Marley & Me: What do ya think Lab owners?

Benedict - althou you raise a great point, do you think that showing people what an **untrained** dog can do will raise awareness to the fact that it's not as simple as Walk it, Feed it, Let it out, Take it to the vet? I just saw the trailer and thought "God, that was Sam 6 months ago!" and then "This is what an *untrained* dog will do".

Honestly - the trailer alone has made me want to go home to my Lab's crazy-ness and play with him, and train him.

Maybe it will do the same for others.

---I saw the trailer thats one the myspace homepage, not sure if that is the normal trailer or not--

Another reason I brought this up is because my cousin, a very successful single gal, wants a dog...she called me and said she wants a "Marley" WTH is that? The she said, "You know like the dog in that movie".....2 hours on the phone later with her, after explaining about BYB's, Lab energy, etc, she realized she didn't want a Lab and is now looking into getting a small, companion dog (shih tzu or lhasa apso) because she thought Marley was just "bad" for the movie, and she thought his antics were cute/funny, she didn't think Labs could really be like that.

Benedict

I'm in the minority here as a whole, I likely won't see the movie because although I did "like" the book in the sense that it was an entertaining and sometimes touching story the first time I read it, upon re-reading an awful lot of it ticked me off.  I think it gave labs a bad rep, not a good one, and as a lab owner I take issue with that since from the story that was told (which was the owner's story, after all) Marley's behaviour was almost entirely their fault, but they never seemed to admit that and they definitely seemed to blame Marley for it. 

I'm not meaning to start a debate or anything, I just feel that they made a lot of mistakes and Marley suffered for it.  To have all those mistakes (choice of breeder, getting a dog as practice for a baby, training and lack thereof etc) glorified on screen, with a breed I own, is not something I care to watch I think. 

That's why I never read the book. I heard that it was basically clueless owners, not the dog's fault. I knew it would just annoy me.

Maybe a little OT but if I remember the book correctly, wasn't Marley their first dog?  I think the point of the book was to show that they DID do everything wrong and Marley was the beast he was because of it.  They were learning, just like any first time dog owner would.  To some degree, specific Lab personality traits aside, Marley & Me could have been any 60+ pound dog as a puppy.  And like others have mentioned, I think it will stear prospective owners away from the 'crazy' Labs.  Sad really; they are great dogs.

I would like to see the movie (loved the book and cried like a baby at the end) but I suspect it's going to be a renter.  BF and I just don't make it to the movies much.

Liesje

We had the same discussions about the GSD in I Am Legend.  Not sure if the numbers changed or not.  It was nice to see a GSD with correct size (not sure of the lines, but she came from a breeder in Cali I believe), and being depicted as something other than a viscious attack dog.

That is why Samantha's owner got her because they fell in love with the German shepherd in the movie. They got her from a BYB but they took wonderful care of her. They moved to Canada and left Samy with her sister but are fixing things to get Samy to Canada.

I can sense the puppy mills and pet stores are probably getting ready to pump out some 'Marley' puppies just in time for christmas. *sigh*

 I will likely see the movie despite finding Owen Wilson highly irritating - now I won't be rushing out to see it and like most films I see it will likely be on a rental but I'm sure I will laugh and I am sure at the end I will cry.

They were horrible owners and Marley had his issues but they loved him and became better owners - not stellar but better. And he settled down some too.

I'm sort of a goofball I suppose but I love labs and have never seen that they are so much more difficult as pups than other pups.  They are tireless in their playfulness but other than that I don't really get the lab pups are such a challenge philosophy.

When we got Bugsy we believed he was a lab mix and that is what we wanted - I feel 100% confident he is NOT a lab mix and the things we struggle with are not issues associated with labs.  He's a challenge for all the non-labrador qualities.  So I guess I really don't get it.

I do think that yellow lab pups will experience an increase in popularity due to the movie and I do think that we'll see more adolescent labs in rescue.  The general public do not resemble this forum in their reasons for getting a dog and their dedication to their dog

Liesje

It was nice to see a GSD with correct size (not sure of the lines, but she came from a breeder in Cali I believe), and being depicted as something other than a viscious attack dog.

I want to say that she came from strong working lines. She had great speed which relates to good structure.

I agree that an SPCA and a adoption psa at the beginning of the movie would be appropriate and put people in the proper frame of mind.

misstrouble

Benedict - althou you raise a great point, do you think that showing people what an **untrained** dog can do will raise awareness to the fact that it's not as simple as Walk it, Feed it, Let it out, Take it to the vet? I just saw the trailer and thought "God, that was Sam 6 months ago!" and then "This is what an *untrained* dog will do".

Frankly, no.  I think the majority of non-dog-owners who watch this movie and are inspired to get a dog will believe that "their dog would NEVER behave like that"...and it's true that Marley's behaviour was an extreme case, but an extreme case caused by the owners not knowing what they were doing AT ALL.  I don't think there's a snowball's chance that someone who doesn't own a dog and suddenly decides to get one because of this movie will think "we need to go to a good breeder and then start attending puppy class at 8 weeks and a training class as soon as that is over or else we'll wind up with a Marley on our hands."  There's no substitute for research, knowledge, and awareness of what you're getting into before you do.  

