Grade 8
Reckless Breeding in Bulldogs
The writer discussed a
key concept within the
topic, creating a text
that will take the form
of an informational
essay.
The writer used
transition phrases to
show how parts of the
text relate.
May be reproduced for classroom use. © 2014 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the TCRWP from Units of Study in Argument, Information, and Narrative Writing, Grades 6–8 (firsthand: Portsmouth, NH).
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Information Writing
Bulldogs are one of the most beloved dog breeds in the country.
According to inforpedia.org, bulldogs have risen to the sixth most
popular dog breed, up from the twenty-first most popular in 2000. The writer hooked
Bulldogs weren’t always such sought-after pets. In the 1600 and readers and provided
1700s in England, they were bread for a sport called bull-baiting, context with historical
in which they were thrown into pens with bulls for a brutal fight background about the
to the death. They were bred for their powerful jaws and short, topic.
muscular bodies (Thomas, 2009, p. 24). Though bull-baiting became
illegal in 1853, bulldogs continue to be bred specifically for certain
characteristics. Owners and prospective owners cannot get enough
of their adorable wrinkles; wide, square jaws; and short legs.
However, it is these very features that make bulldogs so adorable The writer introduced
that cause health problems for the breed. The way that bulldogs a focus and oriented
are bred is causing health crisis in the population. Unsafe breeding readers to the overall
practices cause a plethora of problems for bulldogs, the three most structure of the text:
notable being problems with their bodies, problems with disease, claim and supports.
and problems with natural breeding.
Image showing a bulldog 100 years ago and a bulldog today.
Physiological Concerns
According to current research by Tom Hudson, a bulldog expert,
bulldogs have a higher rate of physical problems that almost any
other dog (2013, parag 1). One particularly grave issue is that many
bulldogs have hip dysplasia, a condition in which the hip joint
becomes stressed because the dog’s body is not aligned properly.
Bulldogs have this condition at a rate much higher than any other
dog, according to the Bone Science Foundation for Animals on
their website (parag. 4). This condition is the result of the way that
bulldogs have been bred. Their bodies are too stout for their legs,
which places undue stress on their hip joints.
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 Grade 8 (continued) Information Writing
Another issue is the severe breathing problems that bulldogs
often have as the result of breeding. Bulldogs are now breed to
have very short muzzles, which makes them appear cuter, with a
pushed-in face. However, this shorter muzzle makes it very difficult
for bulldogs to breathe.

The writer organized A final issue that is perhaps less severe but should be
information into mentioned are the skin problems caused by bulldogs’ wrinkles.
categories and clarified Bulldogs are bred to have more and more wrinkles, in fact their
how those sections faces are now 20% more wrinkled than they were 100 years ago,
were connected and according to estimates by the Animal Research Foundation (2010,
ordered. parag 7). The worst part of these physical problems is that dogs are
suffering. Another concern is that the costs of giving bulldogs proper
care can be quite high. Hip dysplasia surgery can be thousands of
dollars, according to Hudson (2013), parag 6).
Problems with Disease
The writer focused Extreme breeding practices have also left bulldogs susceptible to
on a key concept disease. A common illness is cherry eye. This is caused by a swollen
within the topic and gland in a bulldog’s eye. There isn’t proof that this condition is
refered to this concept exactly caused by breeding, but some people think breeding makes The writer incorporated
throughout the text. the problem worse because dogs with this condition are overbred. trustworthy sources
throughout the text,
An example is long-time bulldog owner Mark David. Though Mr.
and made a note
David is not necessarily an expert on the subject, he says he has when a source was
seen an increase in this illness now that bulldogs are bred to have problematic or biased.
shorter faces and larger eyes.
Throughout the text, A more serious disease that affects overbred bulldogs is heart
sections build on disease. This is explained in an article on vetrinariandaily.com posted
each other and are by Joseph Michael, bulldogs tend toward heart problems because
introduced in a logical their hearts are not developed properly to work in conjunction with
fashion. The writer the way in which their large bodies have been bred (n.d., parag
analyzed the relevance
5). Because of their weak hearts, bulldogs cannot tolerate extreme
of information and
explained how it
temperatures, particularly heat. If bulldogs overheat, they are at risk
supported the concepts for heart attacks, a condition which could be avoided by outlawing
throughout the text. unsafe breeding.

(continues)

May be reproduced for classroom use. © 2014 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the TCRWP from Units of Study in Argument, Information, and Narrative Writing, Grades 6–8 (firsthand: Portsmouth, NH).

