Famous dogs leading to an increase in the breed.

Where do I sign up to have BCs protrayed as vicious attack dogs? Our problem is, they go into family homes, get ignored, and out of boredom and lack of structure about half of the more poorly bred ones DO turn into vicious attack dogs.

It's all very nice that they showed the dogs working, but they also showed them talking, and cute puppies were a substantial part of the movie (very obviously sold as pets). And it's a fact that the movie put BCs on the radar in people's minds as pets. It was just awful. We went from having exactly three legit local rescues on the East coast, with plenty of room, to about a dozen, all overflowing. There's two rescues in NC alone and both are overwhelmed. That's crazy - that happened in less than seven years. It's like that all over.

And we are going to get hit again, though we are hoping we won't see much backlash since the dogs shouldn't be portrayed as "cute" and attractive - Bedlam Farm is supposed to come out any day now. Thank you Mr. Katz, yet another gift to the breed.[8|]

That was a Tibetan Mastiff...GORGEOUS dogs....but not for the faint of heart.

By the way, Xebby, back to your original question about Beardies. I think Beardies are safe more or less. There will be a few idiots who want one in spite of obvious difficulties involved with the breed, but most people look at them and go, "Oh, my GOSH, all that HAIR!" It's easy to envision that mountain of hair shedding all over the place and requiring constant care, whereas it's not so easy for people to look at a BC, sort of a moderate, everyman's dog, all-American looking, but with supercanine intelligence and agility ("easy to train! look what they can do!").

BCs fell prey to American's idiotic need to have the best, biggest, fastest of everything, no matter whether they need it or not. There's a story about a guy who purchased the International Supreme champion for that year, took him home to his home in Texas, and had him round up a few sheep in the front yard when he had friends over for beers. Then he'd brag about how much he paid for him.

BCs got labeled as "the smartest dog" and then a bunch of people had to have the smartest dog, because no other dog could possibly work for them. And what do you do with the smartest dog? Put it in the backyard and then get really surprised when he eats the cover off the jacuzzi. "That was STUPID!" they cry. "I thought these dogs were SMART!"

maybe we should make some counter-movies. "Attack of the Border Collies", a horror movie where a group of bored BCs get together and destroy the city.

…Or a movie about dogs who have been rescued from the shelter and made wonderful pets, with BYB as the evil enemy.

Here's hoping Where the Red Fern Grows doesn't get re-made!

ORIGINAL: Xebby

How much of an influence do famous dogs have on people deciding what breed to choose?

 
 
 
Unfortunatley, too much!  Too many people see these movies and want a dog "just like that one."  However, they fail to see that the dogs used in these movies are highly trained.  They bring them home and are disappointed that they don't behave the way the dog in the movies behaved and they end up at a shelter.
 
Personally, I have always wanted a GSD, and my parents never had one.  They could not warrant spending money for a dog when friends would give them one free.  I don't think it has anything to do with TV either, because I do realize the training that these dogs go through to do their jobs, I just love them.  But, some years back, I ended up taking in a "lab-mix" becuase "it outgrew the kids" and was headed for the pound.  Well, he turned out to be a Great Dane/Lab? mix and was absolutely wonderful, once I put him through obedience training.
 
That's when I decided to adopt dogs and cats from local shelters or rescue organizations.  And I truly believe these animals know I rescued them because the love they give me is uncomaparable!  I guess I must have done something right because I was "rewarded" with my GSD this year. []

Wings got the Lassie thing- Mal doesn't, thank goodness. And in a way, I wish people *were* more aware of collies. While I wouldn't want them to be super-popular, I *do* wish more people would consider them instead of a BC or an Aussie for a family pet- because while they're not low-maintainace, I think they are more suitable for a family pet than your average BC! (I have to brag, last night in obedience Mal was being brilliant. Another student, who got an Aussie because her family 'didn't want a dumb dog and collies don't have any room for brains', was having SO much trouble with her dog being a complete spaz. )

I don't think it will ever stop. As far as I can tell, it's been this way since the earliest days of mass media. One of the collie history sites on the web has some ads scanned in from early dog mags advertising dogs related to the Sunnybrook collies, and somewhere I've got a scan of an ad for GSD puppies from a newspaper in the 20s (found in the wrappings of a box of antique china) that advertises 'rin tin tin dogs'. I do think it's worse now- between the 'I want it now!' culture and the larger number of people that are reached by a popular tv show or movie... well... At the same time, at least with big dogs, I see a lot of people being at least a *little* cautious.

ORIGINAL: gradyupmybutt

I am 99% sure that Aspen is a product of Kirby's win.  He was born 7/24/00 & is a puppy mill kiddo.  I did NOT buy him.  I rescued him from an uncaring family.

Yeah, it wasn't really the win that was the problem, it was the media.  It was always 'Little dog wins big' with Kirby's beautiful mug on the front of the paper.  How could you not resist?  It did a lot to get more serious people into the breed, registrations gone up insanely and ring size has too.  However, it began the time when you started seeing papillons in mills.  People wanted dogs that looked like the one that won Westminster.  I don't think shows have as much influence on the more common breeds, but with a relatively unknown breed (at that time) it did a lot.
 
The average owner doesn't understand that a papillon is NOT like a normal toy breed.  They're so intelligent and driven, often called the border collie of the toy group.  They're called that for a reason- they have to be doing something!   Most people like the look and want a sort of accessory dog, which a papillon is not.  I try to explain to people about how intense they are, but they usually say 'Wait, they're not good pets?'  They're WONDERFUL pets, just not for most people.  I like intense breeds, I've grown up with herders my whole life.  My papillons top my GSD x and my shelties in activity levels and intensity.  I wish there was more about them that was truthful to their nature rather than the commercials with them dressed in pink and being carried around in a tote bag.  That's annoying.  I wish they'd mention how awesome they are at sports and how the first MACH 10 papillon was titled this year, how the world agility team included a papillon, how the flyball team did too, and how great they are at obedience and rally and tracking.  Just basically how stimulated they need to be.  They require a ton of human interaction.  Not a dog breed to sit on a couch and look pretty.

And don't get me wrong, Kirby himself is totally awesome! Gorgeous papillon...

Good job for rescuing Aspen. 

Karin, I like you hate it when people say there's Beethoven.  But I am so glad that they don't connect Abby with the Cujo idea and be scared of her.