Fads are everywhere. From diets to clothing and everywhere in between, something in the media triggered the trend. We can never be sure how long a trend will last, but we do know that those in the trending market will earn a huge profit.
The majority of the time, a fad isn’t a huge deal. Maybe you’ll have to look at a style you don’t particularly like or hear a music artist over and over. Perhaps your co-workers will try and get you hooked on the new weight loss or exercise plan. Kind of annoying, but really no big deal.
When a particular breed of dog becomes a fad, it IS a big deal.
Great Pyrenees have been popping up everywhere recently. I’ve seen them on commercials for Angie’s List, Cesar dog food, Petco and Purina Pro Plan, and many print ads as well. Don’t get me wrong, I’m like a kid on Christmas when I see a pyr pop up in a commercial. I let out a brief “squee!”, pause the TV, bring Nick into the room, and then we watch the commercial two or three times admiring the breed we adore so much.
Then reality sets in.
Seeing my beloved Great Pyrenees on TV is not a good thing.
I noticed this most when Santa Paws 2 came out. Mauja became a part of our family just days after the movie hit theaters. We took her everywhere with us to work on socialization and every child knew that Mauja was “the Santa Paws dog”. Families fawned over her and expressed how much they wanted the breed. When I asked if they had researched pyrs at all, the answer was always “no, but they seem so sweet”.
A few months ago, a study conducted by PLOS One confirmed what many of us already know to be true. When the media positively promotes a dog breed, either through movies or commercials, there will be a huge spike in interest. Unfortunately, this is usually of detriment to the breed.
The study looked at 87 movies that had a specific breed as the main character and examined the breed’s popularity two, five, and ten years later. Not surprisingly, a huge boost occurred immediately after the breed was featured in a movie. For example, Collie registrations jumped 40% after “Lassie Come Home” debuted and Old English Sheepdog registrations soared 100-fold after “The Shaggy Dog” hit theaters. Increased popularity continued even 10 years after the release date.
The increased demand of a particular breed allows money-hungry individuals to jump at the opportunity of a new breed fad. They begin breeding and over-breeding dogs to keep up with the new fad. We are left with genetic diseases, a lack of compliance to breed standards, and a huge increase of the breed in the rescue system. Breed advocates are then forced to save the breed rather than keep it’s beauty and uniqueness alive.
My heart breaks for those with passion for breeds that have been subjected to a media fad and are now trying to preserve the breed standard. According to AKC registration statistics, the Great Pyrenees has become slightly more popular in recent years. The media is recognizing the striking beauty of the breed and utilizing them in many commercials. Southern states are already drowning in pyrs needing homes due to backyard breeders and I’d hate for the situation to get any worse.
I love the Great Pyrenees, but I really want to stop seeing them in the media.
Sources:
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0106565
http://time.com/3326933/dog-movies-popular-breed/
I know exactly what you mean about this. On one hand it’s great that they are getting exposure but on the other it does create problems too. This happened with Chihuahuas after those Beverly Hills Chihuahua movies (Which I love). CA has such an overpopulation of them that they are flown across the US to different shelters. I really wish people would RESEARCH the breed and the general responsibilities of being a dog owner first.
This really is a problem in our society. Thanks for bringing it to light!
Important topic – thanks for sharing your thoughts. So true about doing breed research prior to adopting a pup – often times dog’s are brought in to a family based on looks. This is a great topic that warrants a broader awareness campaign!
We had an Old English Sheepdog before the shaggy dog movie and the OES was in so many commercials following that. Then the puppy millers moved in and totally ruined the breed. Since then I have seen so many poorly bred Sheepdogs.
So true. Once a breed becomes popular, it’s a bad news for the breed.
Totally agree. This is a high maintenance dog that too many owners will not do what is necessary. Us groomers will see the backlash on it as well.
I completely agree and this is such an important topic! Sharing on my page!
Mom is so thankful no one sees a Kuvasz around and never really sees a GBGV. Sometimes being rare is a hassle, but it is the best for the breeds. We never want to be like labs or goldens, or other popular breeds.
Many of us hope that a Chessie never wins Westminster or any other large dog show. They are not a breed for everyone and we fear what might happen if they suddenly became a fad.
Jack Russells are always popping up in the media, too, and they are probably one of the worst breeds for an amateur owner who wants one because they’re “cute!”
I have seen tons of Jack Russells in the media, and totally agree with you – they may be cute, but they are DEFINITELY not the breed for first-time owners. It is so sad that things like commercials and movies can ultimately lead to negative consequences for a dog… I don’t understand why more people don’t know the importance of researching breeds. One of my Facebook acquaintances has never owned a dog before and just purchased a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy…sigh.
