New research from the Royal Veterinary College identifies impact of owner perceptions on brachycephalic dog welfare reforms

A new study from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has identified key perceptual barriers to improving the welfare of brachycephalic (also known as flat-faced) dogs.

Barriers identified included high levels of normalisation of signs of poor health linked with extreme conformation; preferences for the perceived laziness of brachycephalic breeds; and a belief that nothing could put them off purchasing these breeds among some owners (1 in 7). By identifying these barriers, this research can inform more effective interventions to address misconceptions about the breeds and shape future buying behaviours.

Globally, brachycephalic breeds, such as French Bulldogs, Pugs and English Bulldogs, have become an increasingly popular choice of dog.  This is despite growing evidence of the profound health and welfare issues associated with the extreme conformation (body shape) of these breeds, and numerous charity campaigns aimed at reducing their acquisition. Health problems in brachycephalic dogs include being at high risk of developing significant respiratory problems due to their flattened face, eye conditions due to their bulging eyes and skin infections due to their deep skin folds.

Undertaken in partnership with researchers from the Blue Cross, this study involved an online survey of UK dog owners, including those that currently own ‘extreme’ brachycephalic dogs (E-BC, such as French Bulldogs), mild-moderate brachycephalic dogs (M-BC, such as Boxers) and non-brachycephalic dogs (non-BC, such as Labrador Retrievers). Analysing the results of over 2000 participants, the research team, led by Dr Rowena Packer, Senior Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science at the RVC, identified how human perceptions of brachycephalic dogs can inhibit campaigning for improved welfare. This included:

• High levels of normalisation of brachycephaly-related abnormalities (e.g., being unable to exercise and be active) across all ownership groups, including owners of non-brachycephalic dogs, demonstrating the pervasiveness of this view
• One in seven E-BC owners reported "nothing" could dissuade them from owning brachycephalic dogs, particularly those owners with a strong preference for flat faces and those that did not believe brachycephaly reduced a dog’s lifespan
• E-BC owners were found to consider perceived "laziness" in the breeds as a highly desirable behavioural characteristic, even though this may reflect their dog having breathing or musculoskeletal problems preventing them from being active
• Preference for "laziness" was associated with owners who conducted low levels of pre-purchase research and expressed a strong preference for flat faces
• E-BC owners were more likely to highly value flat faces as a physical feature than M-BC or non-BC owners (12.3 percent versus 7.6 percent and 1.8 percent respectively)
• E-BC and M-BC owners were more likely to believe that brachycephaly did not negatively impact dog lifespans compared to owners of non-brachycephalic (non-BC) breeds (33.6 percent and 30.2 percent versus 11.3 percent respectively), despite strong evidence supporting this
• E-BC and M-BC owners were significantly more likely to conduct low levels of pre-purchase research compared to non-BC (23.7 percent and 22.6 percent versus 8 percent respectively.)
• Approximately 1 in 7 E-BC owners (14.5 percent) had found their dog on social media compared to M-BCs (8.7 percent) or non-BCs (5.4 percent) as well as being more likely to post videos of their dog on social media.

Despite being a "desirable" characteristic, the "laziness" observed in brachycephalic breeds is often due to an intolerance to exercise, as a result of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). This is a severe health impediment which often occurs in these breeds as a result of extreme conformations, including the flat face which can leave the dogs struggling to breathe and unable to exercise.

These findings highlight the pervasiveness of perceptual barriers that inhibit campaigning for better brachycephalic welfare and the need for targeted interventions. These interventions must be developed with consideration of the heterogeneity of beliefs within the brachycephalic dog owner population, particularly the intractable sub-population to whom shifting preferences away from flat-faced conformations may prove impossible without stronger measures, e.g., legislative change.

Based on these findings, the researchers developed a series of interventions to overcome these barriers and undertake more effective campaigning. This includes:

• Development of pre-purchase information that tackles normalisation narratives to be hosted within sources that potential owners are more likely to access such as puppy-selling websites
• Positive messaging to promote other breeds that meet identified preferences and needs of brachycephalic owners without associated welfare burdens
• Greater use of narrative evidence (eg, stories from owners whose dogs have experienced health problems related to extreme conformations, who are within this "tribe" of owners) to tackle denial of health and welfare statistics presented without human stories
• More nuanced approaches to tackling the normalisation of brachycephalic health problems among E-BC owners including ‘myth busting’ normalised traits and emphasising the untimely deaths of many brachycephalic dogs, rather than a focus purely on poor health, which may result in cognitive dissonance and perseverance of false beliefs
• Further study of related social media content and behaviours to create strategies to counter misinformation and polarisation within online communities

Dr Rowena Packer, senior lecturer in companion animal behaviour and welfare science at the RVC and lead author of the study, said: “The limited success of campaigns attempting to tackle the popularity of brachycephalic dogs is an increasing frustration of the animal welfare and veterinary sectors. This research highlights the widespread normalisation of signs of poor health in brachycephalic dogs, with even owners of non-brachycephalic dogs considering signs of disease desirable ‘personality’ traits. A further huge concern is the substantial proportion of owners of extreme brachycephalic dogs who consider nothing could put them off acquiring these problematic breeds.

“Future strategies to tackle the brachycephalic crisis must do more than presenting purely health-based data in generic public locations, and instead, positively offering possible alternate breeds, myth-busting false beliefs and leveraging human stories of brachycephalic owners to have greater impact.  Additionally, specifically targeting these messages on social media and puppy-selling platforms may increase their efficacy.”