Saturday 30 November 2019

Thor the Bulldog - a National disgrace



A Bulldog called Thor has just won the National Dog Show in the USA.  As the judge approached him before awarding the Best in Show crown, the judge's mic (so she must have heard it herself) picked up the rattle in his throat that likely points to an elongated soft palate. Two-hundred breeds, 2000 dogs and, ta-daaa, a respiratory cripple took the top spot.

© NBC clipped from here

Too strong? Here's Thor playing with a puppy at home, the obstruction obvious. 


EDIT 3/12/12: This video was embedded from Facebook and its owner has now taken it down.  It showed Thor playing with a puppy and I posted it because Thor's breathing was noisy/raspy. 

This video is from around two years ago.  Given that BOAS is a progressive condition, I am surprised that Thor was not noisier trotting round the National Dog Show ring but then the mic was not close to him most of the time and the crowd was loud.

Now Thor is actually better than most other Bulldogs we've seen in the US show-ring - he moves quite well (for a Bulldog), he has tight eyes and there are no obvious skin issues (although the judge did not lift his large nose roll to check). He's heavy but at least not grossly obese. He has terrible teeth compared to a normal dog, but they are better than most Bulldog teeth (you can, at least, see all six incisors even if they are higgledy-piggledy and largely buried in the gum). 


Most Bulldog teeth look like this.



Thor has a very short, recessed screw tail (a mutation that we now know is associated with spine issues). The tail does not appear to be mobile, robbing him of that mode of expression,  and it doesn't come anywhere close to covering his anus.

And that nose!! Tilted backwards under the large nose roll, Thor's nose is dry and dull and his nostrils are almost closed.  Remember that dogs are as near-as-dammit obligate nose breathers.


And yeah.... that underbite... It's a demand in the breed standard; codified therein in the erroneous belief that, back-in-the-day, it better-equipped the Bulldog to hold on to a Bull. It leads, inevitably,  to soft-tissue trauma in the mouth and a vastly elevated risk of periodontal disease because of cramped/rotated teeth and the mismatch between upper and lower jaws.  I say it a lot but I will say it again... an underbite is a deformity (a Class 3 malocclusion in veterinary terms) and it has no place in a modern breed standard. Or, indeed, in a modern dog.

Thor has been quite extensively health-tested - and I'm genuinely pleased to see that he has good hips given that the Bulldog is the worst breed for hip dysplasia). This is a bit of progress.  But you'll note that there is no result here for respiratory health and that's because despite poor breathing being the single biggest health issue for Bulldogs and other extreme brachycephalic breeds, there is no official scheme in the USA, unlike here in the UK, Scandinavia and an increasing number of countries in Europe.



To sum up, while Thor might be good for a Bulldog, he is a disaster for a dog and I despair that any judge could have chosen him over the other dogs (all with normal canine conformation) in the Best in Show ring.  I mean, award him Best of Breed if you have to -  but the Best dog overall?

Finally - a question to US vets and the American Veterinary Association:

Why are you not doing more to address brachycephalic health in the US?  Why are you not even talking about it publicly when the Bulldog is now the 5th most popular dog in the US (and the French Bulldog - arguably even worse - is the 4th)?

Here in the UK, in Scandinavia and in parts of Europe, there is progress being made because veterinarians have stood up and said enough is enough.

US vets: your silence increasingly suggests tacit approval of the breeding of dogs that struggle to mate, whelp, breathe, thermo-regulate and are dead by, on average, six old.   Please, please, please get more involved in shaping a healthier future for these dogs. 

They need you.

EDIT 2/11/19

Several commenters below have suggested that the Bulldog with the bad breathing featured in the home video that was featured above is not Thor. 

Here are some pictures which prove they are one and the same dog - on the left, stills from the home video, compared with, on the right, stills of Thor from  the National Dog Show TV footage.


Join in on the brachycephalic debate on CRUFFA.

116 comments:

  1. Bravo~!!! Thank you for your efforts on behalf of the dogs !!

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  2. We are just so happy to meet and get to know more about Thor. Very glad that he won first place. Thanks for sharing the wonderful post. Have a great rest of your weekend.
    World of Animals

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    1. LOL. Your spam-bot probably chose the wrong blog to post on. And shame on you given that you are representing veterinarians.

