Research conducted by Dogs Trust and UFAW has taken place in 850 dogs of over a 100 breeds.
Some breeders tried to breed the slanting nose back to a distinct nose length and wide open nostrils. Unfortunately that does not automatically mean that dogs with silent breathing can have no breathing difficulties. The first symptom of trouble is making sound when breathing. This has a lot of influence on the breathing, and causes less quality of life. Also the tongue and nose cavities are not adjusted. When a CT scan is made of a French Bulldog, we can see that the amount of tissue in mouth and nose area is the same of that in a dog with a muzzle that is of normal length! All this tissue is compressed like an accordion, it has to go somewhere in the end… This results in a palate that is too long, teeth and jaws that are not adjusted properly to the short skull shape. Nevertheless the selection must be made towards more open nostrils and a clear stated muzzle from a side angle of view, because it certainly has a relation to the rest of the abnormalities. Even muzzle length or size of the nostrils is not always conclusive.
The origin of breathing problems starts deeper in the throat, not visible from the outside. A short muzle on its own is not the cause of breathing difficulties. But when a dog because of this physical appearance has a higher rate in abnormalities, it must be absolutely clear for all dog lovers that this can not be the goal.Ä«rachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) can be prevented by careful selection of parents. In the end they all would like to give their puppies a new home. Breeders usually only breed the type that the buyer is looking for. The length of the muzzle is largely determined by supply and demand. The length of the muzzle of a French Bulldog is purely for esthetic purposes. Unfortunately this question can not be answered with a simple yes or no.