Inbreeding Issues

    Researchers have long studied purebred lines in dogs and determined that some lines contain as much as 25% inbreeding. This is far beyond the safe limit of 3-6%. Producing overly inbred animals comes with many genetic issues. In the golden retrievers and shepherds, it's most notably hip dysplasia. In the bulldogs, it's upper respiratory issues. Every purebred come with its own set of issues. Not every purebred dog will have these issues but the more inbred they are the more likely these genetic disorders will occur. Veterinary geneticist Danika Bannasch found that the majority of canine breeds are highly inbred and that it is contributing to an increase in disease and health care costs throughout their lifespan. In a study done across 227 breeds Bannasch stated "While previous studies have shown that small dogs live longer than large dogs, no one had previously reported on morbidity or the presence of disease. This study revealed that if dogs are of smaller size and not inbred, they are much healthier than larger dogs with high inbreeding." She was amazed at how much inbreeding had affected each studied dog. She talks further about how we breed for certain characteristics for the "breed standard" yet those desired traits can be a detriment to the dogs. An example of that is the squished face of the french bulldog, although cute, compromises their airway significantly.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/although-purebred-dogs-can-be-best-in-show-are-they-worst-in-health/

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/12/211202162148.htm

Bad News, Bulldogs

According to this article on Science Alert, the increasingly popular English bulldog is approaching a crucial tipping point due to their genetic similarity. In a study of 102 bulldogs, a group of researchers from the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine found that the genetic diversity of these bulldogs was so low that breeders are likely incapable of selectively breeding them with healthier phenotypes. Crossbreeding is the most viable option for selecting healthy phenotypes without risking the animals' health, however this may result in a breed that will not fit the English bulldog specifications. This means that the English bulldog as we know it will likely not be around for long since they will express traits of the breed of dog they would be crossed with.
As an aspiring veterinarian and all-around animal enthusiast, this is a topic that I have a considerable amount of experience with, namely family and friends who either own or have owned purebred English bulldogs. I also owned a bulldog mix, of which he had noticeably less medical issues due to his breed than the purebred individuals. It is well known that purebred breeds have significantly more medical issues than mixed breeds and the English bulldog is infamous for having an extensive list of such issues. I strongly believe that English bulldogs should be crossbred with a different breed in order to increase their genetic variability and significantly reduce the number of unhealthy, purebred individuals by educating the public on the suffering that purebred English bulldogs endure simply by existing.