[Dailydrool] Mixed feelings about "Gracie" ...

[Marilyn Bickell]

Sylvie,

I'm definitely with you on this! "We're" still seeing Dalmatians in rescues,
and Animal Control. Not so much St. Bernards anymore, but it's frightening
how many people fall gullible to pets on screen. They just don't get it that
every one of those animals are extremely well-trained, taking years to get
some of them to that point.
 
Look at the "Benji" type breeds. Same thing happened back in the early/late
'70s when the Benji Movies were hot; everyone wanted Benji. I can even
remember way back to Old Yeller! OMG! And Lassie. Collies were everywhere!

About once a week, I do a lot of online rescue surfing, not looking for any
one breed, just looking. I look at Basset Rescue. Rott Rescue. Newf rescue.
Coonhound rescue. And all-breed sites. Almost every dog has been given up
for reasons the humans were not aware of when the dog was bought. 

Between the early to late 60s, up to the recent "Grace" movie, dog movies
have come along, substantially. I'm not against dog movies, per se, but what
bothers me are the uneducated people who sit in the theaters with their kids
and they're saying "oh, isn't that cute." Or "mom let's get one of those."
Or "that dog is nice, let's get that."
Then the family goes out, with no researching or any real knowledge about
the breed, beforehand, and buys one of "those" dogs, and believes it is
going to be just like the one they saw on the screen when they get it home.
Rude awakening for some.

A dog doesn't need to be on screen very long for the breed to be registered
in the minds of the movie-goer. If it's cute and smart and none of the flaws
of the breed are shown on screen, then that breed will be remembered.

Marilyn, Miko (Chasing lizards in Heaven), Bess, RoseyMae, and
BeaverCleaver, 
Fort Bragg, CA

"You have gone ahead and nothing is the same, leaving paw prints on my heart
that will always remain."- Tibetan Proverb from Prayers on the Wind.
 
>>> From: "Sylvie McGee" <sylviemcgee at comcast.net>

While I enjoyed seeing Baguette on the Today show, I have to confess to
pretty mixed feelings about such a high profile role for a Basset. I've seen
what happened to Dalmatians in the wake of 101 Dalmatians, and St. Bernards
in the wake of the big St. Bernard movies.

We already are drowning in dogs coming into rescue because they were impulse
purchases, and I fear we may see an uptick when the young girls who convince
their parent they just "have to have a Basset" find they drool, or need to
be walked, or bark, or are not as immediately well-behaved and charming as
Baguette/Gracie.

I hope I'm wrong, but truly I'm worried....