A couple of cute movie previews

For those of you that love a good laugh, here are a couple of darling dog movie trailers to watch. I loved the book Marley and Me, and I like Jennifer Anniston a lot, so I’m really looking forward to this one.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua, on the other hand, may be really cute, but it will cause a huge rush to buy Chihuahuas for Christmas, and I hate to think what that will do to the breed. We are already overrun with poorly bred dogs.

Disney did Dalmatians a disservice with their movie, 101 Dalmatians. Now with this new movie, I’m afraid the damage will be worse, because Chis are already so popular. A poorly bred one can be a little biting machine, snotty and bossy, terrorizing the whole family. People tend to spoil them because they are so small and baby-like.

Basic obedience training, just like you do with a Lab, helps ensure a well-adjusted, well-behaved family pet. People get rid of an out of control big dog, while a little ankle-biter is often tolerated. Neither is a good pet, and neither suffers a happy fate at the hands of overburdened shelters.

Labs are the number one breed in the US already, and Marley and Me will certainly contribute to their popularity. Instead of warning people off with this big goofy dog’s destructive adventures, people will laugh and think it’s fun to have a out-of-control galump of a dog crashing around an apartment. And I haven’t even seen the movie yet.

I could regale you with tales of Tank, our yellow Lab, who settled down at the age of 11 and became a normal pet. Labs have the best sense of humor in the world, and are tons of fun, but not trained, they are a freight train running off the track- right at your china cabinet. It’s not as funny when it happens in your house. Over 10 years volunteering for Lab Rescue showed me that a lot of people have no idea what they are getting into when they buy a Lab. They aren't cute little puppies for very long.

So look at Marley and Me with the perspective of “This is a warming: do not try this at home.”  Train your dog. Or don’t get one.

Enjoy the movies!

Shown above: Tank, my Lab, doing what he loved- playing with kids.