Honestly, inspite of many possible health issues, my Bullmastiffs are pretty structurally sound. Qay has a nose that is a bit longer than Qor's but neither is super smooshed.
RHz - 15 years ago
I adore the way my Frenchie looks, and although he is an EXCELLENT breather and his dad & mom had close to the higher numbers through testing, if there was a way to make him live longer, have fewer issues or just improve the breed, I'd be for it to an extent.
I am so tired of oversized, overwrinkled SHORT bulldog heads (not to mention oversized, overwrinkled bulldog bodies), the important feature of the bulldog skull was/is length and layback, they are supposed to have a LONG skull with a lot of fore face at least half of which is nose! That length gives more room for airways and less crowding of teeth and tissue and you get dogs for whom summer is just another season.
Big round beach-ball heads are bad for the dogs and incorrect anyway. Plus they should not develop a fully mature head or body until after age two. I think the drive to have competitive puppies has done a lot of harm. My teenagers are NOT pretty, they resemble Vincent Price. But they live long and well and win in the ring at two or three, or five or six, long after many of the early maturing dogs have become overdone and cumbersome.
On the plus side, the american parent club is working with OFA on a trachea study that will hopefully become a full fledged registry (Frenchies are welcome! just check out the OFA web-site).
Three cheers to you for putting a foot down on palate resections. That defect is not in anyway unavoidable, I'm four generations one one side and five on the other from any upper airway obstruction. The phrase "in the breed" ought to be taboo. Getting rid of serious health issues is often as simple as deciding not to tolerate them. I know that there is interest in the BCA Health Committee for having a screening developed for upper airway (nares, palate) and you are so right, if they don't pass they're out.
This year I placed a young champion male in a pet home when he took part in the OFA spinal study(thank you French Bulldog Club of America for starting that one) and did not test well(two hemivetebrae), although he is perfectly functional, and I also placed a bitch I imported from Canada who needed a palate resection. Both dogs are happy in their new pet careers and safely away from any reproductive possibilities. Both were (expensive) disappointments, but I have gotten very spoiled with healthy dogs who run around and breathe well and THAT I will not sacrifice.
Honestly, inspite of many possible health issues, my Bullmastiffs are pretty structurally sound. Qay has a nose that is a bit longer than Qor's but neither is super smooshed.
I adore the way my Frenchie looks, and although he is an EXCELLENT breather and his dad & mom had close to the higher numbers through testing, if there was a way to make him live longer, have fewer issues or just improve the breed, I'd be for it to an extent.
I am so tired of oversized, overwrinkled SHORT bulldog heads (not to mention oversized, overwrinkled bulldog bodies), the important feature of the bulldog skull was/is length and layback, they are supposed to have a LONG skull with a lot of fore face at least half of which is nose! That length gives more room for airways and less crowding of teeth and tissue and you get dogs for whom summer is just another season.
Big round beach-ball heads are bad for the dogs and incorrect anyway. Plus they should not develop a fully mature head or body until after age two. I think the drive to have competitive puppies has done a lot of harm. My teenagers are NOT pretty, they resemble Vincent Price. But they live long and well and win in the ring at two or three, or five or six, long after many of the early maturing dogs have become overdone and cumbersome.
On the plus side, the american parent club is working with OFA on a trachea study that will hopefully become a full fledged registry (Frenchies are welcome! just check out the OFA web-site).
Three cheers to you for putting a foot down on palate resections. That defect is not in anyway unavoidable, I'm four generations one one side and five on the other from any upper airway obstruction. The phrase "in the breed" ought to be taboo. Getting rid of serious health issues is often as simple as deciding not to tolerate them. I know that there is interest in the BCA Health Committee for having a screening developed for upper airway (nares, palate) and you are so right, if they don't pass they're out.
This year I placed a young champion male in a pet home when he took part in the OFA spinal study(thank you French Bulldog Club of America for starting that one) and did not test well(two hemivetebrae), although he is perfectly functional, and I also placed a bitch I imported from Canada who needed a palate resection. Both dogs are happy in their new pet careers and safely away from any reproductive possibilities. Both were (expensive) disappointments, but I have gotten very spoiled with healthy dogs who run around and breathe well and THAT I will not sacrifice.