Dog Breeds with Serious Health and Behavioral Issues That Complicate Adoption.

Introduction

When considering dog adoption, it's crucial to evaluate not just appearance but also health and specific needs. Certain breeds have been developed with extreme physical traits (flattened faces, deep skin folds, very short legs, or excessive size) or exhibit complex behaviors due to genetic inheritance. These characteristics often lead to chronic suffering for the animal and challenges for adopters. Below we examine representative examples, supported by veterinary studies and canine associations.

Brachycephalic (Short-Snouted) Breeds

Breeds like English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, and Pugs have shortened skulls predisposing them to Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS), causing chronic upper airway obstruction, loud breathing noises, and extreme exercise intolerance (1, 2). Their impaired ability to cool air also makes them highly susceptible to heat stroke (1, 2).

A Royal Veterinary College (RVC) UK study found English Bulldogs are more than twice as likely to develop one or more health disorders annually compared to other breeds, primarily due to their short snouts. Common issues include:

• Respiratory diseases (labored breathing, sleep apnea)

• Skin infections (facial fold dermatitis)

• Eye problems (protruding eyes, corneal ulcers) (3, 4)

Many require corrective surgeries just to breathe and eat normally (5). Their low exercise tolerance also promotes obesity, worsening joint and heart problems (6).

🔴 Conclusion: These breeds require constant veterinary care and aren't recommended for inexperienced owners.

Other Breeds with Extreme Physical Traits

Shar-Pei

• Health issues:

  • Excessive skin folds → skin infections and entropion (inward-rolling eyelids affecting ≈18% annually) (7)

  • Shar-Pei Fever (recurrent fever episodes in ≈50% of dogs) potentially leading to fatal renal amyloidosis (8)

  • Short lifespan (median ≈7.3 years) (7)

• Behavior: Anxiety and irritability from chronic pain

🔴 Conclusion: Requires frequent treatments and surgeries, making it a high-maintenance breed.

Dachshund ("Sausage Dog")

• Health issues:

  • 10–12 times higher risk of intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) → severe pain, paralysis often requiring spinal surgery (9)

  • About 19–24% develop disc herniations during their lifetime

  • Obesity exacerbates spinal injuries

• Behavior: May become nervous or aggressive when in pain

🔴 Conclusion: Requires restricted physical activity and ongoing veterinary monitoring.

Great Dane

• Health issues:

  • ≈40% develop dilated cardiomyopathy before age 6 (10)

  • Joint problems from rapid growth

  • Short lifespan (7–8 years)

• Behavior: Generally gentle but has low tolerance for intense exercise due to joint pain

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

• Health issues:

  • ≈70% of adults develop syringomyelia (spinal cord cysts) causing chronic pain and neurological issues (11)

  • Congenital heart disease (mitral valve murmurs)

• Behavior: Extremely owner-dependent, prone to separation anxiety

Breeds with Challenging Behaviors

German Shepherd

• Health issues: Hip dysplasia (≈20% prevalence) (15), degenerative myelopathy

• Behavior:

  • Exceptionally high energy → may become destructive or aggressive without adequate exercise (12, 13)

  • Strong protective instincts → can be reactive with strangers

Miniature Schnauzer & Chihuahua

• Behavior:

  • Prone to aggression and social fear (13)

  • Often difficult to socialize

Siberian Husky & Border Collie

• Behavior:

  • Require constant mental and physical stimulation

  • In sedentary homes, may develop destructive behaviors or escape attempts

General Conclusion

The examined breeds exhibit serious health problems or challenging behaviors directly linked to their genetics and physical conformation:

• Brachycephalic breeds (Bulldogs, Pugs) suffer chronic respiratory distress

• Shar-Peis and Dachshunds have extreme physical deformations causing recurrent pain

• German Shepherds and Huskies demand exceptional activity levels

🔴 Final recommendation: Many veterinarians and experts discourage adoption of these breeds by inexperienced owners. Choosing healthier breeds or mixed-breed dogs typically ensures better quality of life for both pet and family.

📌 Sources: Veterinary studies and canine association data (1, 3, 7, 9, 11, 13).

(1) Health screening test rolled out for brachycephalic dog breeds | American Veterinary Medical Association

https://www.avma.org/news/health-screening-test-rolled-out-brachycephalic-dog-breeds

(2) Evaluation of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome breeding test results in Finland from 2017 to 2022 | Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica | Full Text

https://actavetscand.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13028-024-00755-9

(3, 4) Owners urged to ‘stop and think’ before buying as English bulldogs are twice as likely to have a health problem

https://www.rvc.ac.uk/vetcompass/news/owners-urged-to-stop-and-think-before-buying-as-english-bulldogs-are-twice-as- likely-to-have-a-health-problem?ref=furrimals.com&page=158

(5, 12) Las 5 razas de perro a evitar por sus problemas de salud, según un veterinario | Perfil https://www.perfil.com/noticias/sociedad/que-razas-de-perros-evitar-al-adoptar-un-veterinario-lo-explica.phtml

(6) ¿Cuáles son las diferencias entre Bulldog Francés y un Bulldog Inglés? | Patas en Casa

https://www.patasencasa.com/articulo/cuales-son-las-diferencias-entre-bulldog-frances-y-un-bulldog-ingles

(7, 8, 14) Is it now time to iron out the wrinkles? Health of Shar Pei dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK - PMC

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10720141/

(9) DachsLife 2015: an investigation of lifestyle associations with the risk of intervertebral disc disease in Dachshunds | Companion Animal Health and Genetics | Full Text

https://cgejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40575-016-0039-8

(10, 15) Razas de perros con más problemas de salud | Patas en Casa

https://www.patasencasa.com/mx/articulo/razas-de-perros-con-mas-problemas-de-salud

(11) Prevalence of asymptomatic syringomyelia in Cavalier King Charles spaniels - PubMed

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21672954/

(13) Aggressive behaviour is affected by demographic, environmental and behavioural factors in purebred dogs | Scientific Reports

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-88793-5?error=cookies_not_supported&code=363d0396-789a-49f3- ada3-8a0c2eb8d297