# Outlawing dog breeds **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 30, 2024, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608 "2024-03-30T16:46:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/1 "2024-03-30T16:46:56Z")
> **[Germany’s Beloved Dachshund Could Be Threatened Under Breeding Bill](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/28/world/europe/dachshund-dog-breeding-ban-germany.html?unlocked_article_code=1.gk0.vFDX.wymz7xX6R5ep&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&ugrp=c)** > > The bill would strengthen laws around dog breeding, but Germany’s kennel club worries that the legislation could lead to bans on several breeds. Also in New Hampshire. [NH bill would ban practice of breeding deformities into breeds](https://www.wmur.com/article/new-hampshire-bill-pets-breeding-deformities-ban/60023059#:~:text=A%20bill%20to%20ban%20the,animals%20like%20dogs%20and%20cats). The idea is that desirable characteristics for certain breeds being selected for are resulting in dogs that suffer as a result of those characteristics. And making doing that against the law. A good idea? A just idea? A possibility effective idea? I’m leaning to agreeing in concept but think that implementation will by necessity be subjective and enforcement very difficult and poor. But an awareness that these cute characteristics travel with causing the dogs to suffer to various degrees is still likely a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/2 "2024-03-30T16:51:38Z")
Who determines which “deformities” are allowed and which ones aren’t, and who enforces the law? Can you bring such a dog into the state from another state? I don’t see how this could possibly ever work whether it’s a good idea or not. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/3 "2024-03-30T16:52:39Z")
Damage is certainly done to some breeds for “desired” characteristics (read looks). I’d rather the AKC be more aggressive in judging breeds for their health rather than looks and ban breeds that have gone too far. See where that gets us and then revisit the question. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/4 "2024-03-30T16:53:41Z")
I think you are correct in that is sounds like a good idea, but is rife for difficulty in interpretation as to what particular characteristic is ‘intentionally’ bred into an animal and why that specific trait is ‘bad’ where other traits are ‘ok.’ And at what point in a continuum would a particular trait be ok…For example if a trait of ‘short legs’ is somehow subjectively deemed cruel …how short is the cutoff point? and how would I know that a pup will have too short of legs compared to its parents? and if it does once it is grown up…do we just kill it to put it out of its misery? ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/5 "2024-03-30T16:54:03Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > A good idea? A just idea? A possibility effective idea? Yes, yes, and probably not. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/6 "2024-03-30T16:56:14Z")
Another recent dog banning: [https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/28/uk/england-wales-ban-xl-bully-dog-breed/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/28/uk/england-wales-ban-xl-bully-dog-breed/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/7 "2024-03-30T16:57:57Z")
Nooooooooo. Not the beloved weinie-dog. Lots of purebred dogs problems come from inbreeding. Who they need to look into are these designer dog breeders. How many kinds of Doodle-dogs do we need? Seriously out of control. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/8 "2024-03-30T17:19:04Z")
Doodle-dogs are generally healthy animals though. It shouldn’t matter if people like designer mutts. Now if puppy-mills are killing the undesirable pups, that would be an issue. But puppy-mills seem pretty awful in general. (I like the term doodle-dogs, puts a smile on my face.) Addressing the OP, I thinking forcing the hand of the AKC is probably a good idea, they don’t self-police very well it seems. I assume this means Dachshunds wouldn’t disappear, just that breeding standards would change and thus show standards would change to produce healthy Dachshunds. It use to be a healthy breed and a working breed as I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/9 "2024-03-30T17:25:47Z")
Oh, Doodle-dogs are adorable. But they are so popular I’m afraid they are being over bred by unscrupulous breeders to cash in on the popularity. I had Dalmatian bred in this manner. She was neurologically compromised. These people just want more and more puppies to sell. They aren’t checking and it caring enough to follow up. I actually saw an ad for a " Doodle-poodle-sheepadoodle. Huh? What dat? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/10 "2024-03-30T17:28:59Z")
This is an ongoing cycle going at least back to the 70s when German Shepherds were over-bred so badly. The Golden Retrievers in the 90s I think. Probably a lot more breeds I’m not aware of. French Bulldogs have some serious medical issues as I recall, but not sure. I’m guessing a lot of he Toy Breeds are probably messed up, but maybe not. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/11 "2024-03-30T17:33:31Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > French Bulldogs have some serious medical issues as I recall… IIRC most brachycephalic dogs (short nose, flat face) have problems these days (e.g. Pugs). ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/12 "2024-03-30T17:37:51Z")
I picture this dog breeder with kennels out back and a randy male poodle. Several female dogs. Labrador, Sheepdog, Australian shepherd, Huskies and others. Randy the poodle has a key to all their cages. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/13 "2024-03-30T17:43:24Z")