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    2. World of ANimals...read up!!!

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    3. Twonk bot... seriously...

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    4. Horrible that we humans breed animals for disabilities because we find it "cute". It's despicable.

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    5. oh look it's aunt jemima the expert and her following dog haters disguised as dog lovers she literally would only be happy if dogs went extinct she would stand on all of their graves satisfied also notice how she focuses on bulldogs and their cousins but she has only ever had "normal muzzled" dogs yall are re ret reta RETARDSSS!!!!

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    6. You don't need to own a brachycephalic dog to know how unhealthy they are. If anyone here is a dog hater disguised as a dog lover, it would be you and people like you who endorse the breeding of such sick dogs.

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  3. Why the UK has a Boas health scheme in the 3 months to end of September only one dog from any of the eligible breeds had a result published by the KC.

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    1. That's not the case - quite a few dogs have now been through the new BOAS scheme.

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  4. I cringed when I saw his picture posted saying he'd won. Like you said TWO THOUSAND DOGS and that is the best they can do? Ridiculous.

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    1. What a jerk thing to say ... i love thor

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    2. Hmmmm what is the country of origin....just asking

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    3. @Sue-Ellyn Rempel he's from Peru. "Thor was bred in Peru, is owned by Kara Gordon, co-owned by Jonathan Flores & Nestor Chavez & presented by Eduardo Paris. Thor came to the US in September 2018 and finished his US championship in just 2 weekends." As per his Facebook page and such.

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    4. dorri-- Loving Thor is completely compatible with being outraged at what irresponsible breeding has done to him. Thor deserves to have fully-open nostrils, a functional muzzle, and a mouth full of correctly-aligned teeth.

      In fact, I question how anyone who DOESN'T want all these things for Thor can claim to "love" him.

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  5. It's so distasteful to even say anything bad about him right now in his time of glory

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    1. Well, maybe to you. But to me, it's so very sad that a pitiful representation of dogdom would be held in such high esteem by the American Kennel Club.

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    2. Nothing like a shithead post from some anonymous asshole...

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  6. I am one of very few Bulldog breeders who agree Thor should not have won. I can see a genetic abnormality just at a glance. One this blog did not even notice--too concerned over his breathing. Yep, he has stenotic nares and shame on his breeder and the judges who have put him up. I am leaving this comment because your picture of a "normal" Bulldog mouth is so far fetched... I've been involved with Bulldogs and Bully breeds for 30 years and never have I seen a bite like the one you are pushing as "normal". I have no doubt they are out there, but they are not the NORM. And there are lines that are healthy breathers. I have several that are heat resistant, stay outside even when it is 90 degrees and do not pant. Average lifespan on one of my lines is 13 years. This line also passes every genetic test and xray you throw at them. And vets LOVE every dog they see off this line. Good Bulldogs exist, you just have to do your research and find them.

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    1. Would love to see a better Bulldog mouth. Feel free to email a picture to: jem@pedigreedogsexposed.com.

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    2. Author did notice the stenotic nares although didn't call it that.

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    3. Thank you. Yep, didn't refer to stenosis specifically because not everyone knows the term.

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    4. I have had two and both had breathing problems. Would love to see your breed.

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    5. LOL.... as someone with functional canines, and guessing that the author owns similarly normally functioning canines, i'd have to say that the feeling one of us has when seeing such an example would be more along the lines of pathos than it would jealously. Seriously....it makes me very sad to see dogs that are barely functional as dogs.

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    6. T. Gates, please post an excellent Bulldog bite

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    7. T.Gates, we are still waiting for a picture of a better bulldog mouth. You know, the ones you have seen in bulldogs and bully breeds for 30 years.

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    8. I second (fifth?) the request to see your line's mouth. I'd also like to see video of your dogs romping in 90 degree Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) heat. And how about a link to your website showing the puppies you have available?

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  7. What a shrew of a person. Shame on you. You wouldn’t have even placed, ugly soul, ugly face to match. I feel bad for the dogs in your home. Poor things must get tired of being judged all the time by someone with no room to speak.

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    1. How dare she bring to light the horrible things these dogs have to live with and are selectively bred for. These dogs struggle to breathe and have short life spans because of the numerous health issues they all have. Although I'm sure that went right over your head since you immediately started talking about her looks. Shame on you. Right now is the right time to be talking about the injustices these poor doggos have to live through. I hope someday you are able to open your mind to other opinions and are able to grow as a person instead of shutting down and attacking someone with valid points.

