Dogs in the Media

Dogs are a very popular companion pet, so it is common that dogs are used in the media, whether they are used in commercials to help push products or even have entire television shows revolve around the dog.  Anyone heard of Lassie or Rin Tin Tin?  Dogs are a feel good animal, and many people find them to be so stinkin' cute.  What great marketing material! 

As a child, I remember reading books from the series Clifford, the Big Red Dog.  The premise of Clifford was that he was the smallest dog in his litter, but grew to be 25+ feet tall.  I remember reading these books as a child thinking about how cool that would be to have a dog that large to climb on.  I would dream about all the fun places we could go.  Clifford was also turned into a television series. 

Another well-known dog in the media is Lassie.  Lassie was a popular television series that ran from 1954-1974.  The premise of each show centered around Timmy getting into some trouble and the dog running off to warn the family that he needed help.  Lassie is one of only a few animals to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  Although Lassie aired before I was born, I remember watching it in syndication and the show still remains popular to this day. 

Rin Tin Tin, K-9 Cop was a television series that ran in the late 80's and early 90's.  It followed the crime fighting lives of a Canine Officer and his dog partner, Rudy. 

Anyone remember the movie Beethoven from the 1992?  The movie plot followed the slobbery life of a St. Bernard wrecking havoc on a house.  The family's veterinarian secretly wanted to kill it and tried to stage a fake attack to have the dog euthanized.  In the end, the vet was ousted and Beethoven was returned to the family to slobber away.

I'm sure there are many more movies or television shows that highlight dogs, but my point is that it is a popular topic.  Not only are they featured in television shows or movies, but companies use them in commercials for marketing purposes and the "cuteness factor".  Many celebrities tote their dogs everywhere, tweet about them, and talk about them to media outlets.  Dogs are faithful companions, easy marketing tools, and a great discussion topic.  I have yet to meet someone that doesn't have a dog story!