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from the Pugs-prefer-"gaited"-communities dept.
Pug owners putting down their dogs due to common gait problems
Pugs, along with British and French bulldogs, already suffer from breathing difficulties due to their airways being obstructed. A team of Swedish researchers asked 550 owners of pugs whether their dogs had any gait problems, such as inability to jump, and abnormal wearing of the nails and the skin on their paws, and if so, how long these had been going on.
They were also asked about their dog's general health, and encouraged to send in video footage of their pet walking slowly back and forth on a leash, including a side view.
A prevalence of gait problems was found in just under 31 per cent of the dogs. On average, pugs were 2 years old when the gait abnormality first started, with front leg problems tending to show up earlier than problems with the back legs. But gait abnormalities were strongly associated with older age.
They were also associated with breathing problems and excessive scratching around the neck, ears and head. And pugs with abnormal gait were more likely to have incontinence issues.
Some 47 owners said their dogs had been put down with abnormal gait the single most frequently cited cause.
High prevalence of gait abnormalities in pugs (open, DOI: 10.1136/vr.104510) (DX)
(Score: 2, Interesting) by jelizondo on Wednesday February 07 2018, @05:48AM
Quite right. I have a pure breed Border Collie and she's a fine animal but I got a second, mixed with God-knows-what, and she's wonderful. To most people they look exactly like Collies, but a little knowledge you can tell the mixed one from the pure breed.
Now character, the pure breed is smart and easy to train, the mixed one is smarter and easier to train; the pure breed can be quite aloof and the mixed one is totally in your face all day.
So far no health problems for either one, but they are still young. The pure breed is five and the mixed one is two.
Love them both.