Selective breeding for extreme physical traits in dogs has created generations of animals suffering from inherited structural problems, requiring reform of breed standards and breeding practices.
Dog breed welfare is a systemic problem rooted in human aesthetic preferences that have overridden consideration of animal suffering. Brachycephalic dogs live lives characterized by chronic respiratory compromise: they cannot exercise normally, many cannot sleep without waking to breathe, and in hot weather they face heat stroke risk from inability to pant effectively. Their growing popularity despite documented welfare problems represents a troubling disconnect between public knowledge and purchasing decisions. Structural problems like hip dysplasia cause progressive pain from early adulthood. The veterinary and welfare communities have made significant progress in documenting these issues, but behavioral change at the point of sale, the breeder, the retailer, and the buyer, is needed to shift market incentives away from unhealthy extreme conformations.