Small Dog Breeds that Will Take Over the World
Dogs are one of the most beautiful animals in the world. This is true because of their incredible intelligence as well as the beauty of several breeds. They’re not just faithful and do what they can to make us happy. Dogs also have a large number of breeds that have their own traits.
As a result, something extraordinary and interesting has happened. Due to their towering status as man’s best friend, they have always been important for how useful they have been to mankind.
Just like with everything else in our world, people had different dog preferences at different times in history. For instance, people once liked the furriest ones, the biggest ones, or the fastest ones.
However, a recent study has shown that there will be less breed diversity in the future. Keep reading to find out more about this astonishing study.
Revealing studies
This detailed study conducted by Kendy Teng and his team at the University of Sidney gave interesting results that were published in the prestigious journal Canine Genetics and Epidemiology.
In these studies, specialists analyzed the way the changes that took place in all the favorite dog breeds of Australians. The most impressive parts of these studies was an observation that took place from 1986, the demand for smaller dog breeds has dramatically increased. It has grown so much that it has outpaced the demand for medium and large dogs.
However, the most interesting thing is that among these small breeds, the most desired dogs are brachycephalic, with short, wide heads.
According to what they wrote, last year reflects the changes that took place in the world regarding the prototype of the preferred type of dogs. For instance, in the ‘50s and ‘60s, the most idolized breed was the Border Collie.
Benefit for veterinary science
To perform these studies, researchers choose to analyze the records from several dog kennels, even though they only focus on purebred dogs. They were able to determine that the number of small and medium dogs rose 5% in relation to large dogs. Small dogs also rose 11% in relation to huge dogs.
At the same time, these studies have been very beneficial for the veterinary community. It has allowed them to determine the diseases that each breed is prone to have.
As you can imagine, this has been a great help in finding cures for some of the conditions that still don’t have a more effective solution. According to what Teng stated, veterinarians are worried about brachycephalic dogs. These dogs tend to suffer from respiratory, skin, and digestive problems.
The world wants more small dogs
This data doesn’t just describe this oceanic country. In fact, the results of these studies also consider other parts of the world, including the United Kingdom and the United States. The Kennel Club has data on the adoption of dogs. According to them, buying and adopting smaller breeds of dogs has multiplied in the last 10 years.
One of the noticeable collateral effects of this fact is that a dog that was once loved in the British Isles — the Yorkshire Terrier — is now declining in number.
Why smaller dogs?
The study doesn’t explain the reasons why people have been buying smaller dogs for the past few decades. However, below you can look at a list of the main reasons according to analysts:
- Because of their size, they’re better adapted for apartments and small houses than large dogs.
- It’s easy to take them anywhere. Their size makes them easy to carry.
- They are more willing to share their space with other people or animals.
- They have a better life expectancy than larger dogs.
According to what was published, if these trends continue in a few years, children around the world will draw a Bulldog when asked to draw a dog.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Kendy T. Teng, Paul D. McGreevy, Jenny-Ann L., Toribio ixg Navneet K. Dhand Trends in popularity of some morphological traits of purebred dogs in Australia (2016), https://cgejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40575-016-0032-2
This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.