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    2. The fact you don't get what this post is about is proof you're too stupid to be allowed to own pups smh

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    3. Pretty sure the only "shrews" are people who think it's great to breed dogs that will suffer to take every breath and live their lives in pain.

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  8. Way past time all brachycephalic dogs, and others with genetic defects, were banned from being bred. We don't deliberately breed humans with genetic defects such as Downs syndrome, yet some breeders apparently think it OK to do this with dogs and refer to them as "pure". It will not stop until governments make it illegal. Kennel clubs and breeders have shown themselves unwilling and unable to control this.

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    1. Every breed has genetic defects. If we didn't breed them, we wouldn't have dogs. That's just a silly comment.
      A good breeder doesn't breed the dogs with issues and they work hard to better the breed and minimize all they can, in a great bloodline. But dogs will have defects.

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    2. If they could get Bulldogs to a point where they’re healthy enough to breed naturally (mechanically they inevitably need to be AI’d or even Surgically implanted to conceive) and they aren’t able to whelp... c-sections only then fine let’s work on the breeds many other dire issues but stop allowing those two procedures and they’re done. Simply extinct due to the horrendous things done to them in the name of looks?

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    3. Are you saying humans with defects should not be “allowed “ to breed

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    4. No, every breed does not have genetic defects. The kennel club and breeders (even the “good” ones) are obviously unable to stop this problem as this is the type we are left with after a century of selective breeding.

      /Caroline

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  9. why question the US vets , when you get your bulldogs to perfect standard then point fingers! I have two bulldogs their mouths and teeth do not look like the picture you posted, the bulldog community are happy for Thor, the judges picked him soooo, we know that its rare to find a perfect bred bulldog, but I'm glad they acknowledged the breed, as the bulldogs are always overlooked for the fluffy curly cute breeds.Congrats to Thor.you sound like sour grapes....

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    1. The "bulldog community" are hardly the bastions for what constitutes ethical breeding. Gotta love a community that encourages the torturous breathing of their dogs for selfish human desires.

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  10. So salty. Love my bulldog though it is an olde english. All the traits listed she does not have.

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    1. I have Oldies also and they do not have any of the problems listed

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  11. I have an Olde English Bulldogge. They are a healthier re-creation of the original Bulldogs. They can mate and whelp on their own. They are very athletic and wonderful animals. If you are interested and getting a bulldog I highly recommend The Olde English bulldogge from a reputable breeder.

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  12. F all dog shows and breeders.

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    1. And here is the natural byproduct of this kind of article.

      Fuck you dude. Where will we get dogs without breeders when all the mongrels are spayed and neutered? Korean meat mills littered with vaccine resistant distemper? HA. Animal rights scum. Go support PeTA. They’ll help you take care of any pets you have. 💉

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  13. Congratulations to Thor....Commiserations to the author of this joke article

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  14. You obviously know NOTHING about a bulldog and i do mean nothing. Just another sissy with his panties in a bunch bc his favorite breed didnt win. Suck it bc thor won!!! As he should!!

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    1. Read this blog. Jemima is outraged by the canine suffering caused by breeding for a ribbon in ALL breeds, and including her favorite breeds. Your willed blindness to the pain and distress stoically endured by the poor bulldogs you claim to "love" is mind boggling.

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  15. You and most people on here know nothing about a bulldog. 15 years is a short life span? Both my bulldogs lives that long. Just soooo maf bc your breed of choice didnt win. Waaaa!! Thor won bc he was and is the best and I'll be breeding this wonderful breed till i die

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    1. Two dogs living to 15 literally mean nothing in regards to actual data on their average lifespan. Their average lifespan is 8-10 years approximately according to actual data.
      https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media/16342/british%20bulldog.pdf

      https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090023313004486

      https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1748-5827.2010.00974.x

      Even just a single study had 180 dogs so your 2/180 is just 0.011% so NOTHING in terms of actual percentages. And the writer of this blog has seen all of those studies and already knows all those figures.

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    2. Their lifespan has been decreasing as a breed--if you actually cared about the breed you'd know that.

