So we have created a being that cannot be born naturally. They cannot survive in the natural environment. And if they do make it through the initial 6 weeks of their life, they struggle for air their entire life. Do you remember the last time you had a severe cold and a blocked nose? Imagine that for life. 

The breeds have more inbred problems than any other breed, but are still unfalteringly popular, feeding into the system of demand creating a market. Proud owners tell me about the ‘long nose’ of their pug, that is still only a little snub. CT scans of their skulls show a total lack of nasal bone and nasal sinuses, an essential part of the cooling mechanism through panting. Since dogs cannot sweat, the regulation of their body temperature relies on cooling the blood through the large surface inside their nasal cavity. A surface that has been bred away, leading to a constant struggle for heat control in these dogs. 

The shortening of the face has created a long, soft palate (roof of the mouth), which narrows down the opening of the windpipe and creates the characteristic snoring sounds of the breeds. 

The pronounced nasal folds accumulate infections and require daily care. They push against the bulging eyes causing constant irritation and leading to permanent damage and even blindness of the eye over the years – remember the last time you had an eyelash in your eye? Consider it normal. 

In addition, many of them are prone for inborn deformations of the spine, predisposing them for back pain, spinal problems, disc prolapse and even paralyzed hind legs. 

Faced with all these issues the breeds will frequently struggle with exercise, either getting heat stroke, if they do try to run, or simply resolving to a sedentary life-style with little activity. Add to this the joy of food, and you end up with a chunky being that has a good layer of fat under his skin. Insulating fat, that will add to the heat control problem and close the vicious cycle.