Journal of Veterinary Behavior 33 (2019) 96e102 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Veterinary Behavior journal homepage: www.journalvetbehavior.com Canine Research People’s perception of brachycephalic breeds and breed-related welfare problems in Germany Katrin Steinert a, Franziska Kuhne a,*, Martin Kramer b, Hansjoachim Hackbarth c a Working group for Applied Ethology and Animal Behaviour Therapy, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany b Small Animal Clinic e Surgery, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany c Foundation Institute for Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behaviour, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany article info abstract Article history: Understanding people’s perception and attitude toward brachycephalic breeds is crucial for imple- Received 9 August 2018 mentation of strategies to improve breed-related welfare problems. A survey was used to gather infor- Received in revised form mation of people with and without dog ownership experiences on their awareness of brachycephalic 6 May 2019 breeds and breed-related animal welfare problems. The survey was posted on different social media and Accepted 26 June 2019 collected data from 662 respondents, of which 538 questionnaires could be analyzed. Dog ownership, Available online 10 July 2019 participants’ age, and their gender best predicted the knowledge on breed-related welfare problems. A total of 15.43% of the participants currently own or previously owned a dog of a brachycephalic breed Keywords: animal welfare (e.g., pug, boxer, French, and English bulldog). Females and elderly people were the primary current brachycephalic owners of a brachycephalic dog. Many participants believed that the current breeding standards do not conformation promote dogs’ vitality or reduce overextreme conformations. Dog owners indicated brachycephaly and dog dwarfism (e.g., Chihuahua, dachshund) as an overextreme conformation. Despite peoples’ knowledge on suffering breed-related animal welfare problems of brachycephalic breeds or dwarfism in breeds, they acquire a dog of such a breed. To improve animal welfare in dog breeding, it is useful to consider pet owners reasons for acquiring a dog and factors affecting peoples’ perception of dog breeds. Ó 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Introduction associated with unnecessary pain and suffering for the dog and furthermore contrary to a dog’s well-being (Emmerson, 2014). Dogs have been estimated to be domesticated for over 18,000- In the top 50 Kennel cluberegistered breeds in Great Britain, 396 32,000 years (Thalmann et al., 2013). In the past, the main reason inherited conformation-related disorders are described. Each of for breeding and keeping dogs was using dogs for hunting, guard- these breeds shows at least one conformational trait that has a ing, and herding. Nowadays most dogs are seen as companion an- predisposition to a disorder (Asher et al., 2009). Ghirlanda et al imals (Amiot et al., 2016; Endenburg et al., 1994; Urquiza-Haas and (2013) revealed a high correlation between the popularity of a Kotrschal, 2015; Zasloff, 1996). The development from a working breed and the number of inherited disorders they suffer from. This dog to a companion dog has gradually led to a prioritization of the correlation indicates that the consideration of health in breeding is dogs’ appearance instead of it’s behavioral characteristics (King subordinated when acquiring a dog. Temporary fashion, as well as et al., 2012). As a consequence of this breeding in the last century, not functional qualities such as health, longevity, or behavioral many breeds such as brachycephalic breeds with the shortened characteristics of the breed, influences the popularity of a breed skull and muzzle are prone to various health problems that are (Ghirlanda et al., 2013; Packer et al., 2017). Temporary fashion can become prevalent when individuals with low social status copy individuals with high social status (Acerbi et al., 2012). According to the puppy statistics of the German Kennel Club * Address for reprint requests and correspondence: Franziska Kuhne, Department (VDH, 2017), the number of pug puppies has increased from 2002 to of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Working group for 2010 by 95 percent and of French bulldog puppies by 144 percent. Applied Ethology and Animal Behaviour Therapy, Giessen, Hessen, Germany. Tel.: þ49(0)641-9938754; Fax: þ49(0)641-9938789. The largest central pet register of Germany (TASSO, 2018) lists the E-mail address: [email protected] (F. Kuhne). French bulldog in the top 5 of the most popular dogs in Germany. