International Canine Welfare Crisis and Is It Dog Training or Animal Abuse

Listen HERE as Dr. Jerald Bell on Steve Dale’s Pet World, WGN Radio, makwa a surprising announcement about an “international canine welfare crisis” concerning some of the most popular dog breeds. Those are pretty strong words from the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA). Dr. Bell is  the chair of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association Heredity Disease Committee and an adjunct professor Tufts University.

Simply put Pugs, French Bulldogs, English Bulldogs and many others commonly have such great difficulty breathing, that this health issue has a name, Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS). These dogs have difficulty getting air into their lungs and can’t easily breathe through their nose at all, and have an elongated soft-palate obstructing their larynx or windpipe. This lifetime of turbulence may also cause the larynx to thicken up. They also may have narrowing of the windpipe or trachea. BOAS impacts quality of life for these dogs, often daily as well as lifespan.

And Dr. Bell is saying ‘enough is enough.’

Breeders need to stop selecting for these short-nosed dogs with pushed in faces. However, they are – to some degree – only giving the public what they want as brachycephalic breeds continue their rise in popularity, and breeders of all kinds, from hobby breeders to puppy mills, continue their practices knowling these dogs will sell and often for big bucks. In the UK, their kennel club registry has stepped up, and  the issue was spotlighted to the public. 

In the U.S., the American Kennel Club continues to even support sales of dogs, including brachycephalic dogs, at pet stores, which means they likely are from puppy mills.

Is It Dog Training or Animal Abuse?

How can throwing a rolled up towel at a dog ever be called anything except for what it is, animal abuse

Credentialed Dog trainer Steve Frost, president A Sound Beginning Chicago on an unfortunate trend in dog training. Discussed HERE on Steve Dale’s Pet World are board and train facilities and related concerns about this type of dog training. They market that will treat your dog with love, will they? And if even they do treat the dog with love, is this the most effective method to teach dogs and develop a relationship?

Is there eve a time when frustrated pet parents are doing the right thing to choose a punishment or aversive-based trainer?

Here’s a video of what Frost is talking about. Should dog trainers who abuse dogs actually be prosecuted for animal abuse? 

NFL Players and Pets

And football and pets, including Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady.