The Moral Dilemma of Breeding Pugs

Is it wrong to continue the bloodlines of some dog breeds, knowing they’re unhealthy?

There’s no doubt that bulldogs, pugs, and other short-snouted breeds are utterly adorable. We love them for their cute smiles, snorts, and wiggles. But is intentionally breeding animals for these facial shapes really a good idea? Ultimately, no. The cute aspects of these breeds are also their downfall. Brachycephalic syndrome affects short-nosed breeds, and not only in dogs — Persian cats are a good example. Brachycephalic animals can suffer from severe respiratory distress, inability to cool themselves, inability to close the eyelids, and more. So is it really fair to continue breeding these animals, knowing that they will be born chronically unhealthy?

(Source: MishuHanda / Pixabay)

It’s not that these breeds started out with so many health defects. The facial structure of a Pug in the 1880s was much more like that of a Boxer than the Pugs we see today. There’s an effort to bring back a similar style of dog in hopes of removing the high rates of death and injury in Pugs due to their respiratory issues — these dogs are called Retromops, or old-style pugs. However, in order to achieve these more healthy body types, Pugs have to be out-crossed with other dog breeds — meaning that for purebred…