Fair Breeding

For many years, pedigree dogs have been bred for their appearance. At exhibitions they are judged on their appearance and therefore looks are very important and they’ll continue to be bred for their looks. For me one of the most important reasons to stop breeding cats, because the same was happening there.

The French Bulldog is a typical example of how a desire for a certain look has caused serious health problems. On shows, dogs with the most extreme looks, the shortest backs, widest chests, narrowest hips and flattest faces win all the prizes. Of course, this won’t be the healthiest dog. Still these type of dogs are being used frequently for breeding, because everybody wants to win prizes. 

Fortunately, there are also many breeders who understand the seriousness of the problems and recently, the Dutch Kennel Club,  the umbrella organization of purebred dog breeders, developed a plan which contains the rules that breeders have to obey in order to put an end to the breeding of extreme appearance. It’s called the “Fair breeding plan”

The problem won’t be solved within a few years, but I am convinced that this will benefit the welfare of purebred dogs.  By the way, 70% of the population of French Bulldogs in the Netherlands consists of dogs without a pedigree, also known as ‘look-alikes’. Because breeders of these dogs don’t get pedigrees for them, you’d think they wouldn’t be affected by this, but it seems that the government also has plans for them.