Some types of dog breeds are just not meant to be.
Norway has recently banned the breeding of Cavalier King Charles spaniels and English bulldogs due to welfare concerns. Could Australia soon follow suit?
The Nordic country has banned the breeding of the two dog breeds after the Norwegian Society for Protection of Animals successfully argued that breeding dogs with known ‘quality of life’ issues violates Norway’s Animal Welfare Act.
The two breeds of dogs are known to develop health issues later on in life.
Health Problems
Cavalier King Charles spaniels are at risk of developing heart mitral valve disease (MVD). It is a genetic disease that appears in around 50% of all cavaliers by the age of 5. Nearly all cavaliers have the disease by the age of 10.
Brachycephalic dog breeds, or flat faced dogs such as bulldogs and pugs, are at a higher risk of developing breathing problems.
It can be quite expensive to take care of dogs with chronic issues. For example, heart medication for MVD can cost up to $100 a week. This can cause a lot of dog owners to either abandon their pets or have them put down as the owners can no longer afford the costs.
Most dog owners only focus on the upfront cost of the dog without considering the ongoing costs. It can be even more costly for dogs with chronic diseases such as MVD for cavaliers.
It can be quite expensive to take care of dogs with chronic issues. For example, heart medication for MVD can cost up to $100 a week.
Problems Amplified By Covid-19
The demand for companion dogs skyrocketed during the Covid-19 lockdowns. The increased demand caused the rise of backyard breeding. And for some reason, the Cavalier became the first choice for backyard breeders.
But cavaliers and bulldogs aren’t the only dog breeds that are affected by health issues. It’s unfortunate that the English bulldog was singled out by Norway as many short-nosed breeds are affected by breathing problems.
This includes the pug, which has almost always been the poster child for breathing problems. If you look at the pug’s recent ancestors from 200 years ago, they had little noses instead of a flat nose.
Animal lovers hope that Norway’s decision can help raise the awareness of ‘quality of life’ issues. However, they are also hopeful that problems such as MVD can be bred out in the future.
One notable modern example of positive breeding is the effort to breed out hip problems in German Shepherds.
It is hoped that MVD can be bred out in the future, just like how hip problems were bred out of German Shepherds.
However, it could be difficult to breed out a pug’s little nose back in. And it’s not because the task in itself is challenging, but that short-nosed dogs are too cute for their own sake. Common sense often disappears when you see a cute face, especially when choosing a new pet.
Scientific Approach to Breeding
While the ban of breeding certain dog breeds may have come as a surprise to many, the topic has been frequently discussed among vets and animal lovers for a while now. For too long, vets and animal ethicists alike have said that we haven’t been prioritising the right things when it comes to breeding animals.
We’ve been breeding animals for their looks, rather than their health.
For example, Brachycephalic (short nosed) dogs are almost certainly going to develop breathing problems in their life. Thus they tend to die younger, with 30% shorter average lifespan than non-Brachycephalic dogs.
Brachycephalic (short nosed) dogs have a 30% shorter lifespan on average than non-Brachycephalic dogs.
So if it means that our short nosed buddies will have a slightly longer nose but live a longer and healthier life, I’m all for it. If we allow the breeding of pets for their cute factor over their welfare, we need to take a long hard look at ourselves. It’s up to us to give our companion animals a life worth living.
While emotions play a major role in these issues, we, as dog owners, cannot be afraid to ask the tough and serious questions.
What are your thoughts on this matter? Let us know in the comment section below.
