Dog breeds

Image: Angyalosi Beata (Shutterstock)The French Bulldog, or as they’re more affectionately known, “Frenchies,” are the most popular pup on Instagram, with 37,426,453 on the #FrenchBulldog hashtag. Unfortunately, vets in the UK aren’t falling for Frenchie fever, and point out that hairless French bulldogs are a result of extreme breeding that’s subjecting these dogs to a barrage of genetic abnormalities. Like pugs, Frenchies are short-faced (or brachycephalic) dogs, and this particular skeletal structure can lead to…

An Icelandic sheepdog.Photo: Shutterstock (Shutterstock)A new study may help us understand our canine companions a bit better. Scientists at the National Institutes of Health say they’ve uncovered some of the ways that genes can influence the behaviors of certain breeds, such as dogs meant to herd livestock.For about two decades, a team led by Elaine Ostrander at the National Human Genome Research Institute has been working on the Dog Genome Project. The ultimate goal of the project is to get a grasp on how genetics…

Image: Shutterstock (Shutterstock)Dogs have been humanity’s stalwart companions for tens of thousands of years. Unfortunately, not every dog is as genetically healthy as they deserve to be, thanks largely to our meddling influence. Over the past few centuries, human-guided breeding has split dogs into hundreds of distinct breeds, based on specifically desired physical characteristics. And sometimes, these characteristics, or the inbreeding needed to create them, can lead to a highrisk of health problems.Scientists,…

Photo: FRANK RUMPENHORST/DPA/AFP (Getty Images)English bulldogs are an unhealthy bunch, new research this week reaffirms. Scientists in the UK have found that these dogs are much more likely to develop a variety of health problems than other breeds—over 30 times more likely for some conditions. But the team says it’s still possible to steer bulldogs in a healthier direction,without drastic measures like bans on their breeding entirely.The research was conducted by scientists from the Royal Veterinary College in England.…