The Dark Truth About Human Intervention in These Purebred Dogs

When we see a pug with big eyes or a bulldog with a “smiling” face, our first reaction is “How cute!” But behind this lies a history of human intervention that has turned many of these purebred dogs into creatures destined to suffer for much of their lives.

This article is not against dogs. It is against the practices that remain hidden from society while animals pay the price.

What Have We Done to Dogs?

Two hundred years ago, the bulldog was an athletic, well-proportioned dog that could run, breathe normally, and reproduce naturally. Today, the same breed cannot breathe without gasping, cannot regulate its body temperature, and requires a cesarean section to give birth in 86% of cases.

This is not evolution. This is human selection taken to the extreme.

The process is simple: choose the dog with the flattest face and breed it with another flat-faced dog. From the puppies, select the one with the flattest face. Repeat for 50 to 100 generations. The result is a dog that looks “cute” by human standards but cannot perform basic life functions.

To “fix” desired traits faster, breeders often resort to inbreeding—mating father with daughter, brother with sister, grandfather with granddaughter. The genetic consequences are devastating: hereditary diseases, weakened immune systems, and shortened lifespans.

The Breeds That Suffer Most

1. Bulldogs

French Bulldog

The flat face means deformed airways. Many of these dogs struggle to breathe normally throughout their entire lives. The snoring we find “cute” is actually the sound of labored breathing. They cannot regulate their body temperature and can die from overheating during an ordinary walk on a warm day. Natural birth is nearly impossible.

English Bulldog

Due to human selective breeding, most English bulldogs cannot reproduce without medical assistance—natural birth is nearly impossible, and conception rarely happens naturally. The breed today is almost entirely dependent on veterinary medicine to exist.

Selection for extreme traits has led to other serious problems as well. The most severe is brachycephalic syndrome—the extremely shortened muzzle means narrowed airways, constant breathing difficulties, snoring, and rapid fatigue.

2. Pug

Beyond breathing problems, pugs have eyes that literally do not fit in their skulls. The cause is selection for increasingly flat faces and ever-larger eyes—as a result, the eye socket has become so shallow that the eyes protrude outward. With a strong tug on the leash, play with another dog, or even a forceful sneeze, the eye can pop out of its socket. This is not an exaggeration—veterinarians see such cases regularly.

3. Pomeranian

Behind this breed’s fluffy appearance lie serious problems. Pomeranians have been miniaturized to such an extent that giving birth is high-risk. The narrow pelvis and relatively large heads of the puppies mean that many females cannot deliver naturally. Cesarean sections are a common necessity, and the cost is considerable.

4. German Shepherd

The history of the German Shepherd is particularly revealing. Between 1900 and 1950, the breed had a straight back and balanced body. It was created to work—to guard herds and serve in police and military roles. Then kennel clubs decided that a sloped back looked “more elegant.” Judges began rewarding dogs with more pronounced slopes. Champions bred the most and passed on this trait. With each generation, the slope became more extreme.

Once a proudly upright dog, today many specimens have such severely sloped backs that they suffer from hip dysplasia and chronic joint pain from a young age.

5. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

In up to 70% of this breed, the skull is too small for the brain—a result of selection for an ever-smaller head. The condition is called syringomyelia: the brain literally has no room and presses against the spinal cord, causing fluid to accumulate in the spinal canal. This causes constant headaches, neck pain, and sensitivity to touch. Many of these dogs spend their lives in chronic pain that cannot be cured—only managed with medication.

6. Dachshund

The elongated body and short legs are the result of selection for a specific appearance, but the price is high—the spine is subjected to unnatural stress. One in four dachshunds develops intervertebral disc disease, which causes severe pain and, in serious cases, paralysis of the hind legs. Treatment often requires emergency surgery, and full recovery is not guaranteed.

7. Shar-Pei

The skin folds we find charming are the result of selection for a unique appearance. But these folds trap moisture and heat—an ideal environment for bacteria and fungi. The result is chronic skin infections that require constant care and treatment. The folds around the eyes cause additional problems: irritation, inflammation, and frequent eye infections.

Why Does This System Continue to Exist?

The answer is multilayered, but several factors lie at its core.

First, money. The purebred dog industry generates billions annually. Breeders, veterinarians, pet stores, pharmaceutical companies—everyone profits. A sick dog is more profitable than a healthy one because it requires constant treatment.

Second, social media. When a celebrity shows off their cute pug on Instagram, millions of people want the same. Nobody shows the same pug struggling to breathe or visiting the vet every month.

Third, kennel organizations. They set breed standards, and these standards reward extremity. The dog with the flattest face wins the show, becomes a champion, and breeds the most. Thus, each successive generation becomes more extreme than the last.

Fourth, ignorance. Most people simply do not know. When a pug snores, we think it is “cute.” We do not realize that it is struggling to breathe.

What Are Countries Around the World Doing?

Some countries are already taking action.

The Netherlands has banned breeding dogs with overly short muzzles. If the muzzle is shorter than one-third of the skull’s length, breeding is illegal.

Norway went even further by banning the breeding of English Bulldogs and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels entirely, after a court ruled that breeding these breeds violates animal protection laws.

Germany has a law against “torture breeding” that prohibits breeding animals if it leads to suffering.

The United Kingdom has not yet introduced bans, but veterinary organizations are actively campaigning to change breed standards.

Bulgaria and most other countries still have no regulations in this area.

The Responsibility Is in Our Hands

Behind every selective choice should stand a meaningful reason—better health, longer life, a more functional body. Change is needed in laws governing the selective breeding of breeds that suffer due to human intervention. Public awareness and regulatory measures are equally essential. The world will be a better place if we embrace health as the foundation upon which beauty standards are built—not superficial traits that are pleasing to the eye but hide problems for generations to come.