While they might just be the best good boy you know, a study has shown that French bulldogs are the most complicated breed of man's best friend to own.
The study published in the journal Canine Medicine and Genetics on Wednesday showed that the French bulldog has a higher chance of being diagnosed with 20 common disorders when compared to other breeds.
The dog typically measures around 1-foot-tall and weighs under 30 pounds, and has become a popular dog breed in recent decades.
This was why the study's lead author, Dan O'Neill, decided to study the animal. O'Neill is a senior lecturer in Companion Animal Epidemiology at the Royal Veterinary College in London. He says that French bulldogs have become one of the most popular dogs in the U.K.
Despite their popularity, the French bulldog is known for suffering from health issues. To see how bad it can get for the animal, O'Neill and his team randomly selected files for the breed and of other breeds. They discovered the French bulldog was like no other.
"If French bulldogs were a typical dog breed, you would expect their health issues to be similar to dogs overall. But the French bulldogs were hugely different in the top 43 conditions," O'Neill told USA Today. "The French bulldog is no longer a typical dog. It's something else."
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After compiling the information, it was found that French bulldogs were at "significantly greater risk" of developing disorders.
The number came out to a 42-times more significant chance of narrowed nostrils, a 30-times greater chance of obstructive airways syndrome, an 11-times greater chance of skin dermatitis, and a nine-times greater chance of having difficulty giving birth.
"French bulldogs overall, have a much poorer health profile than non-French bulldogs," O'Neill said to USA Today.
While several factors play a role in influencing the breed's health deterioration, O'Neill said that breeders and shelters can't be blamed, but instead, potential pet owners are at fault.
"Flat-face dogs do not exist in nature. They're a creation of mankind's desire for a flat-face dog, and there were huge health issues associated with them," O'Neill said to USA Today.
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While their skin folds may be cute and a common reason owners want the dog, it isn't normal.
"These are things that humans think look cute, but if you're a dog, it is not cute having skinfolds," O'Neill said to USA Today. "We actively seek out dogs with conformations that we find cute and appealing as owners as humans, but that actually are really unpleasant and unhealthy for the dogs."
The study went on to say that there are several things owners can look out for to be aware of potential issues the breed might have. It also added that the study doesn't indicate how severe or long a breed can have a disorder.
French bulldogs should be bathed regularly, and their owners should periodically check their skin.
O'Neill says that owners should not look for physical preferences but instead focus on a dog's need for a responsible owner when looking for a potential best friend.