The **Groodle** or **Goldendoodle** has been overbred and does suffer health issues. Heart issues mainly. That’s sad. It appears the **mini** and **toy** **poodles** are increased risk for eye issues. **Pugs** have a lot of issues including breathing, fainting and heat stroke. They seem to be among the worst breeds health-wise. The **Dachshund** has serious back issues. There are 13 other breeds with issues, but I need to run. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/14 "2024-03-30T18:16:14Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > IIRC most brachycephalic dogs (short nose, flat face) have problems these days (e.g. Pugs). I wonder if some out crosses may make the deformity more tolerable while still maintaining most of what makes the breed so attractive. There really are a lot of breeds that probably should not exist. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/15 "2024-03-30T18:16:21Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > For example if a trait of ‘short legs’ is somehow subjectively deemed cruel …how short is the cutoff point? I don’t think “short legs” are the problem, but rather the way that short legs were created, typically by selectively breeding for chondrodysplasia. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/16 "2024-03-30T18:21:47Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > There really are a lot of breeds that probably should not exist. I believe no breeds would exist without humans (save one). IIRC if dogs are left to breed indiscriminately you end up with the [Carolina dog](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolina_Dog) (aka yellow dog). If humans poofed out of existence that is what all dogs would look like within a few decades. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/17 "2024-03-30T18:25:07Z")
The thing is, the dogs don’t need to be destroyed because it’s determined their face is too flat or legs too short. You should just neuter them to keep them out of the gene pool in future. BTW, this ought to apply with cats as well, though it’s not nearly as big a problem yet. Traits that interfere with a cat being able to live a ‘normal’ cat life should mean that trait is discouraged not bred for so some people can have “special” cats. For example, hairless cats may lose the fur, but not the instinct to groom it, leading to skin problems. And those Munchkin cats are an abomination. ---
**Author:** ![Deanna\_D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e495f1/32.png) [@Deanna\_D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deanna_D)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/18 "2024-03-30T19:36:45Z")
I’m in favor of taking a long, hard look at breeding standards. The flat-faced dog breeds are the perfect example of how a feature was just taken too far. Pugs looked completely different 100 years ago, still with flat-ish faces, and still able to breathe. There was no need to take that one feature and apply the Frasier Crane “if less is more, just imagine how much more _more_ would be” logic to the situation. Regulating the breed standard to get away from continuing abnormally altered appearances would be great, but I think it’s the backyard breeders who are causing a majority of the problematic breeding. I’m not sure how much good it would do, but it’s a start. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/19 "2024-03-30T19:54:34Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > The **Dachshund** has serious back issues. My mom loved dachshunds but stopped adopting them because of the back problems. That was over half a century ago, I expect the problem has just gotten worse. Too many breeds bred for looks and not health. To the extent that there are now two separate types of German Shepherd - one for looks, one that’s a dog actually able to work. It’s appalling. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608/20 "2024-03-30T19:55:33Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > The idea is that desirable characteristics for certain breeds being selected for are resulting in dogs that suffer as a result of those characteristics. And making doing that against the law. The AKC is an evil org, dedicated to turning good breeds into unhealthy travesties, Breeding the smarts out, and stuff like noses that are so pushed int the dog has issues breathing. Dachshunds are now an unhealthy and often bad tempered breed. This is a good idea, if it is only done to protect the dogs health > [@What\_Exit](#): > > It appears the **mini** and **toy** **poodles** are increased risk for eye issues. > > **Pugs** have a lot of issues including breathing, fainting and heat stroke. They seem to be among the worst breeds health-wise. > > The **Dachshund** has serious back issues. Yep. > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Damage is certainly done to some breeds for “desired” characteristics (read looks). > > I’d rather the AKC be more aggressive in judging breeds for their health rather than looks and ban breeds that have gone too far. Yep. > [@Deanna\_D](#): > > I’m in favor of taking a long, hard look at breeding standards. The flat-faced dog breeds are the perfect example of how a feature was just taken too far. Pugs looked completely different 100 years ago, still with flat-ish faces, and still able to breathe. Yes- ban the AKC. > [@Broomstick](#): > > Too many breeds bred for looks and not health. To the extent that there are now two separate types of German Shepherd - one for looks, one that’s a dog actually able to work. It’s appalling. Absolutely. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlawing-dog-breeds/999608.md?page=2)