I still have memories of Mom driving me and my friends across town to the movie theatre that always had the best first run movies.  I’m sure Mom appreciated the break she got from me as I never slowed down.  Almost without fail, the movie I wanted to see was a Disney film and, more than likely, it was about animals.  Old Yeller, Big Red, the Biscuit Eater, and, of course, the cartoons like Lady and the Tramp, 101 Dalmations, and the Aristocats, just to name a few.  Even television picked up on the wave with Lassie and Rin Tin Tin.  Life was good.

The movies continue today and not just from Disney – Marley and Me, Homeward Bound, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Snow Dogs.  Film makers, in the business for a profit, can almost guarantee the studios a huge profit from an animal-themed movie.  You can’t go wrong with animals, especially dogs.  Unfortunately for dogs, people just don’t seem to see beyond the fantasy on the screen.  They expect their dogs to tell good guys from bad guys on sight, to get help for a hurt child by running to fetch an adult, and to pick up on every emotion and wish of the owners.  They expect the perfect dog, what animal professionals call “Disney Dogs,” courtesy of the big screen.

While movie makers have cashed in on our love of animals, they have also done dogs a disservice.  Dogs are not people in fur suits running on all fours.  Yes, we share some common emotions, but dogs do not think as we do, they don’t live to improve or disrupt the lives of those around us.  They are opportunists – they do what works for them.  Is their behavior likely to get them something yummy to eat?  If yes, they are likely to increase that behavior.  Will their behavior make them subject to punishment?  If yes, they will most likely decrease that behavior (important note: punishment may result in displaced aggression, avoidance, or a number of less-than-desired behaviors, so it’s a bad idea.  Read Coercion and Its Fallout by Murray Sidman for some thought provoking discussion on the topic). Still, people remain disappointed when the cute little furball they brought home doesn’t act like the cute puppy in the movie.  The result – a dog relegated to a life outside, maybe on a chain or in a kennel, away from much needed social interaction; a dog punished for being what it is: a dog.

Sadly, if you check breed rescue sites and shelters, you’ll find an overwhelming number of dogs who did not live up to the hype.  Golden retrievers who did not love children, Labradors that weren’t interested in retrieving, Border Collies that did not think herding sheep was cool.  They aren’t bad dogs, just dogs who don’t fit the mold people made for them.

One sad example: choosing a dog that is “good with children,” then trusting the stereotype is a disaster waiting to happen.  Too many people think of Lady and the Tramp or Lassie, then leave a  small child alone with the dog.   A recent story from Kentucky  highlights this mistake - an American Indian Dog, allowed access to an infant’s room, snatched the baby from his crib while the parents were elsewhere, and caused major injury to the child.  Quoting the article, “Michael Smith said they chose to get Native American Indian dogs in part because ‘my wife had done extensive research on them, and they're great family pets. She had talked to the breeder and had talked to other owners’ of these types of dogs.“  According to the owner, this dog had a habit of snatching cups and stuffed animals and carrying them to the two acre wooded back yard.  I’m not excusing the dog’s behavior, but the dog was being a dog and now may be euthanized as a result of belief in a generalization, a myth perpetuated by movies and television.

To avoid disappointment on your part and to prevent a lifetime sentence of misery for a dog, consider the following:

1.  Dog characters in movies and television are usually not played by just one dog, but many dogs.  Few dogs know all the tricks you see.  Behaviors that are unbecoming are edited out – you never see that footage.
2. Research the lineage of a particular dog, if possible.  They tend to be a lot like their parents.
3. Don’t look at a specific breed in a shelter or with a rescue group with a set belief of how it will behave.  You must commit to retrain, to accept some annoying behaviors, and to learn to love the quirks. 
4. Always supervise child/ dog interactions, no matter what.  Even dogs have bad days.
5. Train and socialize your dog.  We have to teach dogs what behaviors are acceptable to people, they aren’t born knowing this information.
6. Accept that your dog will not be perfect.  No one, not even animal professionals, have perfect dogs.

If you can’t commit to these, then please, head to your local discount store and get yourself a nice stuffed dog.  That’s truly the only perfect dog you will ever own.

Jan Casey is a reward-based dog trainer in Cookeville.  You can reach her at 931-510-0119 or jan@smilesandwags.com.