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How many are there? French Bulldogs, English Bulldogs and Pugs in Kennel Club Registries from 10 Countries
Those in the dog world - everyone interested in dogs - will have seen many articles, media and educational programs, and publicity about the health and welfare concerns surrounding brachycephalic (flat-faced) dogs.
As these dogs, particularly the three breeds on which we focus in this article, have increased in popularity over the years, the challenges with their health have begun to receive a lot of attention - from many stakeholders, including veterinarians, welfare groups, legislators, and others. Not only do the conformation and characteristics of brachycephalics lead to respiratory (breathing) problems, eye issues, spinal abnormalities, skin problems, and more, many of these conditions negatively impact the welfare and well-being of affected dogs. But people continue to want them, show people are very attached to the specific conformations, and numbers in some countries continue to increase. But is it the same everywhere?
Using data from national kennel clubs we have compiled a summary of the numbers, the popularity, and the percentage of registered dogs across 10 countries. Some of the findings indicate a continued or increasing popularity of these breeds, in other countries registrations are dropping. Why? It may be because of legislative and legal actions within countries, related to urgent pleas from veterinary associations, and/or intentional actions by kennel clubs. Our data do not answer that question, but provide information to support discussions.
It is important to note that registration statistics from kennel clubs do not accurately reflect the number of dogs in a country or, necessarily, the overall, relative popularity of breeds; these are new registrations of pedigree dogs and in many countries many purebred or apparently purebred dogs originate from outside the kennel club. In some countries, not all pedigree dogs that are born end up being registered. However, the influence of kennel clubs cannot be discounted.
As always, IPFD urges the many stakeholders involved in the issues of health, well-being and welfare of dogs to work collectively and collaboratively to address these complex problems.
The brief excerpts below show you a summary across breeds within countries. The pdf below provides many more details and includes links to many of the resources compiled on DogWellNet.com on the brachycephalic issue.
This material can be shared on other channels, with appropriate acknowledgement of IPFD.
Questions? Contact us at info@ipfdogs.com.
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