Rethinking Brachycephalic Dogs: Flat-Faced, Not Flawed

Welcome back to The Breed Files! What exactly does it mean for a dog to be brachycephalic? And does having a flat face automatically mean a dog is unhealthy? This week, we're taking a closer look at brachycephalic dogs and going beyond the stereotypes. We'll break down what “brachycephalic” actually means, hear different perspectives from owners who live with these breeds, and dive into BOAS (the breathing disorder that has become one of the biggest concerns surrounding flat-faced dogs). But we're also tackling a complicated question: Can brachycephalic dogs be ethically bred? Tune in for a deeper look at the dogs behind the controversy and the future of responsible brachycephalic breeding. Sources: Accessed 7/11/2026 7/11/2026 https://evolution.berkeley.edu/lines-of-evidence/artificial-selection/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1558787814000616 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7380493/ https://www.humanevma.org/brachycephalic https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Craniofacial-ratio-CFR-of-the-dog-which-is-obtained-by-dividing-the-muzzle-length-by_fig1_378707023 https://melbournebulldogclinic.com.au/important-info/cranio-facial-ratio/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasal_concha https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/frontal-sinus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontal_sinus https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/frontal-sinus https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/conditions/noisy-breathing-stridor https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499965/ https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0u-44Z0rm14 https://crest.com/en-us/oral-care-tips/pregnancy/what-is-ptyalism?srsltid=AfmBOoqNZbcMs4LbyIgeDzb4wn6Hgn-28fMJorvX4ZbVwi9yi3eXihth https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22376-nasopharynx https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24278-epiglottis https://archaeology.org/news/2023/04/18/230419-brachycephalic-dog/ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/premium/article/flat-faced-brachycephalic-roman-dog-frenchie-pug-bulldog https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/no-simple-way-of-predicting-breathing-difficulties-in-pugs-french-bulldogs-and-bulldogs-from https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0181928 https://ofa.org/diseases/rfgs/ https://ofa.org/diseases/rfgs/ https://www.vet.cam.ac.uk/boas/about-boas/recognition-diagnosis https://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/getting-started-with-health-testing-and-screening/respiratory-function-grading-scheme/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11264736/ https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0340604 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S000334729690370X https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/ajvr/79/2/ajvr.79.2.170.xml