Nat Geo new show 'Alpha Dogs' Good or Bad for WLs?

[Gwenhwyfair]

I gotta admit when I saw the first trailer I got a knot in my stomach.

The show is about Von Liche Kennels located in Indiana training police and military dogs.

How will this affect Malinois and GSDs? Will it cause more of the 'macho' I want a 'bad' dog effect? Will it drive up the price for working line dogs and Malis more due to increased demand for the breeds?

I don't want to pre-judge but historically this sort of attention has not bode well as popularity seems to increase problems within breeds. As my trainer said this week (he knows some of the trainers in the show too) anyhoo as he said 'there goes the Malis'.

The kennel starring in the show is advertising that they are now increasing their kennel capacity size to 500 dogs.

Welcome to Vohne Liche Kennels - Bomb Dogs, Drug Dogs, Police Dogs, Narcotic Dogs, Cadaver Dogs

[Gwenhwyfair]

Link to Nat Geo site and show information: Alpha Dogs | Nat Geo Wild

[Blitzkrieg1]

The interest in actually working dogs has been on the decline for a long time just ask the veterens, hopefully this show will raise awareness and interest in what these dogs can do. More people interested in working their dogs and purchasing dogs for the purpose of sport/work is not a bad thing. You cant spend your life trying to hide under a rock because more interest will lead to less savory sorts becoming involved. Will their be more idiots around sure, theres already plenty..but ulimately more interest in these dogs actually doing more then being just pets isnt a bad thing.

[Capone22]

I just hope it makes people realize that these dogs are no joke and NEED a job. And not ruin the breed by creating more byb GSD and mals.


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[Jax08]

They currently have 150 dogs for sale. So what happens to the wash outs and the ones not sold in a reasonable time frame?

[Shaolin]

I saw the trailer for the show and it didn't sit well. They are running the commercials constantly. I feel like this could be a bad thing; everytime a popular TV show or movie comes out that prominently features a dog, that breed becomes super popular. After the movie Bolt came out, people were constantly asking what breeder my dog came from so they could get one just like mine. I was never so happy to say that Finn came from her very last litter.

I can see the popularity of Malis and GSDs going through the roof, but what's worse is that there's going to be a whole ton of half trained protection dogs running around. I don't know anything about protection training much past bite work, but I know that, in the wrong hands, a bite work trained dog is not a good thing.

I can see people running out to buy these high drive GSDs and Malis, but what's going to happen is in a year, there's going to be a huge explosion of these dogs in shelters due to BYBs churning out as many puppies as their dogs can make or from owners who bought a pup from a reputable breeder, but don't understand the commitment it takes to get your dog to the level that they are showing on the show.

It's going to be interesting, no matter what.

[onyx'girl]

I think the problem may be the people deciding they can 'train' dogs themselves as a new career and all these new PP trainers will pop up. I have one in my area that solicits on CL and other internet classifieds....either asking for free decoy work, will train your dog as a PP, or in need of sleeves! Stupid.
I'm looking forward to watching the show. I don't look forward to what effect it may have on the general public, but I don't think it will make people decide to breed and market the breeds that are shown.
One of the episodes was filmed in MI(Michigan Impossible)

[Gwenhwyfair]

Fair point but I was talking to a LEO just a week ago about why they don't have a K9 unit, cost was the number one reason.

If this show drives up demand (more? It has been commented since 9/11/01 and homeland security awareness and demand for WL have been up?) ...but if it drives up demand the possibility is more LE agencies, especially local/county will be priced out of having K9s.

Normally when I get a strong 'oh no' type reaction.....I pay attention. This show worries me and I think the negative scenarios have greater potential to outweigh the positive not only for LE but for those of us wanting dogs for protection sports.

Originally Posted by Blitzkrieg1

The interest in actually working dogs has been on the decline for a long time just ask the veterens, hopefully this show will raise awareness and interest in what these dogs can do. More people interested in working their dogs and purchasing dogs for the purpose of sport/work is not a bad thing. You cant spend your life trying to hide under a rock because more interest will lead to less savory sorts becoming involved. Will their be more idiots around sure, theres already plenty..but ulimately more interest in these dogs actually doing more then being just pets isnt a bad thing.

[Gwenhwyfair]

Yup I agree, trainers I have worked with were already getting enough calls from people wanting 'attack' dogs.

Awareness is good, a really thoughtful documentary show about these dogs would be great but this type of 'reality' format IMHO lends itself more to the drama the emotions not education.

Originally Posted by onyx'girl

I think the problem may be the people deciding they can 'train' dogs themselves as a new career and all these new PP trainers will pop up. I have one in my area that solicits on CL and other internet classifieds....either asking for free decoy work, will train your dog as a PP, or in need of sleeves! Stupid.
I'm looking forward to watching the show. I don't look forward to what effect it may have on the general public, but I don't think it will make people decide to breed and market the breeds that are shown.
One of the episodes was filmed in MI(Michigan Impossible)

[martemchik]

Working dogs are already growing in popularity. "Dark Sable" is clearly the IT GSD to have right now. It used to be everyone wanted a good ol' American Black and Tan, now I'm seeing all sorts of working lines pop in and out of my training club. Sadly, some of these people aren't doing the research and don't have the dedication I did when I first got my boy and then fell in love with dog training.

We get a bunch of macho guys that come through with a puppy that is clearly unstable bragging about how brave he is and planning on doing Schutzhund all the while the 5 month old pup is fear barking at my full grown boy who's just looking at him with a puzzled look on his face.

Working dogs are already popular...I have a neighbor with a Mal...they don't work him in anything, although somehow the guy has gotten him to be a pretty obedient dog, I just wish he'd do something with him. We talked about agility once but I don't think that ever amounted to anything.

Look at this forum when someone asks for a good breeder...people rarely recommend a show line breeder. Once in a while Robin gets her name thrown in there, but usually its the standard 5 that we all know on this forum. I know this is mostly due to the fact that a majority of us have working lines, but still, we're recommending working line dogs to people that we have no idea what their commitment level to anything is or will be.

I actually hope the show makes "regulated" protection sports more popular. As it sits, my area doesn't have one within an hour of it, and I'm in Milwaukee. I wish we had a Schutzhund training place closer to us, that would really take a hurdle out of me doing it.