Alex Carson
#1 The Bull Terrier
The Bull Terrier has changed a lot over the years due to seriously impaired breeding. While breeders think that they are making these dogs look better, they don’t realize the amount of damage that they are doing to the dog. Since the drastic change in appearance created by improper breeding, these dogs often suffer from problems with their teeth. This is because they have too many in their enlarged skulls. Improper breeding has also caused mental deficiencies. One is the dogs will often chase tails that are no longer there. This can be frustrating for the dog who just wants to see his tail. When he cannot find it, he can get frustrated which can lead to him acting out or becoming dangerous.
#2 The German Shepherd
In 1915, the German Shepherd was considered to be a medium-sized dog and weighed about 55 pounds. Today, the German Shepherd is considered a large dog. Over the years, breeding has made this dog a complete distortion of what he used to look like. Today’s German Shepherds are 30 pounds heavier than their ancestors. They have sloping backs, drunken gaits, and a barrel chest. All of these changes have caused a variety of problem for many German Shepherds as they age. The most common issue is painful leg problems.
#3 The Pug
The Pug is a dog who is in high demand. Over the years, this dog has been seriously genetically modified. Unfortunately, he is the one who had to pay the price. This dog has been bred to exaggerate some of its traits, especially his curled tail. These tweaks in the breeding have made these dogs very susceptible to high blood pressure, low oxygen levels, breathing problems, a tendency to overheat, dental problems, heart problems, and dermatitis in the folds of their skin. While the curly tail is what makes people love these dogs, it is actually a genetic defect, which can cause the dog to become paralyzed with age.
#4 The Boxer
The Boxer naturally has a pushed in face. Over the years, breeders have tried to make their snouts eve more pushed it. This is what people wanted in a Boxer. Unfortunately, the breed itself is paying the price for these changes. Today’s Boxer has a shorter, upturned muzzle. Because of these changes, the Boxer is prone to breathing problems and they have trouble controlling their body temperature. It is not uncommon for a Boxer to have serious limitation put on his physical abilities because he is unable to control his temperature.
#5 The Salukis
Years ago, the Salukis looked like your normal, everyday dog. Over the years, breeding has changed the appearance of this dog greatly. The skeletal appearance of this dog has changed a lot over the years. The dog today has extremely long legs, a small head, and a very wide body. The problem with all of the changes that have been made makes these dogs prone to serious heart defects.
#6 The Dachshund
The Dachshund is also known as the “hot dog-dog.” These dogs always had short legs, however, a century ago, their legs and necks were proportioned to their size. Today, they have much longer backs, jutted chests, and their legs are so short that their stomachs almost scrape on the ground when they walk. While these changes made them more attractive to buyers, they also caused problems. These dogs have a very high risk of intervertebral disc disease which can lead to paralysis. They are also prone to eye problems such as progressive retinal atrophy, leg problems, and dwarfism related disorders. Many people believe that all of the problems that these dogs are at risk for wasn’t worth the slight changes in his body type.
#7 The White Terrier
A century ago, the white terrier was a very athletic, high functioning dog with great instincts. Today, after years of bad breeding, this dog has is not nearly as athletic and due to the intentional stunting, the breed can no longer follow his instincts. While he makes a loyal family pet, he isn’t nearly the dog that he used to be.
#8 The Bearded Collie
Over the last century, the Bearded Collie has been seriously genetically messed with. He never had the long hair that goes down to the ground that he has today. This beautiful mane of fur has made him famous in dog shows and his breed is greatly in demand. Unfortunately, this breed has had to suffer for the alterations in his breed. This dog is very prone to allergies, especially skin allergies.
#9 The Saint Bernard
Years ago, the Saint Bernard was a very useful dog. These dogs were taken into the cold mountains to find lost hikers and to help them home. These dogs once wore kegs around their neck filled with something to warm up the people that he saved from the mountains. Today, thanks to altered breeding, these dogs are much larger than they used to be. Also, they have pushed in faces and a great deal of extra skin. Sadly, these changes in the breed have made him prone to a variety of problems such as eye and eyelid issues, a spinal cord disorder called Stockard’s paralysis, and bleeding and clotting disorders. Also, the changes made in breeding make these dogs slobber more than most breeds of dog.
#10 The Basset Hound
The Basset Hound years ago didn’t have such short legs. They were short, but nothing like what they are today. Also, his ears weren’t nearly as long as they are today. Finally, there have been serious changes in his eyes. Today’s Basset Hound has droopy eyes. Unfortunately, these changes have opened up a whole slew of problems for the breed. They have way too much skin, which can lead to dermatitis in the folds. The droopy eyes can result in severe eye problems and their short legs can cause spinal problems.
#11 The English Bulldog
This breed has been changed through breeding over the years. The last 100 years of breeding changed these popular dog breeds for the worse. The major change was to make the dog larger. There have also been changes made over the years to his appearance that has made him look a bit scarier, and because of this, the entire breed has had to suffer. Unfortunately, these changes during breeding have made the English Bulldog the most unhealthy breed of dog. He lives on an average just 6.25 years. He is prone to developing just about every disease imaginable.
