Why do people like deformed dogs?
Discussion
Someone posted a picture of a bulldog on another thread. To my eyes it looked what it is...badly deformed. Deliberately genetically mutated through selective breeding to look very different from its wolf ancestors.
Some time back I was reading an article by a lecturer at the Royal School of Veterinary Science in London. He shows his new students an x-ray of a pug and asks for comments. Usually he gets responses that the animal must have been in a car crash or similar. He then explains that no, that is what we have done to pugs through breeding.
What I don’t understand is why people find them attractive. When humans are deformed they are often abused or laughed at (think freak shows). I don’t think many, if any, people thought the elephant man was attractive. Why do people find the canine equivalent of the elephant man appealing?
Perhaps the flat faces of such dogs make them look more human but that seems weird too.
Some time back I was reading an article by a lecturer at the Royal School of Veterinary Science in London. He shows his new students an x-ray of a pug and asks for comments. Usually he gets responses that the animal must have been in a car crash or similar. He then explains that no, that is what we have done to pugs through breeding.
What I don’t understand is why people find them attractive. When humans are deformed they are often abused or laughed at (think freak shows). I don’t think many, if any, people thought the elephant man was attractive. Why do people find the canine equivalent of the elephant man appealing?
Perhaps the flat faces of such dogs make them look more human but that seems weird too.
Johnnytheboy said:
Why so much dog hatred on PH all of a sudden?
That's probably my beloved dog you are referring to.
Bet your kids are an utter oil painting.
Why do you assume I hate dogs? Quite the opposite. I love dogs, which is why I don’t like those that have been bred deformed that puts them at risk of health issues. That's probably my beloved dog you are referring to.
Bet your kids are an utter oil painting.
moorx said:
I would have hoped that we had moved on as a society, but certain individuals appear not to have.
I think it is a shame that selective breeding has resulted in health issues in certain breeds, but I would never make such a judgmental post, particularly one which specifically references someone's dog.
I have taught my dogs manners, perhaps someone should have taught you some too.
Society has moved on such that people with deformities are not ill treated. I’m not aware that society has changed such that people now find such deformities attractive. Looking at adverts, film stars, models etc the human ideals about beauty don’t seem to have changed that much during my lifetime. I think it is a shame that selective breeding has resulted in health issues in certain breeds, but I would never make such a judgmental post, particularly one which specifically references someone's dog.
I have taught my dogs manners, perhaps someone should have taught you some too.
So it is okay to breed animals with health problems “because people think they look nice” but not okay to call out people for doing that “because bad manners”? Personally I think your priorities are wrong.
moorx said:
Where did I say it was okay to breed animals with health problems? If that's your argument, your post is 'calling out' the wrong people. You should be 'calling out' the breeders and Kennel Club, not insulting the owners of these dogs.
? If there were no demand then they wouldn’t be bred so it is down to owners not the kennel club. The kennel club is also just a collection of people ie dog owners. Teddy Lop said:
A client of mine has a couple of pugs, I find the way they wheeze and snort quite icky.
Neighbours asked us to walk their puppy yesterday. At the park there was a pug running around. You could hear it’s laboured breathing - like someone having an asthma attack. Made me feel sorry for it. 
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