Well, I wish. What the T-shirt actually said was this.
Most show Frenchies have terribly stenosed nostrils. It is a potentially life-threatening fault and yet it's non-standard colours that get the French Bulldog show peeps hyperventilating. They are obsessed with the increasing popularity of French Bulldogs that are the 'wrong' colour - and loathe that non-show breeders take advantage of the recessive colours that lurk in the breed.
Now there is certainly reason to worry about merle - it's a gene in a double-dose that can certainly cause defects and it was almost certainly introduced into Frenchies from another breed. But chocolate, blue and black and tan? These are just cosmetic issues. The genes are there recessively in the breed.
(Blue in some breeds can by associated with a condition called colour dilution alopecia, but there's no evidence of it in blue Frenchies.)
Both the UK and FCI standards call for open nostrils - and in fact "totally closed nostrils" is a disqualifying fault in the FCI standard. And yet this is routinely ignored. This dog, shown at Crufts on Thursday, is absolutely typical of what you see in the ring. No wonder that, according to recent research, 50 per cent of Frenchies have problems breathing.
I wish the T-shirt said, "Read the breed standard ... And then forget about it, because it's totally unscientific garbage." Alas, someday.
ReplyDeleteI hope the breeders of breeds in trouble really do open their eyes and do something about it. I have pedigree dogs myself but I wouldn't hesitate at all bringing in blood from elsewhere if it was to the best for my breed. I'm "lucky" though, my breed is fairly healthy and with a "normal" structure.
ReplyDeleteI really like the Pedigree blog and know it will help show dogs eventually. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteFrenchbulldog, "Im not grumpy just suicidal!" tweet!
ReplyDeleteMay have been imagining it but did I actually see a wagging tail on one the finalist bulldogs? Some things are getting better but more definitately needs to be done and the culture still hasn't changed enough.
ReplyDeleteDid you see the bulldog breed judging? Couldnt find it on youtube?
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a5pxwNb5Ns
DeleteI think these breeds should be forced to spend their lives breathing through a pinched straw and see how they like it!
ReplyDeleteDo Black Frenchies Lives Matter?
ReplyDeleteYes but Black and tan don't.
DeleteI recently found a post on the Keeping the Bulldog Beautiful group on Facebook; this post contained several pictures of a Bulldog's nose. Initially, I thought the post was a talking point for stenotic nares because this Bulldog's nostrils were definitely stenotic. However, I was wrong, a woman was suggesting a nose balm for the dog. This may sound a little crazy but I believe that Bulldog breeders actually want the stenotic nares because they think "a snoring Bulldog is a cute Bulldog."
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I've met some pet owners who think snoring is cute. I've also met someone who works for one of the animal charities who has actually gone out of their way to purchase Frenchies because 'they look cute and have big baby eyes.' We need more education all round in and out of the animal charities.
DeleteI'm sure my comment will be deleted because it is not in favour of Jemima's post. A lot of breeders are saying NO to pinched nostrils but breeding this out takes time.. unfortunately not all are following suit but the French Bulldog Club of England has one of the most complex and detailed health schemes out there - being one of the ONLY breeds to come off the breed watch/category 3 list. A Scheme which a MINORITY of non recognised colour breeders are taking part in.. so that's why the t-shirts were created. Maybe, Jemima, you should talk to people at the shows and the breed council before posting something that is quite uneducated :)
DeleteYou misunderstand this blog if you think it doesn't tolerate alternative views. It encourages them as I think the debate and input from all sides are important.
DeleteAs for talking to Frenchie breeders/club reps... I do, quite regularly.
The breed came off the Cat 3 list not because of health improvements (there were none measured) but because the breed club was proactive in promoting health. It was rewarded for looking like it was doing something - and in my view should not have been.
And I'm afraid the fact remains - those colour breeders you all hate are, very often, producing dogs that have far better nostrils than you see in the ring.