subject: When Dogs Are Too Popular [print this page] With the success of Marley & Me at the box office, yellow Labrador Retrievers are once more in great demand with the public. Before yellow Labs the media darling was the Chihuahua. Dalmatians have starred in several popular movies. And Hollywood has made many other dogs into canine stars. Every time a new dog is crowned king of the box office the public seems to clamor for their own home version of these dogs. What's wrong with that, you may ask. Well, that's when breeds start having problems and thousands of those dogs end up in shelters.
The biggest problem with too much popularity comes from over breeding. As soon as there is a demand for a dog like Marley, or any other Hollywood favorite, so-called "backyard breeders" get to work breeding whatever dogs they have on hand to produce more dogs to meet the demand. They may breed poor specimens of the breed just to make a profit. The result is that many poor quality puppies are produced, some of whom may have genetic diseases. Breeds may begin to develop health problems from over breeding that can take decades to repair all because dogs are bred casually, without much thought or any health testing. Breeders who are breeding to make fast money are not usually concerned about who they sell to, either. Puppies may be sold quickly to anyone with the cash.
Without screening buyers and homes many of those puppies end up in rescue and shelters later because they weren't a good match for the owner or they were impulse purchases. That's the other problem with too much popularity. It makes people want to rush out and buy a cute puppy without considering whether he really fits their lifestyle. Impulsively buying a puppy usually leads to a bad outcome, especially for the puppy. Many puppies bought because someone has seen a film about a dog end up in animal shelters and in purebred rescues. They are either put to sleep or they overwhelm the resources or rescues. Most people with rescue organizations cringe when a movie comes out about their breed because they know their rescues will be overrun with dogs soon - dogs turned in by people who impulsively got a puppy like the one they saw in the movie.
There are lots of great breeders in every breed who breed because they love their breed and want to improve it. If you want a purebred dog and you have researched it, then you should seek out one of these breeders and ask questions about the health clearances of a puppy's parents and the puppy. Do plenty of research about the breed. Look beyond breeds that are popular at the moment because of movies or celebrities. There are some 400 dog breeds in the world and the AKC recognizes 161 breeds. There are plenty of great purebred dogs besides the top ten.
You should also avoid making impulse purchases where any pet is concerned. That's why pet stores are not usually the best place to get a dog. It's easy to fall in love with that puppy in the window but you don't really know anything about him or his parents or breeder.
Look for the best dog for you and your lifestyle and home. If you have kids, look for a dog that's good with them. If you have allergies, don't get a dog that sheds constantly. If you live in a tiny apartment, think twice before getting a very active dog. If you are interested in a breed you've seen in a film you may want to look into purebred rescue. They are probably dealing with lots of dogs that other people bought on the spur of the moment and regretted. You can give a great dog a home and still have the breed you want.
Movies have given us some of our favorite dogs - Lassie, Big Red, Rin Tin Tin, Ol' Yeller, 101 Dalmatians. But we should remember that these are movie versions of dogs. They aren't real. The best dog for you is the one you find yourself, not a make believe dog.
