by Raye Hodgson

Created on: November 10, 2008   Last Updated: December 15, 2009

In modern American culture, many of us take our lifestyle cues from the writers and producers in Hollywood. While that can be relatively innocuous when it comes to hair, clothing and furniture styles, it makes for serious ethical problems when it comes to dog breeds.

Potential dog owners ideally have enough time, compassion, space, money, and knowledge to provide a healthy environment for their pets. In the best circumstances, people are motivated by a genuine love of the animal coupled with a sense of responsibility for another living being.

When the decision to have a dog is based on the influence of a movie, movies or television show, the potential for tragedy is high.

Entertainment media aim for our emotional "hot buttons." Shows are designed to appeal to our desire to be desirable, wealthy, powerful, invulnerable, in a word "cool." When dog ownership is based on "cool" rather than responsible compassion, the animals, and often family and neighbors suffer.

Just as with a new hairdo or the latest clothing style, the enchantment fades when the desired result is no longer achieved. Then it is time for an even newer hair style, newer clothes, newer furniture, newer dog. Now, what is going to happen to the older model?

The dog no longer in style may be dumped (literally), abandoned, neglected, or killed. It may be delivered to the dog pound, sold to an equally unqualified owner, left on the side of the road in the next town, set loose to find its own way . . . somewhere.

Such dogs, likely having had little training or real care, may become a menace to smaller dogs, cats, or people. They often develop personality disorders and serious health problems. A few find their way to no-kill shelters with compassionate, well-trained rehabilitators and foster homes.

A nearly hidden side to the problem is where the dogs come from. There are many reputable breeders who can meet normal demand. However, when a breed becomes wildly popular, there is a business opportunity for anyone interested in the money. Puppy mills spring up.

These are backyard operations that often lack the basics for a well managed dog breeding business. Problems may include: no proper prenatal care for the dam (mother), no selectivity when choosing a sire (father), inadequate nutrition for the adults and puppies, and unsanitary conditions. Careless inbreeding (breeding close relatives such as siblings or parent and offspring without knowing how to do it properly) and overbreeding (too many litters for the female) can also occur, as the breeders rush production to meet demand.

Physical deformities can result from some of these problems, and those puppies are considered waste products and treated as such. Behavioral problems may result in the same treatment, unless the behaviors begin to appear when the puppies are older, and that makes them the problem of the new dog owner. If the new dog owner has bought the puppy as a status symbol and is unprepared or unwilling to provide the guidance, training and possibly therapy needed, the tragedy continues.

While Hollywood is not the only impetus for irresponsible dog ownership, the power of the media to influence many people, for good or ill, remains a fact of life and in the case of too many dogs, it is a very sad fact of life.

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