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  16. Maybe the author of this post has Judge envy, and has only the mental ability to create a half assed blog with a massive 17 responses. Leave the the judging to the experts.

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    1. You mean the "experts" who give best in show to dogs with SM? One of the most painful conditions known in the dog world? Curious, do you think you'd enjoy living out your life trying to catch your breath constantly? Or with untold spinal pain? The experts are the tens of thousands of vets speaking out about this, not dog show judges.

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  17. Jealousy is ugly. Thor is Gorgeous!! Congratulations Thor!

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    1. Breeding deformed animals deliberately is ugly. Why would anyone be jealous of a deformed dog that can't even breathe properly?

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    2. Thor is living a life with chronic breathing problems because of selfish breeders.

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    3. "Gorgeous" is subjective. BOAS is objective medical fact. Stop putting the aesthetic over the dog in question's well-being. Don't you think all dogs would like to have the breath and energy to run full tilt on a summer day, without being stopped by wheezing, joint pain, or imminent heat stroke?

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  18. The writer of this post is a real piece of shit i must say. Jealous cause her breed didnt win, cry me a river.

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    1. The real pieces of shit are people who are happy to have dogs with chronic pain and breathing problems reproduced.

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  19. Your article is a joke. You must have a pathetic life if you have nothing better to do than to shame this beautiful dog

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    1. She's not shaming the dog. She's shaming the humans who have selectively bred bulldogs for traits that cause suffering in the dogs. She even said that Thor is healthy for a bulldog. However, Thor will never be able to breath, run, or communicate with other fogs efficiently. Bulldogs are about as far away in form from the sleem efficiency of gray wolves as it gets.

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  20. This article is disgusting! A blatant attack on the bulldog breed and filling people with lies.
    They are fantastic pets, so kind and loving! I feel sad you will never have this sort of love from one! You wouldn’t talk about humans like that - quote obesity etc etc! So don’t talk about our bulldogs like that

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    1. I guess your reading comprehension abilities are pretty low, aren't they?

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  21. While we all fight for the health and wellbeing of bulldogs, it is unnecessary to slight Thor.

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    1. Tell that to the fucking cunt who wrote this blog...

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    2. Nobody is slighting Thor. We're slighting the breed standard which created such a dysfunctional mess from what used to be an athletic and energetic dog. We're slighting the breeder who thought that a dog with fully-closed nares should be campaigned in conformation shows, and all the judges who thought this was a trait that should be rewarded and maintained in the breeding program.

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  22. He is all bulldog beautiful❤️

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  23. anyone wanting to become more informed about the oral health issues associated with brachycephalism is invited to read this paper and follow its links to more information - http://www.toothvet.ca/PDFfiles/Stop_Brachy_2.pdf.

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  24. Thor is 2 years old.
    Hoe the f**k was a video of an adult thor have been taken 2 years ago?!
    I call bullshit!

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    1. He was born in early 2017....so we think about seven months old at the time of this video. And already breathing badly. It is definitely Thor. But feel free to check the markings yourself from all the pix of him that are available.

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    2. Specifically born May 12, 2017. And two years on from May 12, 2017 is May, 12,2019. It's December as I'm typing this.
      He is MORE than two months old.

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    3. If stupid autocorrect two Years not two months.

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  25. Good article Jemima, I love my bull dog, and feel terrible for him when I hear him having a hard time breathing.

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  26. The lady doth protest too much. Do I detect some jealousy? Your dog lost many times didn’t he/she?Take your negativity and pathetic attitude and crawl back to your cave. Moron.

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  27. The term is stenotic nares. Easily typed out, but I'm betting you didn't know that.
    It is obvious you are cluess about this breed. You picked the worst Google searched photo and claimed it as what a bulldog's mouth normally looks like. Lolwut?
    I'm guessing your bitterness stems from the fact that your chosen breed didn't win. I've taught my kindergartener son not to be a sore loser, you should take note. You should also sit down with ethical bulldog breeders. This breed is nowhere near as bad as your salty-self makes them out to be.

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    1. Did you think Thor's breathing was OK in the videos above?

