http://www.belgianshepherdrescue.com.au/blog/the-high-price-of-breed-fame
In 1998 and 1999 alone, 5000 Dalmatians passed through California shelters. Most were put to death. You might be asking yourself what this has got to do with Belgian Shepherds. Well it just so turns out that the rise in popularity of the Dalmatian was due to the hugely successful remake of the Disney film ‘101 Dalmatians’. The movie was released in 1996 causing an unprecedented number of Dalmatians to be sold worldwide in what has since become know as the ‘101 Dalmatian Effect’. Every child suddenly wanted a spotty puppy, and the Dalmatian soon became the
dogue du jour. Fast forward 2 years and you have thousands of families with large, highly energetic, aggressive and stubborn adult dogs who eventually ended up at the mercy of overcrowded shelters.
With the upcoming feature film
‘Max’ (you can watch the trailer
here) set to hit theatres in a couple of months, we at Belgian Shepherd Rescue Australia can’t help but shake in our boots at the prospect of thousands of unwanted Malinois in the near future.
Being obvious lovers of Belgian Shepherds the release of this film is a double-edged sword. On one hand the movie
could prove to be a wonderful showcase of the loyalty, drive and intelligence of our treasured breed. The film
might serve to increase the number of adoptions of Belgians from shelters and rescue. On the other hand though the film will more than likely ignite a frenzy of underprepared Belgian Shepherd owners – who have little regard where the dog has come from – and not all of those owners will be mentally or physically equipped for the reality of a “Maligator”.
The other issue with this sudden surge in popularity, and one that the Dalmatian as a breed is still recovering from, is backyard breeding and puppy farming. Due to the high demand for Dalmatians in the 1990s every man and his dog (‘scuse the pun) decided to make a quick buck by breeding Dalmatians. This blatant disregard for the health or temperament of Dams and Sires introduced a myriad of medical and behavioural issues into the bloodlines of the Dalmatian which are sadly still being dealt with today.
Malinois are already an ‘up and coming’ breed in terms of popularity. The breed has seen a massive increase in numbers in Australia over the last ten years, which shows no sign of slowing down. They are becoming renowned for their use in the military and now Police force - replacing positions traditionally held by German Shepherds for security and protection, and Labradors and Beagles for search, rescue and tracking. The versatility of the Malinois is only now becoming widely recognised.
The problem with films like Max is that it romanticises a challenging breed. It fails to demonstrate the time, dedication and massive amount of training that goes in to those dogs used for professional working roles. It often takes years with a dedicated and experienced team of professionals to produce the well-rounded, controlled canines you see. It doesn’t happen overnight, and the dogs do not come pre-programmed as well-mannered and highly trained canines!
If you find yourself inspired by the film to go out and get yourself a Mali and have never owned one before we urge you – especially if you are considering a puppy – to do your research. Talk to (and source puppies from) registered, ethical breeders or rescues and decide if you have and are willing to give the time, effort and energy to a Malinois.
The increase in popularity due to the film will inevitably cause a spike in popularity of the breed, just what effect this will have in the future remains to be seen.
