If you are a social media user and follow animal-related content, you have undoubtedly seen multiple rescue agencies that have been warning people about expected fallout from the newly released Channing Tatum movie, “Dog.”
Dog savvy people know what often happens after a blockbuster movie that features a dog…a deluge of people buy or adopt the breed of the dog star, and then later dump them at a shelter or with a rescue group when things don’t work out like it did in the movie.
The warning about Dog especially needs to be heeded because the star is a Belgian Malinois…a breed that is notoriously hard to handle. Belgian Malinois are known to be intelligent, high-drive, athletic, and INTENSE. They are a breed that should not be owned by the inexperienced…or by people who just want a couch-potato companion.
Last week, Xanadu Animal Sanctuary posted a public service announcement about the breed, writing in part:
People are going to see this film and many will want their own Belgian Malinois. This is not going to end well for this breed.
A highly trained Malinois is a work of art. So is Michelangelo’s statue of David but I don’t necessarily want it in my living room.
This breed can be amazing in the right hands but they require a lot of everything.
Adding:
They are highly energetic and super smart-which is hard to manage as a puppy and young adult if you can’t devote the time and patience to training.
If you are still determined to get one. You can stem the inevitable tidal wave of Malinois that will be surrendered to the shelters by contacting your local shelter or a local Malinois rescue.
DO NOT get a Malinois from the guy down the street. Don’t help backyard breeders line their pockets. Purebred doesn’t equal good breeding.
From the bottom of my heart, for the love of all dogs, those of us who rescue see what’s coming and we bear the burden of choices people make on a whim regarding a breed they know little about.
Go enjoy DOG, but leave it there…an enjoyable outing, not your inspiration to add a Belgian Malinois to your life.
Watch the trailer below.
Perhaps we should boycott the movie. People are too vain, too ignorant, and will go out and buy this breed of dog for their own
Vanity. Why did Hollywood not do their research before using this breed of dog. Because Hollywood cares about one thing only and that is MONEY.
Well this would certainly be a good opportunity for rescue organizations to blow this up in the media to bring attention to all people buying ANY dog, but especially movie breeds, when they know nothing about them and aren’t willing to take serious responsibility for them. News channels might like this.
This looks like a great movie, but people better do their research before they run out and get one of these dogs, only to find out they can’t control it. Any breed of dog deserves a good forever home, not just to be given up because of a stupid human whim!
If a person gets a dog because of a movie, they aren’t responsible or logical enough to have any animals yet.
The last dog I adopted from the shelter was a Belgian Mal. that they listed as a German shepherd mix. After 2 weeks she bit me hard & tried to pull me to the ground. I had to fall on her to get her to let me go. I discovered after some research that she was a Bel. Mal. who’s previous owners tried to teach her Bite Work. Took me 2 years to get her under control. Now she walks off leash. Smart to a fault, super crazy energy, my best & worst dog ever. U must be a benevolent master or u & the dog will suffer. 99% of people should not own one.