Selective breeding for extreme physical traits has created inherited health and welfare problems in many popular dog breeds. Breeding reform is essential to improve the lives of millions of dogs worldwide.
Breeding dogs for extreme physical traits that compromise their ability to breathe, give birth, or move normally is ethically indefensible when healthier alternatives are available within the same species. Dogs with brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome experience chronic respiratory distress that owners often normalise as typical breed sounds. The welfare costs of fashion-driven breeding are borne entirely by the animals while the harms are invisible to consumers who find the appearance endearing. Regulatory reform of breed standards and public education are both essential to reducing this preventable suffering.