THE world’s love affair with “flat-faced” dogs may be coming to an end after years of them being the must-have pet for celebs.

With 23million #frenchbulldog Instagram posts, the demand for the brachycephalic breeds has been phenomenal.

5 Pugs can suffer from a number of different health problems including issues with breathing Credit: Heidi Hudson / The Kennel Club �

But things are changing. Research conducted by The Kennel Club has found a decline in registrations of flat-faced breeds from the first six months of 2019 compared to last year.

There has been an eight per cent fall for French bulldogs, a seven per cent decline in bulldogs and a huge 31 per cent drop for pugs.

‘They are not easy, not cheap’

The decline may, in part, be due to the fact The Kennel Club has joined forces with charities — including the Brachycephalic Working Group — to help raise awareness of the health complications associated with some of these pups.

Issues with breathing, eyesight and skin folds are just a few complications that can affect them.

5 French bulldogs have become popular among celebrities Credit: Getty - Contributor

And the high volume of breeding to meet demand means, in the past, owners have not taken these issues into consideration.

Research found that 15 per cent of buyers spent less than an hour researching their new puppy, and only ten per cent spent around two hours.

Bill Lambert, senior health and welfare manager at The Kennel Club, told Paws & Claws: “We urge any prospective owners to do thorough research on the breed they are thinking about buying, considering whether it is the right fit for their lifestyle and ensuring their decision isn’t made on a whim.

“This is especially important with flat-faced breeds like the pug due to the health issues they can have.”

5 Love Island star Olivia Buckland's pooch suffered from brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome

He advises researching potential health problems and ensuring you go to a responsible breeder who prioritises health and has tested the parents.

Love Islander Olivia Buckland is one of many French bulldog owners in the UK, and has experienced first-hand the issues they can bring.

Olivia, 25, who has used her social media platform to educate people after her pooch Reggie suffered from brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, believes the decline in popularity is positive news.

She said: “They are not easy, not cheap, not straight-forward dogs, so doing the research before possibly buying or rescuing a French bulldog is so important.”

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Speaking of Reggie’s health complications, she added: “It was a really anxious time, not to mention costly.

“So you really do have to be prepared for that possible situation.”

Star of the week SIX-YEAR-OLD border terrier Percy has been helping out as a therapy dog for the two years. Once a week he and owner Zoe Podmore, 50, from Tooting, South London, take part in the Read2Dogs scheme with primary school pupils. In his company, the children become less stressed about reading aloud. Zoe says: “Percy has learnt to be calm and placid around the kids. “If you saw Percy on the common you wouldn’t believe it’s the same dog – he loves to bark, chase tennis balls and go for a swim.” Check out Percy on Instagram – see @Percy_the_pat_dog.



Pet Vet

JOHN REYNOLDS lives with his cat Chloe in Rotherham.

He says: “My cat has some strange habits. One is chewing on mobile-phone charger cables. I worry every time I charge my phone something might happen to her. Could she harm herself?”

5 John's cat Chloe likes to chew on mobile-phone charger cables Credit: Getty - Contributor

Sean says: This could be a dangerous habit but cats love the feeling of chewing string and cables.

It might be worth buying a bitter-tasting, pet-safe spray to use on the cables in the short term to get her out of the habit.

Convince her to stop by providing other enjoyable things to do, such as a tray of cat grass to chew. Climbing frames, interactive toys like fishing rods and puzzle feeders might work too – anything pet-safe that redirects her chewing behaviour and allows her to explore different textures, smells and sounds in a safe way.

As a last resort, you could get plastic or PVC covers for the cords so it’s less risky when she chews them that she will bite right through.

ADAM HOLDEN, from Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, writes: “I have a dog and a cat who love playing together in our garden. It sounds strange but our cat loves chasing the ball as much as our dog does.

"We have a harness-and-lead set for Minx, our cat, and I was thinking of taking them both to the park to play ball. Is this OK or should I keep Minx away from dogs we don’t know?”

5 Adam's pet dog and cat enjoy playing together in the garden Credit: Getty - Contributor

Sean says: It is quite risky. Although your cat loves your dog, other dogs may not want to be friends.

You could run into problems with dogs off the lead and nowhere for Minx to run to if they decided to attack her.

I’ve seen cats with awful injuries after being taken out on leads to strange environments, due to attacks or slipping their lead and running across a road. Keep the ball games in a safe space with the dog she knows.

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Timelapse shows puppy from day one to eight weeks