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    2. I feel sorry for Bulldogs. They have great personality and will, but their bodies cannot function. In that video with the pup, Thor bounces a couple of times and is out of breath. Sad. They cannot breathe correctly, they cannot breed or whelp without assistance and they are at high risk for hypothermia. People are acting like this blog is sour grapes , when it is about the health, welfare and comfort of a breed. The judges pick the extreme dogs, the breeders breed to obtain that extreme. No one is attacking the breed, just how humans are shaping the breed. I do not show my dogs in the breed ring. I have no sour grapes. I show in agility, where few Bulldogs can compete because we have taken a strong athletic dog and twisted it to the point it would not be able to do the job it was bred for

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    3. Hey twat are a vetinarian? When you have graduated vetinary school and have some expertise to lean on, feel free to write a blog like this. Until then, do us all a favor and shut your cock holster.

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    4. Jemima Harrison, not knowing about stenotic nares? *laughs uncontrollably*

      It's funny because all the Pug, Frenchie, English Bulldog, and other brachy breed people are always telling Jemima to shut up about stenotic nares. She has been telling more than 5,000 people for years about this, and she as multiple posts about them. She follows Cambridge's work on BOAS. She has spoken to the pioneer of BOAS surgery in Germany. She knows thousands of people who have/had dogs needing surgery on their nares.

      Only in the brachy breeders wildest dreams would Jemima not know about stenotic nares and campaign against them constantly.

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    5. That's not Thor in the video

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    6. Do you think the breathing of the dog featured in the video was OK?

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    7. To address the fact that some people are claiming that it is not Thor in the home video above, I have edited to add some pictures above.

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  28. I think this article is hilarious. All purebred dogs have issues. You want a healthy normal dog? Rescue it from a pound. The very nature of pure bred dogs exposes them to health issues by narrowing down their genetic diversity. The fact you can even point a bulldog over any other pure breed is hilarious. Most of them have skin issues, joint issues, eye issues, temperament issues, heart issues etc. They might not be as obvious as a Bull Dog but they are there never the same. Thor was as good a candidate as any of the dogs in the lineup for the prize. This coming from someone that has always owned pure bred AKC registered dogs. I'm just not so naive to think that just because my Cocker Spaniel doesn't have sleep apnea his skin conditions are perfectly normal.

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    1. A well bred purebred should not have those issues. Adopting a dog from a pound or rescue is not a guarantee that the dog will be free of genetic issues. It is, pretty much, a guarantee the parents had no health tests and were likely poorly cared for. I have had 9 purebred dogs. 2 have had hypothyroid and one of those 2 also had Cushings. That has been it for genetic issues- no significant allergies, no dysplasia...
      A friend.of mine adopted a ridge back x from the south. He has had to have one eye removed due to glaucoma and is likely to lose another. My son's Boston terrier mixes have had to have patella surgery. It is a myth that mixed breeds are free from genetic illness

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  29. Thor is very handsome! The breed does have breathing issues and have to keep them inside because of the allergy problems some of them have. I have a pittie. I would love to see this breed have a gold metal!

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  30. And I thought I had seen the most mean-spirited comments on Facebook. This is despicable! Go out and volunteer at a shelter or do something good with your time.

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  31. For the love of Dog people!!! Don't any of you flatface dog lovers care that your dogs can't breathe? What is wrong with you folks!!

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  32. I think many of you are missing the point. They are not jealous Thor won. They are drawing attention to the horrendous health issues in breeding certain dogs. Bulldogs suffer from a lot of health issues. They are not a natural breed. Humans created them through breeding. I feel very sad for bulldogs, especially French bulldogs. They have even worse issues.

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  33. Jemima...you should be ashamed of yourself ...I am a bulldog breeder..and have NO idea what you are talking about.As the others pointed out ..jealousy is ugly and it's a sin you even wasted your time with this so called expert opinion. Everyone is an expert until an expert walks in the room.Thor won fair and square..discouraging comments about him or the breed makes you look like a sore loser..which apparently you are !! I'm not going to waste my precious time explaining bulldogs to you..my time is better spent with my healthy beautiful dogs that have great bites..the only thing I feel for you is disgust 🙄

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    1. Question: is there stuff out there suggesting I'm a show-breeder or something? Trying to figure out why people think I'm jealous of Thor's win...

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    2. Who cares if Thor won? The breed is f'd up & should not be bred anymore. It's harmful to the animals & their quality of life is completely diminished because of human GREED. All for a 'cute' crushed face. All brachycephalic should be bred out & their standards reworked in the kennel clubs.