I don't like to see dogs demonised, anywhere.  I especially don't like it when they are demonised because of the owner's mistakes and the owners never admit that, and they just blame the dog.  Sure, they were first-time dog owners...but apart from having dogs growing up who were just sort of "there", so was I.  Ben is my first dog that I've ever been fully responsible for, and HE didn't turn into Marley.  I also agree with Karen that I've never seen the "lab puppies are the worst ever" argument as being vaild.  As far as I know, he was just like any other puppy - challenging sometimes, but nothing I couldn't handle.

Maybe this whole thing is too close to my heart, and maybe I feel more strongly about it than I should.  But the fact remains that the owner's book got published, and the movie got made with A-list stars, because Marley was a Bad Dog.  A movie about an "average" dog would never have been made, and to me, any way you slice it, these people are getting rich off the back of being horrendous dog owners.  Again, I was entertained by the book and I can see why it was made into a movie, but I feel no need to support it.  JMO. 

ron2

Liesje

It was nice to see a GSD with correct size (not sure of the lines, but she came from a breeder in Cali I believe), and being depicted as something other than a viscious attack dog.

I want to say that she came from strong working lines. She had great speed which relates to good structure.

I think she was from a BYB.  She looks like BYB lines to me (not really clear type, probably a mix of American and German; saddled black and red/tan is not that common in working lines b/c sable is dominant and they have no color preference), but nice size, lean dog.  There was some rumor that she was pulled from a shelter but I don't know how that got started.  Someone that knew her from the breeding kennel posted here a few times.

 Babe was a disaster, plain and simple.  It came right when the AKC "recognized" the breed, so it was double trouble for us at that time.  Pre-Babe (and recognition), we rescued maybe ten or twelve dogs a year in a five-state area, and most of those were rescued farms dogs (abuse/neglect cases).  Post Babe, the number immediately shot up three times, then there was the need for a whole additional rescue, then we needed one rescue per state, and now there's so many that there's about two rescues per state, plus individual independent foster homes here and there. 

Within two or three years the number per state had jumped to a hundred or more rescues a year.  90% of dogs are from pet homes where people just got in over their heads.  They wanted one of those smart puppies and didn't realize all the implications that come with a super-smart dog.  It's like hiring Martha Steward to clean your toilets and then telling her she's ONLY allowed to clean toilets.

I don't anticipate that labs will have a similar problem - they are already "on the radar" as a favorite pet and overbred - one movie can't make a huge difference.  I haven't seen the movie though. 

 Becca, I remember I wanted Border Collies SO BAD when I was little and Babe came out!

I don't know what to think. I love all dog movies personally, so I do plan to see it. I just don't know what to think in terms of will people run out to buy lab puppies after seeing it.  I did not read the book, but I saw Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston talk about the movie on Oprah.   From what I've seen, it seems like it's close to the reality of what a lot of families currently do. Get a dog on impulse as "practice" don't really ever train the dog, always have a kind of out of control dog, and as the kids come it creates a chaotic environment.  I think labs already have such a reputation of being a great family dog that I'm not sure this will change that, it seems like every family in my neighborhood has a lab!   We almost got one, than researched them and decided they wouldn't be a good first breed for us.  I think a lot of people don't do any research before adopting a dog as it is and this movie probably won't change that, especially labs where they are available anywhere to buy on impulse.

I'm in the minority here as a whole, I likely won't see the movie because although I did "like" the book in the sense that it was an entertaining and sometimes touching story the first time I read it, upon re-reading an awful lot of it ticked me off.  I think it gave labs a bad rep, not a good one, and as a lab owner I take issue with that since from the story that was told (which was the owner's story, after all) Marley's behaviour was almost entirely their fault, but they never seemed to admit that and they definitely seemed to blame Marley for it. 

I'm not meaning to start a debate or anything, I just feel that they made a lot of mistakes and Marley suffered for it.  To have all those mistakes (choice of breeder, getting a dog as practice for a baby, training and lack thereof etc) glorified on screen, with a breed I own, is not something I care to watch I think. 

I agree with this 100%. The book really ticked me off. That poor dog.

When I bought my first lab Shadow, I was a "pet owner". Shadow was a really good dog. She was an alpha but on her terms she never crossed lines. My family had a lab when I was a baby, I had remember loving that dog, besides aren't labs and goldens the same??? In the case of Shadow, pretty darn close. Then I got Belle.... Belle is a field lab, Shadow an english. I quickly learned the difference. I also quickly realized I needed help with this dog. Even though I had a dog all my life. When people tell me they want a lab, I question "why?" I think that is a question all perspective dog owners need to ask themselves. It is often not asked at all.

Yes I do believe Marley was their first dog. They didn't "blame" the dog he just wrote about how the dog was out of control. They did get another lab AND they got Cesar Milan to help them as this dog was turning into worse than Marley. I don't think the average person knows how important it is for a lab to have a "job". They want to work and they want to please. I know I didn't know before Belle. Of course I want another lab with even more energy and drive than Belle. 

People see the pictures of the content lab laying next to the feet in front of a fire place and think yup that is what I want. I like to say labs make good three year olds, they are stubborn and mule headed as young dogs. However with the right training they take that stubborness and muleheadedness and turn it into ABSOLUTE loyalty. They are not for every one though, I know that. Labs are a lot easier than some breeds though, I know that too. That is why I will stick with my goldens and labs.