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 Grade 8 (continued) Information Writing
Problems with Natural Breeding
Because bulldogs are so overbred, they cannot breed and deliver
puppies naturally themselves. Though breeders say that it isn’t a
problem because bulldogs can be bred in a lab, dog health advocates
say that this is cruel and is a sign that bulldog breeders are creating
dogs that go against nature (Michael, n.d.).
Another breeding problem is that bulldog puppies cannot be
born naturally because their heads are too large to fit out of the
birth canal. This means that unless a bulldog mother gets medical
help, she would die if she tried to deliver her own babies. Breeding
dogs that are so different from what they should be that they cannot
The writer made word even give birth to their own babies seems cruel, inhumane, and
choices and used The writer used
downright selfish. As Mr. Michael points out, “Imagine if we bred punctuation correctly
language to make
humans in such a way that women could no longer deliver babies. to insert quotations
readers feel a certain
way about the topic. The thought is absurd. It seems just as absurd to allow bulldogs to and citations.
suffer this fate” (n.d., parag. 9).
Solution
What is the solution? One person has an idea. Dr. Gerhard
Oechtering, a vet and professor, has called for bulldogs to be
banned. He believes that is the best way to stop the unethical
breeding that has led to the health problems bulldogs face. In the
documentary, Pedigree Dogs Exposed (February 2012), he also calls
for flat-nosed breeds to be mated with long-nosed ones so that over
time new generations do not suffer from blocked airways and other
health problems they face now.
One reason why bulldogs continue to suffer so much is
that many people fall in love with them because of the very
characteristics that cause so many health problems. If people
stopped buying bulldogs with extreme characteristics, like short
faces and wide stocky bodies, and asked for dogs that were closer
to their natural state, these breeding problems would be greatly
decreased.

(continues)

May be reproduced for classroom use. © 2014 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the TCRWP from Units of Study in Argument, Information, and Narrative Writing, Grades 6–8 (firsthand: Portsmouth, NH).

06_Annotated_Writing_INFORMATION.indd 11 4/26/14 12:50 PM

 Grade 8 (continued) Information Writing

In the conclusion, Conclusion

the writer suggested The physiological problems, illness, and breeding problems caused The writer shifted verb
implications and by overbreeding have serious consequences. Mr. David tells one tenses when needed
highlighted the particularly heartbreaking story about a friend who purchased a and used different
significance of the bulldog puppy. The bulldog was healthy when he purchased the sentence structures
main points, ending dog, but eventually the dog seemed to get nearly every bulldog to achieve different
with a call to action. illness possible. The dog suffered from cherry eye and seemed to purposes throughout
be constantly wheezing. He had surgery for hip dysplasia, which the text.
The writer used was only partially successful. The dog eventually died from heart
vivid examples and failure when he was only four years old. The owner spent thousands
anecdotes to evoke of dollars at the vet trying to save the dog. This could have been
certain feelings in avoided if the dog had been bred more responsibly.
readers.
Proponents of bulldog breeding say that these problems are
Additionally, the The writer offered a
blown out of proportion and that bulldogs continue to be a healthy second perspective
writer varied the tone
breed, even though they have changed so much physcially. Certainly once the first had been
to match different
statistics say otherwise. Life expectancy rates of bulldogs have established.
purposes.
declined over time (Michael, n.d.) and owners who have spent
thousands of dollars like Mr. David would certainly disagree.

The writer used

graphics to illustrate
points.

*information from www.veterinariandaily.com

(continues)

May be reproduced for classroom use. © 2014 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the TCRWP from Units of Study in Argument, Information, and Narrative Writing, Grades 6–8 (firsthand: Portsmouth, NH).

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 Grade 8 (continued) Information Writing

The writer used a Bibliography

standard format for Animal Research Foundation (2010, February.) Bulldog Facial
citation and included a Structures. Retrieved from animalarf.org/bulldogs
list of sources.
Bone Science Foundation for Animals (n.d.) Bulldogs and Bone
Health. Retrieved from www.bsfa.org/bulldogs
Bulldogs. (n.d.). In Inforpedia.org. Retrieved from www.inforpedia.
org/bulldog
Gray, E. (1976) This is a Bulldog. New York, NY: Schoolpub
Hudson, T. (2013, October). A Complete Guide to Bulldog Care.
Retrieved from www.bulldoginfor.com
Michael, J. (n.d.). Typical Life Span of Common Dog Types. Retrieved
from www.veterinariandaily.com
Thomas, J. (2009) Bulldog Life. New York, NY: Schoolpub.
[Note: All of these sources and those used in other levels are
fictionalized.]

May be reproduced for classroom use. © 2014 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the TCRWP from Units of Study in Argument, Information, and Narrative Writing, Grades 6–8 (firsthand: Portsmouth, NH).

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