Selective breeding for extreme conformational traits has created heritable health problems affecting millions of dogs, and breed health reform is a major animal welfare priority.
Breed-related disease represents one of the largest sources of preventable suffering in companion animals. Millions of dogs live with chronic breathing difficulties, spinal pain, and joint disease that are direct consequences of deliberate selective breeding choices. The welfare tragedy is that these conditions are built into the breed — dogs cannot be healthy versions of some breed types because the health problems are inherent to the conformation being selected for. Consumer choices drive the problem: the popularity of extreme brachycephalic breeds funds continued breeding of dogs with heritable suffering. Informed consumers who choose healthy conformation, support health-tested breeders, and avoid breeds with structural health problems are the most important force for welfare improvement in companion animal breeding.