For the first time in more than 30 years, the Labrador retriever is no longer top dog when it comes to most popular breed. The American Kennel Club reports that the French bulldog has taken the Lab down a peg to the number 2 spot.
It’s not surprising. French bulldogs are pretty adorable, as well as smart, playful, and all-around agreeable. That said, they are more prone to a number of health issues than dogs of other breeds. These include lifelong struggles to breathe properly because of their pushed-in (brachycephalic) faces, allergies, hip dysplasia, and intervertebral disc disease that can cause back pain and even paralysis.
Tufts veterinary geneticist Jerold Bell, DVM, says that people who want a French bulldog should make sure the breeder has done appropriate testing on the animal’s sire and dam that shows a clean bill of health. This would include radiographs of their hips, an eye exam by a veterinary ophthalmologist, an exam for slipping kneecaps, and a heart evaluation. Checking the respiratory function of the parents is also important.
