Hi, I just can not believe parents still buy Dogs because they look good in a film, surly they relise these dogs are higly trainned for the films and that the one they get is not going to be like that. Or are people really that silly. I can not beleive some of the things I have found out on this site, I really need to get out more.

How many people do you think went out and brought a dog like the one in Turner & Hooch (sorry not sure what breed that was) not alot when the dog is doing normal things like chewing and slopering everywhere!!!

Best Wishes
Jessica Bobbie ;)

Sorry JessicaBobbie, but yes, many people really ARE that silly! It's quite unbelievable! With Turner and Hooch (a Dogue de Bordeaux!!), that film would have put me off the breed bigtime (all that slobber!) but no, people wanted them. I've seen "puppy wanted" ads, saying "I want one of those dogs on the Citroen ad" when they don't even know what breed it is, let alone whether it would be happy with their lifestyle!

Re Crufts winners - too right Leigh!! It makes interesting reading when you discover the upsurge in rescue cases of the BIS winner's breed from the previous year's Crufts about 1 year later - when all the "must-have" people have got one and got bored with it.

Hi Mattie.
The guy I worked for had a choc Lab as his first, he said the chocs were culled too. The thing we STILL get when they bring them into board is "they are rare and we had to pay a bit more for him" etc................... you know what I mean.
Dawn.

I have the greatest respect for the guy who won Crufts in 2001 with the Basenji :-) The owner refused to jump his dog onto the *media merry-go-round* and although demand for the breed increased, it got nowhere near the frenzied proportions that usually happen when a breed wins BIS :-(

The damand for the bracco italiano increased by ridiculous amounts when a dog won at the WorldShow in Milan :-( and I am sure the after-effects will be felt for many years to come.

TV has a lot to answer for

Funny story about that year, I was helping a friend on the Ridgeback stand and someone came along and said, 'oooh look Basenjis', we did laugh and when they got best in show I emailed and told her the Ridgeback had got it !!!!

YOU ARE BADDDDDDDD :D

LOL

Yes I know him personally, and really admired his stance. Advertised within the dog World, but not in the more public domain, and no TV appearances.

I think it also helped that very few opf the breed were already in commercial hands to provide for the demand. by the time any commercial minded folk could have aquired a pup, from a breed thqat usually comes in season in the Autumn (just once a year), and then waited for the bitch to be old enough to breed from, the demand would have long since gone!

I think the breeders were ultra careful when selling puppies that year, and since.

Never a truer word spoken!

I worked for a short time as a volunteer at an animal rescue centre and its heartbreaking to see dogs given up because of irresponsible people buying dogs like they would do a cuddly toy.

There are many dogs i would love to own, but when we chose our dog we did hours of research on each breed, what exercise do they need? how hard are they to train? do they loose a lot of hair? what personality do they have? will they suit our lifestyle...the questions were endless until finally we settled on a breed that we loved and knew we could do the best for, I wanted a Rhodesian Ridgeback...i had to accept that for many reasons i couldnt have one! But what is waiting for us at a breeders house is a dog that we are commited to. Committed to caring for and committed to its needs and a dog we know we can cope with (and can cope with us!). We have given as much thought to getting a dog as we would to plan for a child! Its sad that so many other dont share our commitment.

Unfortunately our sanctuaries will be full in a month or so's time, so spare a thought for the guys and girls who work tirelessly caring for peoples unwanted 'gifts' and perhaps include an extra gift of your own this xmas like a donantion to your local rescue centre or the RSPCA!!

Merry Christmas!!