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  34. GET A LIFE SOUNDS PISSED OFF YOUR BREED DIDN'T WIN BULLDOGS ARE WONDERFUL SHOW DOGS, PETS AND BY THE WAY CHECK OUT TINKERBULLS ON FB OR YOU TUBE WERE FIXING ALL THE THINGS * MAN* DID TO THEM

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  35. There’s a saying “ kennel blind” that’s what all you Thor supporters are and breeders of brachycephalic dogs! You take their suffering as “ that’s just normal for the breed” A DOG IS A DOG IS A DOG, no matter what the breed is should be able to breathe freely, mate and whelp naturally, have a tail, have a normal jaw where teeth aren’t erupting through the roof of their moths. I could go on but like I say, you’re all kennel blind. Shame in you for destroying this breed

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  36. I truly hate what they have done to the Chihuahua muzzle. It is way to short and now has the horrible breathing issues of brachycephalic dogs. A Chihuahua is NOT a brachycephalic breed!!!

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  37. Here's a thought... from a non-dog breeder, but dog owner. I do have some fri ed nds who raised, bred and showed various different breeds. I certainly have nothing to gain or lose. I read this article and did not feel as though it sounded like a "jealous" person wrote it, rather someone who genuinely loves dogs in general, and is concerned about the current situation in dog breeding in general, wherein breeders will take certain quirky, unique or unusual breed traits, and start pushing them to such extremes that what may have started as a slight tendency of a characteristic (say in this case, underbite) and pushed it so far away from (perhaps not the breed standard) general functional conformation, that these quirky traits become a physical impairment or severe health issue. I breed ponies, but have owned and ridden or shown several breeds in my lifetime, and I have seen the same thing happen in breeds that I grew up loving. Quit hating on this author and maybe spend some time in introspection... it's fine to love your Bulldogs, but if you have a breed that requires a cesarean section to whelp, cannot breathe easily enough to play outdoors for extended periods of time, or becomes crippled due to disfunction of the hips, then perhaps you should be advocating for your own breed to fix these problems, rather that "shooting the messenger" for exposing these breed-specific, hereditary infirmities to the rest of the dog-loving world.

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  38. The Emperor's new clothes are just so beautiful, award winning really! Would someone please explain to that child that is pointing out the Emperor is naked that they are just jealous of his fabulous clothing!

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  39. BTW, try putting the fork down once in awhile or I might have to criticize you at the state fair when your fat ass wins Top Hog

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  40. I thought entrants for Best In Show competition were not judged against other as a dog breed...but as to which dog is the best REPRESENTATIVE of their particular breed standard?? Just sayin"...

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  41. Vet here.

    We do not stand in silence, we work tirelessly educating our clients and breeders, we beg clients not to continue breeding these dogs, countless articles have been put out by the AVMA, but it's not our job to shape breed standards, that job would fall to the AKC and to judges like this who deem this a "quality dog". People don't care that their dogs can't breath, overheat, or that their tails literally grow backwards into their bodies...what power do you think we hold? Our job is to educate our clients and to help our patients and I promise you we do it every single day. Every FB, instagram, twitter etc post about "these cute squishy face breeds" just propagates this further. Now, this show will devastate the breed even further and it will be us US vets here to pick up the pieces, to continue to fight the losing battle, to fight for the lives of our patients. Our patient's breeders, owners, social media instigators, show judges, and breed standards may have failed them, but we have not.
    Sincerely
    A vet who is still fighting the fight

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    1. Thank you Dr P. The vets here in the UKand elsewhere) have and continue to shape the breed standards in a positive way by exerting gentle but firm pressure on the kennel clubs. The British Veterinary Association has strong position statements on brachycephalics which have proved really useful (not least in generating publicity). Veterinary petitions in Sweden and the UK (signed by 1000s of vets willing to put their name to it) have played a big role in getting change. (See https://www.thepetitionsite.com/en-gb/834/770/118/urgent-call-by-vet-profession-for-working-party-on-brachycephalic-dogs-and-cats/) If your view is reflective of most veterinarians in the US, I suspect it would only take one or two brave vets to stand up on this issue and the others will follow. That is what happened here in the UK and it led to the setting up of the Brachycephalic Working Group which comprises the KC, research vets, the main UK welfare organisations and breed club reps. NB check out http://vetsagainstbrachycephalism.com - now signed by almost 1000 veterinarians worldwide. I can't overstate how powerful you could be in securing change for these dogs. Again... they need you.

