Designer canines with trademark flat faces to vanish within the subsequent decade
So-called designer dogs which are famous for their trademark flat faces could disappear in the next decade under new plans to eradicate extreme traits.
Pets such as Pugs and French and English Bulldogs are among the most popular breeds in the UK, thanks in part to their famously big eyes and distinctive squashed faces.
However, these features can cause health problems – such as trouble breathing and eye problems – which can cost owners thousands of pounds and cause suffering for the pets.
Now, scientists are hoping to eradicate these debilitating traits within 10 years by introducing new assessments for the breeds.
The pooches will be assessed on 10 traits, called the innate health assessment (IHA). Only dogs that score an eight or above will be permitted to be bred under the new licensing requirements for official breeders.
These traits, which studies have shown to cause suffering for the animals, includes merle colouration – which means a mottled or marbled colouring – wrinkly skin and saggy or out-turned eyelids.
As well as bulging eyes, under or overbite, no tail, twisted legs, shortened legs and stiff spines.
This criteria will be tightened to nine out of 10 in five years and 10 in a decade.
Pet dogs such as Pugs are famous for their big eyes and distinctive squashed faces. However, these features can cause health problems which can cost owners thousands of pounds and cause suffering for the pooches
French Bulldogs are also well known for their trademark flat faces. Scientists are hoping to eradicate these traits within 10 years by introducing new assessments for the breeds
The IHA, developed by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare (APGAW), has stressed that it doesn’t want to ban breeds but insteads wants to redraw definitions so that animals are born healthy.
The developers of the IHA are hoping to lobby the Government to make it law but for now the scheme will be voluntary with support coming from charities and the Kennel Club – although it will not be a requirement for breeders or owners.
A law from 2018 does prohibits dogs with extreme conformations being bred, but it is unenforced due to a lack of clarity over what constitutes extreme.
The IHA hopes they can fix this to allow for enforcement, should the law be rewritten to include their assessment as a matter of judging a dog’s fitness.
Dr Dan O’Neill, associate professor of companion animal epidemiology at the Royal Veterinary College who created the assessment, told The Daily Telegraph: ‘The IHA will lead to the default setting of a pug or a dachshund fundamentally changing.
‘People talk about disruptive technologies, and this is a disruptive action. It is a major change.’
He added that dog owners have been ‘brainwashed’ into thinking that if a dog is a certain breed then it is healthy, even if it has one or more of the problematic features.
Instead Dr O’Neill wants to change the buying and adoption trends of the public to encourage animal welfare as a priority.
The Daily Mail have approached the Kennel Club for a comment.