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2019.06.006 1558-7878/Ó 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. K. Steinert et al. / Journal of Veterinary Behavior 33 (2019) 96e102 97 One of the biggest animal insurance of Germany (Agila, 2018) experience and attitudes toward brachycephalic dogs, the survey, documents the top ten of the most popular breeds in Germany for designed as a multiple-choice questionnaire, included queries the last 7 years. The popularity of the brachycephalic breeds pug about the following parameters: demographic characteristics, and French bulldog has increased in this time span. dog ownership, familiarity with dogs, knowledge about agony The popularity of brachycephalic breeds is, among other things, breeding, and legislation. Crucial parts of the survey are included in due to the baby schema effect (BSE, “Kindchenschema”), which has Appendix A. The participants had a limited opportunity to add been described by Konrad Lorenz (Lorenz, 1943). This BSE is based additional comments. on infantile appearance features, which include round cheeks, large In the first section of the survey, general demographic infor- head, huge eyes, high forehead, thick and short extremities, and mation about the participants was collected. In addition, the par- clumsy movements that are perceived as cute and provoke care- ticipants were asked about their relationship to dogs; whether they taking behavior by adults (Alley, 1981; Duffy et al., 2017; Lehmann ever had owned a dog or currently own one, adding the respective et al., 2013; Serpell, 2002; Sternglanz et al., 1977). The consequence breed. The second section contained questions about breeding, of these infantile appearance features of brachycephalic breeds is especially agony breeding, and the legislation of agony breeding in that many of these breeds suffer from numerous disorders linked to Germany. Furthermore, respondents could name breeds they the brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). Dogs would designate as agony breeds. In the third section, pictures of 15 suffering from BOAS have problems with breathing and thermo- different dog breeds were shown. The respondents had to decide if regulation (Emmerson, 2014; Njikam et al., 2009; Packer et al., they would define the breed as an agony breed or not. Based on the 2015; Roedler et al., 2013). BOAS causes a reduced quality of life official report about the interpretation of agony breeding in Ger- and a wide range of impairments in animal welfare. many (BMELF, 2000), pictures of 13 different dog breeds with Another reason for the popularity of brachycephalic breeds extreme features and two control breeds were presented (Appendix might be the perspective that clinical signs are accepted as A). Six of the breeds with extreme features were chosen to repre- “normal” in brachycephalic dogs and that some disorders might sent brachycephalic breeds (boxer, English bulldog, shih tzu, pug, relate to breed standards and others do not (Packer et al., 2012). The French bulldog, Brussels griffon). Furthermore, seven breeds with statement “normal for the breed” reflects the acceptance of certain different physical conformations which might be associated disorders by breeders, by owners, and by veterinarians, which in- with health problems were selected (merle rough collie, Chinese fluence the treatment of brachycephalic dogs (McGreevy and crested Dog, German shepherd, shorthaired standard dachshund, Nicholas, 1999; Packer et al., 2012). Owners of brachycephalic Chihuahua, shar pei, bull terrier). The two control breeds, the lab- breeds report about frequent and severe symptoms of their dogs, rador Retriever and the Australian terrier, were selected to repre- but they do not perceive it as a problem for the dog. Packer et al. sent breeds without extreme physical conformation and known as (2012) have shown that more than half of the owners of affected companion dogs. These two breeds are not listed in the official dogs are not aware that their dog has problems with breathing. This report about the interpretation of agony breeding in Germany may mean that many dogs with clinical signs of BOAS are not (BMELF, 2000) and based on the Canine Inherited Disorders Data- shown to a veterinarian for treatment or to improve their health base (Crook et al., 2011) both breeds are not known to show status (Packer et al., 2012; Roedler et al., 2013). excessive numbers of disorders directly related to physical confor- There are many campaigns by breed clubs (VDH, 2017), animal mation. Subsequently, respondents were asked which of the fea- welfare organizations (FECAVA, 2017), and veterinarians turesdhairlessness, short nose, floppy ears, dwarfism, heavily (#BreeedtoBreathe) (BVA, 2018) to inform about brachycephalic muscled extremities, different