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  42. If this were a human being instead of a dog, you could be sued for defamation. You state that there are no tests on his OFA indicative of breathing, yet, the most critical one - trachea - has passed and this was a test developed by the Bulldog Club of America in conjunction with the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. It is truly remarkable how responsible breeders who health test and publicly post the results on a public data base are continually attacked. Apparently, no amount of certification by health experts will satisfy your attempts to elevate yourself as the last word on dog health.Dogs pant when they are hot and as I am sure you must be aware, the lights used for filming put off a tremendous amount of heat. You are not an expert on Bulldogs and it is really pathetic how you are desperately continuing to extend your 15 minutes of fame from your propaganda, biased PDE. Keep blabbing your way to complete irrelevancy.

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    1. The trachea measurement is great - but unfortunately not sufficient in and of itself to guarantee good breathing (as is evident from the videos). This is often because of an elongated soft palate. If you want to know how fast a horse can run, you run it. If you want to assess respiratory health, you check its actual breathing at rest/while exercising. Hopefully the US will introduce the excellent walking tests/BOAS chamber tests we now have in the UK (and increasingly elsewhere).

      PS: it's been 11yrs now so a wee bit longer than 15 minutes.

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  43. The AKC and the KC have destroyed many different breeds over the years. I was horrified when they finally recognized the Border Collie because I knew this would be the downfall of the breed. Look at what they have done with the German Shepherd! As an owner of two Brachy's I am thrilled that people are finally recognizing that there is nothing cute about having a dog that struggles just to breathe. There are Frenchies and Pugs that have to sleep sitting up so they can breathe! For those who are insulted at this post......TOO BAD, YOU ARE THE PROBLEM!

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  44. The responses to this post tell you everything you need to know about the breeder community and its ability to self regulate. The delusion is absolute, toxic and permanent. Even “good breeders” care far more about protecting the breed — and using the situation to market more “moderate” alternatives — than facing up to the devastating consequences of years of genetic abuse. How long before these greedy maniacs belatedly come around? Ten years? Twenty? What will the brachy breeds look like by then?

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  45. This win will be a financial bonanza for the bulldog community. No wonder they’re furious; wouldn’t want anyone spoiling their precious business opportunity by educating the public.

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    1. listen to yourselfs acting kike bulldog breeders are a cult that dont care about them cuz bulldog owners like the ppl that read theese blogs dont do tests or research or ask questions

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  46. Bulldog fans are so touchy. I'm not a fan of the breed, but it is tragic what the show-ring has done. Bulldog fans,if you truly love the breed, you will put aside your vanity and accept that things need to change, because these animals are suffering. What is wrong with breeding a healthier, less extreme bulldog? No, it won't look the same, but the trade off will be a dog that can run, breathe and do all the doggy things it needs to do. Isn't that worth anything to you people?

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  47. What a bs article. Responsible ethical breeders do not breed dogs with genetic issues and work tirelessly to improve their breed. They get the proper testing done and do not breed the dogs until the results are in and they don't breed dogs that fail. Do bad breeders exist? Yes, but that doesn't mean the good ones who are working to improve the breed should be attacked by mindless trolls who like to think they know a thing or two.

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  48. The term is stenotic nares. Easily typed out, but I'm betting you didn't know that.
    It is obvious you are cluess about this breed. You picked the worst Google searched photo and claimed it as what a bulldog's mouth normally looks like. Lolwut?
    I'm guessing your bitterness stems from the fact that your chosen breed didn't win. I've taught my kindergartener son not to be a sore loser, you should take note. You should also sit down with ethical bulldog breeders. This breed is nowhere near as bad as your salty-self makes them out to be.
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  49. Just a note: Using the term "crippled" as a negative description, even to describe a dog may be upsetting to disabled people who have done a lot of work to both destigmatize disability and reclaim the word. I am *not* saying dogs bred in such a way that causes problems is at all similar to people born with disabilities. Just that your word choice could be different.

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