Brachycephalic Dog Breeds
Real Hot Dogs!

Brachycephalic dog breeds are the cutest breed of flat faced dogs having a round, short head, which means minimal space for their palate as well as their eye sockets which protrude, due to the lack of head room. 

Domestic breeding has resulted in making a particularly cute dog, however, they do suffer from over heating and respiratory difficulty.  There is a trend with responsible breeders are now creating healthier conformation which allows for extra space for teeth, palate and tongue.  This reduces the risk associated with these adorable creatures.

Brachycephalic dogs because they need extra care are extra special. They are unable to cool themselves sufficiently or and have difficulty breathing. Hot conditions  or excessive exercise.  The soft tissue in the palate obscures the trachea and prevents air from flowing over the tongue which is the manner in which all dogs cool themselves.  Due to the lack of space in the mouth cavity, the air-conditioning unit is not efficient.  Hot or humid weather conditions, exertion,  can result in a very unhappy pet easily prone to potentially deadly heatstroke.  

Brachycephalic breeds, fortunately, are mostly small dog breeds, making it easier for responsible owners tohouse them indoors in hot (and cold) conditions.  Laboured breathing, the inability to breath easily causing distress and resulting in inflamed airways, is known as the Brachycephalic syndrome.  

Protecting Brachycephalic Dogs from overheating are pretty obvious, suggestions include:

• Never leave your flat faced dogs or any other dogs unattended in a car.
• Keep them inside in during hot summers or provide shady areas if they are outdoors.
• Don't walk them excessively, preferably in cooler mornings or late afternoon

A very narrow windpipe poses an anaesthetic risk in individual Brachycepahlic dogs.   Before any surgery is undertaken, a responsible vet should check this out.

Two larger (and popular) Brachyephalic Breeds not covered here are the Boxer and the English Bulldog.

Brachycephalic dog breeds of the small dog breeds variety include:

Affenpinscher Dog

Boston Terrier Breed

Cavalier King Charles

French Bulldogs

Griffon Bruxellois

Japanese Chin

Pekingese

Pug dogs

Shih Tzu

Due to their eyes being pronounced, these sweet little dogs are also prone to eye disorders and eye injuries.  There is simply not enough space in the skull cavity for the eye socket to be protected and are susceptible to their eyes popping out!  Should this unthinkable happen, surgical replacement is necessary. 

A blow to the back of the head or excessive pulling on a collar can cause eye popping.  Consider a harness and not a collar as a precautionary measure.

Look at Dog Eye Care for help. Extra eye care is essential.

Extra eye care is essential. Additionally cleaning dogs teeth is critical with all small dog breeds but especially for these flat faced little babies.  The 42 teeth are crammed in to a jaw that is not large enough.  Teeth are often skew and debris collects causing early decay and periodontal disease.  You want to avoid dental work under general anaesthetics due to the risks associated with it so, prevention is better than cure. 

Due to the extra care they require, these special dog breeds are usually doted on by responsible owners.  With very few precautions you will reap the benefits of these flat faced dogs as they are rich in personality and lovable appearance.

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