Top 10 Most ‘Overbred’ Dogs

Published June 26, 2023 by Sara Oliver. Last Updated October 2, 2024.

6 min read

There’s no such thing as an “over-bred dog” since all breeding is overbreeding. With more than 70 million homeless animals struggling to survive on any given day in the U.S., there is no excuse for bringing any additional animals into the world. Plus, all purebred dogs are prone to suffering from health problems. When those unhealthy purebred dogs are described as the “most popular” breeds, greedy breeders bring more and more of them into the world to make a profit. What breeders and the “pet” industry typically won’t mention is the lifetime of suffering that these overbred dogs will be forced to endure.

The Top 10 ‘Overbred’ Dogs and Their Ailments

1. French Bulldog

After a French bulldog named Winston won Best in Show at the 2022 National Dog Show, a new statistic by the American Kennel Club (AKC)—a purebred dog registry—revealed that that breathing-impaired breed was the most registered breed in 2022.

In addition to brachycephalic airway syndrome, which makes breathing nearly impossible, French bulldogs suffer from the following:

Cataracts
Cleft lip/palate
Corkscrew tail (deformed vertebrae)
Corneal ulcers
Dystocia (difficulty giving birth)
Ear infections
Elbow dysplasia
Entropion (eyelid disorder)
Hemivertebra (spinal deformity)
Hemophilia (blood disease)
Inflammatory bowel disease
Intervertebral disc disease
Patellar luxation
Prolapsed nictitating membrane gland (cherry eye)
Skin infections
Upper respiratory tract disorders

2. Labrador Retriever

Until 2023, Labrador retrievers had been the most AKC-registered dog breed for 31 years. Over the course of those three decades, Labs were shown to have suffered from the following:

Cataracts
Corneal dystrophy
Cranial cruciate ligament rupture
Ear infections
Entropion and ectropion (eyelid problems)
Epilepsy
Gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat) and other gastrointestinal problems
Hereditary myopathy (muscular disorder)
Hip and elbow dysplasia
Neoplastic disorders, including cancer
Neuroaxonal dystrophy (neurological disorder)
Obesity
Osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease
Panosteitis (inflammation of the bone marrow)
Progressive retinal atrophy
Skeletal dwarfism
Skin disorders

3. Bulldog

The medical conditions afflicting bulldogs are so severe that Norway banned the breeding of British bulldogs after a court there ruled that the dogs could never be considered healthy, in large part because of their status as a breathing-impaired breed. As a result of selective breeding, bulldogs (also known as “British bulldogs” or “English bulldogs”) can often only breed via artificial insemination and cesarean section because their heads are too large and their hips too small to give birth naturally. They also commonly suffer from breathing problems and the following conditions:

Conjunctivitis
Corkscrew tail (tail deformity)
Demodectic mange
Dermatitis
Entropion (eyelid problem)
Heart problems
Heat and exercise intolerance
Hemivertebra (spinal deformity)
Prolapsed nictitating membrane gland (cherry eye)
Upper and lower respiratory tract disorders

4. Golden Retriever

Golden retrievers are at a higher risk than most other breeds of suffering from:

Cervical vertebral instability (wobbler syndrome)
Dermatitis
Diabetes
Elbow and hip dysplasia
Entropion (eyelid problem)
Heart conditions (multiple types)
Hypothyroidism
Idiopathic epilepsy
Kidney dysplasia
Muscular dystrophy
Portosystemic shunt (deformity affecting the liver)
Progressive retinal atrophy
Retinal dysplasia
Von Willebrand’s disease (bleeding disorder)

5. German Shepherd

German shepherds often have genetic predispositions to the following:

Cervical vertebral instability (wobbler syndrome)
Cutaneous asthenia (Ehlers-Danlos syndrome)
Degenerative lumbosacral stenosis (narrowing of the posterior spinal canal)
Degenerative myelopathy (progressive, incurable disease of the spinal cord)
Epilepsy (idiopathic)
Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (inadequate production of digestive enzymes)
Familial cutaneous vasculopathy (blood vessel disorder leading to skin abnormalities)
Footpad disorder
Gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat)
Heart conditions (multiple types)
Hemivertebra (spinal deformity)
Hip and elbow dysplasia
Hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease)
Epilepsy
Megaesophagus
Myasthenia gravis (neuromuscular disorder)
Panosteitis (inflammation of the bone marrow)
Platelet procoagulant deficiency (blood disorder)
Progressive retinal atrophy
Pyoderma (bacterial skin infection)
Retinal dysplasia
Von Willebrand’s disease (blood disorder)

6. Pug

Because pugs are a breathing-impaired breed, they are 54 times more likely to suffer from brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome—a condition that greatly limits their ability to breathe—than other types of dogs. They’re also at higher risk of suffering from the following issues, among many others:

Diabetes
Exercise intolerance
Encephalitis (brain inflammation), including necrotizing meningo-encephalitis
Joint dislocation
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eyes)
Obesity
Proptosis (bulging eyes)
Skin disorders, including demodectic mange
Spinal deformities, including spina bifida and hemivertebra

7. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

These spaniels have been bred to have unnaturally shaped skulls, which can cause a condition called syringomyelia, in which the skull is too small for the brain, forcing brain tissue to protrude through the base of the skull and put pressure on the spinal cord. It’s estimated that more than 90% of Cavalier King Charles spaniels suffer from this extremely painful disease. These spaniels are also likely to suffer from several other health problems, including these:

Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome
Diabetes
Ear infections
Epilepsy
Hip dysplasia
Ichthyosis (fish scale disease)
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eye)
Microphthalmia (abnormally small eyes)
Mitral valve disease
Patellar luxation
Progressive retinal atrophy

8. Beagle

Beagles face an elevated risk of developing health problems, including these:

Cataracts
Cervical vertebral instability (wobbler syndrome)
Deafness
Demodectic mange
Epilepsy
Glaucoma
Hypothyroidism
Intervertebral disc disease
Progressive retinal atrophy
Prolapsed nictitating membrane gland (cherry eye)
Retinal dysplasia

9. Boxer

According to research compiled by the Royal Veterinary College in London, boxers are genetically predisposed to 76 different health conditions. These are some of their most common ailments:

Cervical vertebral instability (wobbler syndrome)
Corneal dystrophy
Cutaneous asthenia (Ehlers-Danlos syndrome)
Degenerative myelopathy
Demodectic mange
Eye ulcers
Gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat)
Heart conditions (multiple, including dilated cardiomyopathy)
Hip dysplasia
Hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease)
Hypothyroidism
Inflammatory bowel disease
Mast cell tumor (malignant cancer of white blood cells involved in immunity)
Progressive retinal atrophy

10. Dachshund

Dachshunds face a host of health problems. Their long backs and short legs lead to a higher risk of lifelong spinal, knee, and other joint problems. They are also particularly susceptible to these issues:

Blood disorders, including Von Willebrand’s disease and pyruvate kinase deficiency
Cataracts
Corneal dystrophy
Deafness
Elbow dysplasia
Glaucoma
Hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease)
Epilepsy
Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (blood disorder)
Intervertebral disc disease
Microphthalmia (abnormally small eyes)
Progressive retinal atrophy
Skin conditions, including demodectic mange

What Is the True Cost of Purchasing a Dog?

Buying a purebred dog supports breeding, and breeding produces dogs who often suffer from painful health problems throughout their lives. Buying a purebred also takes a potential home away from a dog in a shelter. Don’t throw money at the dog-breeding industry, which clearly doesn’t care about animals’ well-being. There are millions of dogs in need of loving homes, so adopt from a shelter if you’re ready to make a lifetime commitment.