Pies: Pugs and other dogs with short muzzles have

Evidence: 64 • authority: 72

The Pug is a breed of dog with the physically distinctive features of a wrinkly, short-muzzled face, and curled tail. Pugs have a coat that is fine, smooth, soft, short, and glossy, coming in a variety of colors, most often fawn (light brown) or black, and a compact, square body with well developed and thick muscles all over the body. Pugs were brought from China to Europe in the sixteenth century and were popularized in Western Europe by the House of Orange of the Netherlands, and the House of Stuart. In the United Kingdom, in the nineteenth century, Queen Victoria developed a passion for Pugs which she passed on to other members of the royal family. Pugs are known for being sociable and g…

Evidence: 54 • authority: 90

Impact of Facial Conformation on Canine Health: Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome. The domestic dog may be the most morphologically diverse terrestrial mammalian species known to man; pedigree dogs are artificially selected for extreme aesthetics dictated by formal Breed Standards, and breed-related disorders linked to conformation are ubiquitous and diverse. Brachycephaly--foreshortening of the facial skeleton--is a discrete mutation that has been selected for in many popular dog breeds e.g. the Bulldog, Pug, and French Bulldog. A chronic, debilitating respiratory syndrome, whereby soft tissue blocks the airways, predominantly affects dogs with this conformation, and thus is label…

Evidence: 54 • authority: 90

Conformational risk factors of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) in pugs, French bulldogs, and bulldogs. Extremely brachycephalic, or short-muzzled, dog breeds such as pugs, French bulldogs, and bulldogs are prone to the conformation-related respiratory disorder-brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). Affected dogs present with a wide range of clinical signs from snoring and exercise intolerance, to life-threatening events such as syncope. In this study, conformational risk factors for BOAS that could potentially aid in breeding away from BOAS were sought. Six hundred and four pugs, French bulldogs, and bulldogs were included in the study. Soft tape measurements o…

Evidence: 54 • authority: 72

Brachycephaly (from Ancient Greek βραχύς, brakhús, meaning "short", and κεφαλή, kephalḗ, meaning "head") is the shape of a skull shorter than average in its species. It is perceived as a cosmetically desirable trait in some domesticated dog and cat breeds, notably the pug and Persian, and can be normal or abnormal in other animal species. In humans, brachycephaly can appear both pathologically and non-pathologically as a result of normal human variation. It is particularly common in Mongolians and the Andamanese. A 2026 systematic review found brachycephalic or hyperbrachycephalic averages in several Himalayan, Iranian, East Asian and admixed Brazilian populations. It also found that many p…

Evidence: 45 • authority: 88

Echocardiographic parameters in French Bulldogs, Pugs and Boston Terriers with brachycephalic obstructive airways syndrome. Abstract Background In this prospective study, we hypothesized that dogs with signs of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) would show differences in left and right heart echocardiographic parameters compared with brachycephalic dogs without signs of BOAS and non-brachycephalic dogs. Results We included 57 brachycephalic (30 French Bulldogs 15 Pugs, and 12 Boston Terriers) and 10 non-brachycephalic control dogs. Brachycephalic dogs had significantly higher ratios of the left atrium to aorta and mitral early wave velocity to early diastolic septal annular v…

Evidence: 45 • authority: 88

Brachycephalic airway syndrome: a comparative study between pugs and French bulldogs. Abstract OBJECTIVE To compare clinical features of brachycephalic airway syndrome and long‐term surgical outcomes between pugs and French bulldogs and evaluate the influence of laryngeal collapse. METHODS This retrospective study included 72 dogs that underwent wedge rhinoplasty and folded flap palatoplasty for brachycephalic airway syndrome. Epidemiological data, clinical signs, postoperative complications and owners’ responses to a questionnaire at least six months after surgery were compared between pugs and French bulldogs. Spearman's rank correlation tests were used for associating laryngeal collapse…

Evidence: 45 • authority: 92

'Teleonomes in Tatters': The Welfare Costs of Selecting Dogs for Extreme Phenotypes, and the Case for Change.. The domestic dog is the most morphologically diverse domesticated mammalian species. That diversity has arisen from deliberate, sustained artificial selection over the most recent 1% of the domestic dog's evolutionary history. However, artificial selection has pushed many individual breeds so far from the ancestral canine form that many dogs within these breeds can no longer perform the critical biological functions their bodies evolved to serve. Indeed, much of the popularity of many dog breeds is predicated on them no longer being functional dogs; rather, they are representations…

Evidence: 45 • authority: 92

A solution right under our nose? Crossbreeding extreme brachycephalic dogs results in better health outcomes while preserving behavioural profiles and dog-owner relationship quality.. Despite substantial evidence of numerous welfare-limiting disorder predispositions linked to their exaggerated conformation, brachycephalic dogs remain highly desired breeds in the UK. National and international attempts to reduce demand for brachycephalic breeds appear to have had a limited effect on significantly reducing their acquisition. As 'designer crossbreeds' become increasingly popular, an opportunity exists to leverage the public's desire for intentionally crossbred dogs to meet the ownership niche…

Evidence: 45 • authority: 90

Dermatological Problems of Brachycephalic Dogs. Brachycephalic dogs are not only affected by brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS), but also comprise up to 30% of canine patients seen by veterinary dermatologists, with English Bulldogs and Pugs particularly overrepresented. Some skin diseases are associated with the abnormal anatomic conformation of brachycephalic dogs, while for others there is a underlying genetic basis or a general predisposition. Anatomic alterations associated with brachycephaly, leading to fold formation of the skin and stenosis of the ear canal, together with primary immunodeficiencies described in some breeds, favor the development of pyoderma, Malassezi…

Evidence: 45 • authority: 72

The King Charles Spaniel (also known as the English Toy Spaniel) is a small dog breed of the spaniel type. In 1903, The Kennel Club combined four separate toy spaniel breeds under this single title. The other varieties merged into this breed were the Blenheim, Ruby and Prince Charles Spaniels, each of which contributed one of the four coat colours now seen in the breed. Thought to have originated in East Asia, and possibly acquired by European traders via the Spice Road, early toy spaniels were first seen in Europe during the 16th century. They became linked with English royalty during the rule of Queen Mary I (from 1553 to 1558), eventually earning their name after being made famous by the…

Evidence: — • authority: 72

Palma Vecchio and Paolo Veronese during the 16th century. These dogs already had high domed heads with short noses, although the muzzles were more pointed

Evidence: — • authority: 38