Kels, LOVE this post and will be sharing the woof out of it! 😉
Yep, I’d be scared too. It certainly hasn’t been good for golden retrievers to be so popular.
Hopefully the cost of feeding a giant dog will put at least some people off.
It’s horrible for dogs when they become popular. Mr. N is apparently the most popular “designer breed” mix (according to Time or some other magazine) and I worry that the people who see him and want him will go seek out his mix from a puppy mill or something.
I wish people weren’t so influenced by the media, but it’s sad but true, and I guess all we can do is keep trying to educate people to do their research before adopting any dog.
I remember falling in love with JRT’s after the show Frasier, but I did do my research and came to the conclusion they would be too high energy for me. If only everyone would do that.
I completely agree with you that too much popularity leads to a spike in demand for a breed that is never a good thing for the breed in vogue. If you are on the show floor at any of the televised Dog Shows you will hear people standing around the breed ring praising the dogs and in the same breath say they hop they don’t make it all the way to Best In Show because it is a disaster for the breed.
As for a Great Pyrenees in this house. I don’t think I could deal with all the shedding fluff. Cleaning is not on my list of top activities. Of course I do have my eyes on a breed similar in size just much shorter fur. Sure it wouldn’t be a problem to own one now but what if I move to a big city or decide to move back overseas what then? In theory the big dog would be ok because the breed happens to be really lazy but I image it would be really claustrophobic.
I sometimes worry the same thing as corgis get more popular. I love them, but I don’t want them to be a fad!
Great post. I agree completely.
As a trainer, I work with clients from time to time who have bought / adopted a dog of a certain breed thinking it will be a great dog for their family based on what they have seen on TV or in the media. Unfortunately, the media is not always an accurate representation of breed standards and characteristics!
I totally get this. A few years ago, everyone and their dog wanted a puggle because they were the hot new “celebrity” mixed breed and all it did was lead to a bunch of crappy breeders and shitty puppy mills taking advantage of the hype and creating some unhealthy dogs. Look what happened to the dalmations after Cruella?
Oh I know what you mean. It is sad because when there is a certain dog breed fad happening, that is when we see so many of the same breed in shelters everywhere.
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
It’s a shame when dogs become “fads”. It’s important to educate people on thoroughly researching a dog breed before they adopt or purchase a dog to ensure that pet never ends up in a shelter. I have a Husky and people still stop & say “Oh look, a Snowdog!” like in the 2002 movie Snowdogs. Huskies are NOT for everyone & following that movie there was a hug surge in their popularity, followed by a surge in owners surrendering Huskies. Great post.
I could not agree more. Dogs are not fashion accessories that you can trade out whenever the seasons change. I keep an eye on the traffic at local rescues and sadly, it seems the trend appears later in the ‘second hand shops’ aka shelters. Great post!
I know what you mean – people would allow their children to hug Leo without asking sometimes. Thank goodness he was tolerant. I would ask them if they ever thought perhaps the dogs didn’t want their necks squeezed, and people would respond back with “oh but he’s so cute – he wouldn’t hurt anyone” I thought “cray-cray”
I so understand what you mean. I have a rescued Vizsla, which are supposed one of the healthiest breeds. At least, they were. Now that they have been becoming ever popular there are lots of unscrupulous breeders out there. There was a puppy mill that the dogs were pulled from upstate, about two years ago, and nearly every dog rescued had health issues or mobility issues. Very sad.
I have a great pyr name Sasha. My mom liked the look so they surprised me and my brother by going to the breeder’s and getting her. My parents think she is a air head, my brother thinks she is stupid. But I lover to death, she is so much like me a lets me do what I want to her. Now she look funny because she let me shave her. She is protective of the family from other animals but she is scared of our kitten and cat. I wish we had known more about the breed but I would not trade her for the world.
A lot of people think Pyrs are dumb but she knows exactly what you’re saying when you tell her to sit, she just might not feel like it cause you don’t have a treat, so she thinks, ‘what’s in it for me?’ also, don’t shave pyranees it isn’t good for them. they have all that hair for a reason, the double coat is important for regulating their temperature. get online read up on the breed they are wonderful, glad you love yours (:
There should be more dog in movies that come from shelters and there should be said somewhere in the movie or credits that there are shelter dog used or there are dogs in shelters that also need homes, not just these pure bred dog or raised to be star dogs.
I am about to “embark” on my third Pyr. I have noticed an increase of Pyrs as well and have also had the same thought. I love this breed with all my heart, but I know not all dog people are Pyr people. Please research your breeds!