Frequently Asked Questions

BOAS is brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome: the narrowed nostrils, long soft palate and crowded throat that make many flat-faced dogs work to breathe. It is the most important health problem in the breed, and it is inherited. I select breeding dogs for open nostrils, a little more muzzle, a neck with real length and a moderate build. Every breeding dog is also examined under the OFA Respiratory Function Grading Scheme, where a trained veterinarian listens to the airway before and after a three-minute exercise test. I only breed Grade 0 and Grade 1 dogs. That does not make BOAS impossible. It makes it much less likely, and it is why my contract shares the cost if a puppy of mine ever needs airway surgery.