openings even shorter.
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This has resulted in the species suffering widely from Brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome, which means they have trouble breathing, and it can cause death if it’s not treated properly.
Their limited breathing system, combined with their single short coat, also means they have trouble regulating their temperature efficiently, according to the PDSA.
So, in an attempt to reverse the decades-long problem, a breeder from the Netherlands has been attempting to ‘reengineer’ the face of the breed.
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Hawbucks French Bulldogs is trying to establish a new frontier for French Bulldogs to ensure they can live a happy and healthy life.
Their motto states: “We breed for health, not show.” This helps guide them to making the best possible French Bulldog through ‘time, effort, thinking, doubt, idealism, frustrations and hope.’
This week, a picture of one of Hawbucks’ dogs – named Flint – was posted onto Reddit next to a comparison image of an award winning show dog, and the difference already is staggering.
Incredibly, the Dutch breeder has been able to produce a French Bulldog that has a longer neck and longer snout. Though they claim this still isn’t the most perfect iteration of French Bulldog and admit there are still some health abnormalities, they believe they’re on the right track.
They wrote: “We do not claim to know it all. The only thing we can do is promise that we will try our utmost best to breed health French Bulldogs. That is what we aspire. That is what we can hope for.”