— PETE WEDDERBURN, BVM&S, CertVR, MRCVS, veterinarian, newspaper columnist, and author of Pet Subjects: Animal Tales from the Telegraph’s Resident Vet
Dr. Rowena Packer of the Royal Veterinary College in the UK has studied people’s perceptions of brachycephalic breeds and the reasons why people choose these or other breeds of dog. In one study, she found that although many owners of brachycephalic breeds report their dogs wheezing, snorting, and snoring, more than half said their dog did not have breathing difficulties, which suggests people think these behaviors are “normal for the breed” (and also that some dogs are not getting needed veterinary treatment for these issues).10 In subsequent research, she found that the kind of person who gets a brachycephalic breed is more likely to be a first-time dog owner than those who choose other breeds.11 As well, those who chose a brachycephalic dog were more likely than those who picked other breeds to have used a puppy-selling website, and less likely to have seen the puppy’s mom or asked about health checks.
“What came out of this analysis,” said Packer, “is that owners of brachycephalic dogs were putting appearance as their number 1 influence as to why they were drawn to those animals. And I guess the concerning thing from a welfare point of view is that they were putting their dogs—that breed’s health or that breed’s longevity—as a lower priority.”
“It was still a relatively low amount of people that said that they regretted their decision.” What is interesting, said Packer, is that “A lot of people can’t separate out the love of their individual animals from the behaviors that went into buying them. And I think we see that a lot with animals with chronic disease, that owners will say they would do it again and don’t regret it despite the fact the animal is very poorly, because they love their pet.” If they did have problems, they were likely to blame the breeder.
I asked Packer what people should do if they have a brachycephalic breed. She said, “If they already own one of those breeds, I think it would be a case of them being incredibly vigilant and making sure that they’re not blinkering themselves with what issues those dogs might have. There’s much better information out there online now in terms of what different health issues afflict different breeds.” She also suggested taking any issues to a vet if you’re not sure and getting independent veterinary advice. “The earlier a lot of them are diagnosed, the better the prognosis for any intervention,” she said.
The bottom line is that anyone thinking of getting a particular breed of dog needs to specifically research whether there are health problems associated with that breed and if there are genetic tests the breeder should have done. The Institute of Canine Biology maintains a list of genetic databases on its website. As well, organizations such as the ASPCA describe the costs associated with owning different sizes of dogs (small, medium, or large).
Another thing to consider is whether it’s the right time for you to be getting a dog. Do you have the time and energy to devote to a new dog? How do you think any existing pets will respond to a new arrival? Do you have any big lifestyle changes coming up that might affect your ability to care for a pet? For example, if you know you will be moving house, it’s better to wait until you are settled so that a new dog won’t have any extra disruption.
You should also think about the energy requirements of the dog, to find one who will match your lifestyle. And think about the dog’s coat, because some will cover your clothes and furniture with dog hair and need lots of brushing and clipping, and others will require very little grooming. You may also need to think about allergies, which is tricky because you won’t really know until the dog comes home. Better to get a pet you know with certainty no one is allergic to.
To make a good decision about a puppy, you also need to think about socialization.
ALL ABOUT PUPPIES: SOCIALIZATION IS KEY
THE PERIOD BETWEEN 3 and about 12 to 14 weeks is arguably the most important of a dog’s life. This is the sensitive period for socialization, although there is some uncertainty as to the exact time when it ends (see table for the life stages of young dogs).12 This is when puppies’ brains are especially receptive to learning about the kind of social world they will live in as they get older. During this time they will also habituate to, or get used to, anything they might meet in later life (different sounds, surfaces, etc.). This is an important time in brain development, when the brain is very plastic and making lots and lots of new connections, some of which will be pruned out later.
The idea of a sensitive period sometimes surprises people, so it’s useful to know other animals have sensitive periods too. In kittens, the sensitive period for socialization is between 2 and 7 weeks. This is typically before a kitten comes to live in your home, showing how important it is to get kittens from someone who will have socialized them. Children also have sensitive periods for development, during which important brain development occurs in response to the child’s environment. These early life experiences provide the scaffolding for future development. If babies have lots of positive experiences with adults, very little stress, and good nutrition to help build a strong brain architecture, then by the time they start school they are in a better position to learn than if they had not had those experiences.
For dogs, lots of happy, positive experiences during the sensitive period for socialization mean a puppy is more likely to grow up to be a happy, friendly, confident dog. Bad experiences, or simply the lack of positive experiences, may lead to a fearful dog, as we know from classic research from the 1950s and 1960s.13 So it’s really important during this time that puppies are socialized to other safe dogs and to all kinds of people: men, women, children, older adults, people with beards and hats and backpacks and walking sticks, and so on . . .
The developmental stages of a young dog
| PRENATAL PERIOD | Even though puppies are not yet born, there are already influences on their later behavior (see chapter 13 for discussion of the effects of stress hormones crossing the placenta). Prenatal learning can occur: puppies exposed to the scent of aniseed (added to the mother’s food) can recognize it after birth. |
| NEONATAL STAGE: 0–2 WEEKS | Puppies are born with eyes and ears closed. Puppies cannot regulate their own temperature. The mother provides food and initiates elimination by licking. Puppies spend most of their time sleeping, and with their mother and littermates. |
| TRANSITIONAL STAGE: 2–3 WEEKS | The eyes and ears open. Puppies have a startle response. Early motor behavior begins as puppies start to move around. Early social behavior begins and puppies can wag their tails. |
| SENSITIVE PERIOD FOR SOCIALIZATION: 3–12 OR 14 WEEKS | There are many changes during this time as puppies start to learn all about the world around them. Puppies are weaned sometime between weeks 4 and 8 (varies by breed). Motor and social behaviors develop and become more adult-like. Puppies show more interest in people. Dogs learn social behavior through play with littermates. Vaccinations start at 6–8 weeks and continue until 16 weeks (with boosters as required). |
| JUVENILE PERIOD: 14 WEEKS UNTIL 6–12 MONTHS | Although the sensitive period is over, positive experiences during this time are still important as the brain continues to develop. Positive experiences will enable puppies to generalize from experiences during the socialization period. Puppies become more independent. A well-socialized puppy will want to interact with other people and animals. Growth continues (the timing at which it ends varies by breed, continuing longer for larger breeds). The juvenile period continues until puberty. |
| ADOLESCENT PERIOD: 6–12 MONTHS UNTIL 18–24 MONTHS | Post-puberty. Some female dogs can go into heat as early as 5–6 months. |