There's a dog behind every breed

Every animal species has a characteristic baseline form—its genetic average, so to speak. There is always some variation between individuals, but a squirrel still looks like a squirrel, a pike like a pike—and a dog like a dog.

But what does the domestic dog look like as a species?

A domestic dog without the exaggerated traits produced through intensive inbreeding is typically brown or greyish in colour, about knee-high, straight-backed, and well-proportioned. It has a mesocephalic (moderately broad and long) skull, erect or semi-erect ears, relatively long limbs, a medium-length curved tail, and a short to medium-length coat that is smooth or slightly coarse.

Ecologically, the domestic dog is primarily a scavenger. It also consumes human refuse, faeces, and, when the opportunity arises, small mammals. Its natural behavioural repertoire consists of relaxed, low-intensity activity in short bouts interspersed with long periods of rest and sleep.

When dog populations are reallowed to interbreed freely over generations, they consistently converge back toward this ancestral species-typical form. In that sense, this "original dog" exists beneath the outward appearance of every modern breed.

This body plan has been shaped by the laws of physics, chemistry, biology, anatomy, and physiology. The further a dog departs from this species-typical form, the more difficult it becomes for them to function under the constraints imposed by natural biological principles.

When making breeding decisions, one fundamental question should therefore be asked: Will these puppies possess a body that is viable and functional in the real world?

The original piece was written in Finnish for the petition Eroon ääripiirteistä, which aims to develop Finnish animal welfare legislation to prohibit the breeding of extreme traits into dogs and cats. eroonaaripiirteistä.fi