Film-inspired dog purchases bad

CanWest News Service ^ | Mar 13, 2006 | Doug Fischer

[proud_yank]

Worried that dog breeds popularized by celebrities, movies and television will become the targets of puppy mills, Canadian and U.S. kennel clubs are asking people to think seriously before buying one of the dogs as a pet.

"Everybody wants a Dalmatian or a bearded collie or a Jack Russell after they see them in a movie," Patti Murray of Ashton, Ont., a member of both the Canadian and U.S. bearded collie clubs, said yesterday.

"But these breeds are definitely not for everybody. They are a major commitment."

Such pleas have been issued before by animal groups, especially since Disney's live-action remake of 101 Dalmatians in 1997 triggered an unprecedented surge of interest in the species.

According to a study by the American Kennel Club, more than 100,000 Dalmatians were purchased in the United States in the year after the movie's release, many of them bought impulsively from unscrupulous breeders.

In the years since, popularity spikes have been recorded for other breeds, including chihuahuas, pugs, Jack Russell terriers, St. Bernards, golden retrievers and Siberian huskies.

Many of these purchases were made without much knowledge of a breed's high-maintenance characteristics, said Ann Midgley of Ottawa, a director of the Bearded Collie Club of Canada. Many dogs ended up in animal shelters.

The latest plea for people to keep their pet-buying impulses on a short leash was triggered by the popularity of two new Disney movies featuring dogs, both among the Top 10 grossing movies of the weekend across North America.

In The Shaggy Dog, a remake of the 1959 film, actor Tim Allen's character is transformed into the family's spunky bearded collie. Eight Below is the story of a team of Siberian huskies rescued from Antarctica's bone-chilling cold.

Although neither movie has yet set off an upswing of interest in either breed, dog groups say it's only a matter of time.

"It always takes a while for the seedy breeders to get into gear," says Alexis Hahn, a New Jersey dog lover who helped start Recycled Russells, a North America-wide organization that finds homes for unwanted Jack Russell terriers, a breed made popular by the television show Frasier.

"Every time Hollywood makes a movie about dogs, some breed gets hurt."

Because it often costs as much as $1,000 to buy a purebred dog from an accredited breeder, "backyard breeders" and puppy mills spring into action to supply the demand for popular breeds.

They sell the dogs for as little as $150 or $200, often mass-producing puppies of questionable lineage in appalling conditions.

Dogs bred in puppy mills often develop personality defects and ailments, including hip dysplasia, bad backs and internal parasites, which can make the animals unsuitable as house pets.

Even healthy animals are often not a good fit for a family unfamiliar with a breed's characteristics and needs.

The long-haired bearded collie, for instance, requires extensive grooming as well as at least one long walk every day, Ms. Murray said.

"I have a 14-year-old dog who needs to run free for an hour every day," Ms. Midgley added. "Beardies are very intelligent and loving, but they are a lot of work."

And while Siberian huskies might be every bit as intelligent and self-sufficient in real life as they are in Eight Below, they don't make ideal city pets.

"I won't even look at anyone who hasn't thoroughly researched these dogs before they come to my place," said breeder Roger Walker, owner of Ottawa's KeeKeWa Siberians, which supplied eight dogs to the TV series Due South and another for Disney's 2002 movie Snow Dogs.

[proud_yank]

Bearded collie lovers fear a popularity wave

Bearded Collies are great dogs and they are very good friends. However, they're a herding breed & are very intelligent/clever, which can make them difficult to train. They are also very playful, energetic, and bouncy. They need plenty of yard space to run (i.e. not a good 'apartment dog'), lots of walking, TONS of brushing, and again, they can be a difficult breed to train.

If you do not have lots of time to commit to a dog like this, or the space for one to run around, they probably aren't the right breed for you. Just some things to keep in mind if you or anyone you know is considering getting one after seeing the movie 'The Shaggy Dog'.

My Beardie, Charlie, getting ready to log onto FreeRepublic.com.

[proud_yank]

dog ping

[HairOfTheDog]

Ping!

Other articles with keyword "DOGGIEPING" since 12/29/04

[cripplecreek]

I got two Jack Russell terriers from the Mich JRT rescue assoc. after people saw Eddie on Frazier. The thing is that they are't great dogs for small kids.

[proud_yank]

Far too many people see a breed on TV or in a movie and race out to get one without thinking. Not good for the people or the dog.

[cripplecreek]

JRT's are high strung and often tend to bite. Sure they look cute when they strike the RCA dog pose but mine require nearly as much attention as 3 year old children.

[EX52D]

I have a JRT that is a medical marvel. We love him, but he is incredibly expensive to maintain right now. At 6, he has multiple allergies, and currently has his 2nd corneal ulcer.

[brytlea]

A cutie! I love bearded dogs!
susie

[Joe 6-pack]

"Imagine that Rinnie...someone getting a dog just because of a movie!"

[Muleteam1]

Why is it that Hollywood can't influence morals but they can make people buy certain dogs and kill great white sharks?

[proud_yank]

Beardies will 'nip', part of their herding instinct, but they are not an aggressive breed. We had another when I was young, and she would herd cats, rabbits, and us kids if we were all running around in the backyard. I'll never forget her biting a neighbor of mine square in the butt-cheek as we were running around my backyard. My Mom still laughs about it, she never liked the kid anyways!

[Horatio Gates]

My JR seems to be the exception to the little kid rule probably because we had him nuetered I'd imagine. It's pretty neat though, Chaos (thats his name) pretty much adopted our now one year old as his boy. Chaos won't let any non family member get too close to him without a warning bark. They've been great playmates and we keep it well supervised

[proud_yank]

He's a baby, and Charlie loves girls too!

[proud_yank]

Why is it that Hollywood can't influence morals but they can make people buy certain dogs and kill great white sharks?

LOL, they do influence morals its usually a negative influence though - Gay marriage is normal & acceptable, drug use is ok, abortion isn't murder......

I started going for random drives in my SUV, to try and heat the earth enough so that Hollywood will be underwater soon. I don't think its working though.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Now THERE'S a dog lover -- Bearded Collie on the white damask couch!

[PoorMuttly]

What is Charlie's screen name?

We have a lot in common...although I am no longer allowed on the couch, for some unknown reason.

Being on FR has resulted in there being noticeably fewer holes in the lawn too, also for unknown reasons.

We live in mysterious times.

Why just the other day, the Birdbath fell over again.

[proud_yank]

Technically, its his couch. He is gracious enough to let us use it, beds too!

[proud_yank]

His FR name is kept very secret, for security reasons. But he is a regular here.

Why just the other day, the Birdbath fell over again.

LOL! Was it drinking time, or make work for Mom & Dad time?

I wish I had opened the FR homepage when I took that picture!

[PoorMuttly]

Me certainly understand security concerns.

My master sometimes adds to my posts, but doesn't have a screen name of his own.

I wonder if anyone can tell the difference?!

Me hope not.

Reflected glory, n' all.

It just adds to the Muttly legend....but in a GOOD way !

[afraidfortherepublic]

LOL.