Different dog breeds carry distinct heritable health risk profiles that create predictable welfare challenges, and breed-specific welfare science enables informed decisions about breeding, purchasing, and care.
The welfare consequences of extreme breed conformation selection represent a systemic failure of the breeding industry and a regulatory failure by kennel clubs that continue to register dogs with predictably harmful traits. Dogs born with brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome suffer lifelong breathing difficulty, reduced exercise capacity, and reduced sleep quality that profoundly compromise welfare. Addressing breed health requires cultural change within breed communities to prioritize function over extreme form, supported by regulatory changes to breed standards and registration requirements.