Do Scriptwriters Just Not Know Dogs?

[Karen]

We just watched "The Brave One" - the Jodie Foster film that just came out on DVD. Our biggest problem with it was with the dog that is central to the story. Anybody who has seen it?

Don't want to spoil the film for anyone who hasn't seen it, and wants to, so if you plan to see it, stop reading here.


























ANY dog I have ever had would have bitten the bad guys if I was being hurt. Never mind a German Shepherd! What were they thinking? How could they NOT factor that in? Maybe if it were a small dog, like a Shih Tzu, that they could have knocked unconscious or something and stuffed in a bag so he couldn't bite, but a Shepherd?

[Karen]

I just moved this to Dog General - see, even we moderators sometimes put threads in the wrong spot!

[pitc9]

I just moved this to Dog General - see, even we moderators sometimes put threads in the wrong spot!

LOL! Thanks for the laugh Karen!

I've only seen a preview for the movie once and didn't notice what kind of dog it was.
So... in this movie, bad guys jump her in a park... right? They beat her and her dog that's a German Shepherd? HA!! I laugh!

Yeah, I think that one can be chalked up to bad writing!

With Buddy... that would never happen. When Buddy and I go for walks he's not only looking in front of us, he's always checking behind us too so those bad guys wouldn't even have gotten within a few feet of me.

[Pam]

ANY dog I have ever had would have bitten the bad guys if I was being hurt.

I didn't see the movie so maybe I shouldn't comment. I have never had a dog that would have bitten someone attacking me. I can imagine that there would be a lot of barking at such a person though. Fortunately I have never had to test that out. Ripley does show his pearly whites when Harlee comes close to me and he is on my lap. I guess he feels he is protecting me but that is about as close as it gets.

[Rachel]

I had this reaction about the movie Must Love Dogs. I thought it wasn't a very good movie for a variety of reasons, but if one is doing a screen play with the love of dogs being a central part of the theme, at least do some good research.

[Karen]

The dog doesn't get beat up in the movie, but the people do.

Our first St. Bernard, Freckles, was the epitome of the breed: sweet, gentle, fabulous with children, sensitive as can be. We told people the most dangerous part of her was her tail. But when my Dad, just for fun, pretended to try to swing a fist at my mom (something he would never, ever, ever do for real) Freckles would catch his fist in her mouth and hold it there before it ever got near Ma. And the one time there was actual crime in the neighborhood, Freckles, who normally was snoring loudest of all, barked insistently out the back door enough so that I got out of bed, peered blurrily out, saw nothing and said "Nothing out there, silly, go to sleep."

She was right - the neighbors across the field from that door got burgled that night. Thankfully no one was hurt, or I'd not have forgiven myself.

[Sparklecoon]

The dog doesn't get beat up in the movie, but the people do.

Our first St. Bernard, Freckles, was the epitome of the breed: sweet, gentle, fabulous with children, sensitive as can be. We told people the most dangerous part of her was her tail. But when my Dad, just for fun, pretended to try to swing a fist at my mom (something he would never, ever, ever do for real) Freckles would catch his fist in her mouth and hold it there before it ever got near Ma.

Along the same lines Sarah, my Golden growing up would mouth my mom's arm and pull at her if she tickled my brother or I.

And the one time there was actual crime in the neighborhood, Freckles, who normally was snoring loudest of all, barked insistently out the back door enough so that I got out of bed, peered blurrily out, saw nothing and said "Nothing out there, silly, go to sleep."

She was right - the neighbors across the field from that door got burgled that night. Thankfully no one was hurt, or I'd not have forgiven myself.

We had much the same happen. A few summers back in the wee hours the dogs started growling and barking at the window. We thought they were crazy and forgot about it til the next day when the Sheriff came over and told us our neighbor had been robbed. Thankfully he wasn't home as guns were stolen from the UNLOCKED gun cabinet .

I know for sure my pups would growl and show some teeth if I was come at in an agressive manner (only than). As such the only thing I really worry about on our nightly walks is wearing reflective clothing.

[leansnslobbers]

Sadly, it's heard all too often about people who own dogs, even guardian breeds, who are attacked while with the dog, and the dog does nothing.

It happens all the time.

Plus, and I'm not downing German Shepherds at all, but poorly bred shepherds are notorious for tucking tail and running when the going gets tough. I used to petsit for someone who owned German Shepherds, and they were the biggest chickens in the world. If you said "Boo" they ran.

I've had the unfortunate chance to find out that my great dane will not only menace someone who is threatening me, but will engage them as well. Not all dogs will do this, despite the scary growling/showing teeth display. That's just a warning. When push comes to shove, a lot of dogs will back down and flee.

[cyber-sibes]

Sibes are some of the friendliest dogs around, friends to everyone they meet. But I've seen Star, when she perceives one of "her pack" is being threatened, charge in and use her teeth on the offending dog to defend her own. (She thinks she's the only one allowed to pick on them ). I'd like to think she'd do that for me too, but I couldn't say for sure.

Haven't seen this movie, but when 8 Below came out, I kept thinking that it looked really fake the way those huskies backed away from the food they gave Maya. None of my other dogs ever did that, they'd turn around to go the other way. Much to my surprise, Jack is an expert at baking up just like that- He does it all the time!

So maybe sometimes, we just haven't seen the behavior Hollywood depicts.

[tikeyas_mom]

I actually just watched that movie yesterday!! And I was thinking the same thing.. Why the heck wouldnt that dog be freaking attacking those guys!!! I guess it was scared?? who the heck knows.. it just bounced around jumping lol. Well I guess dogs cant really act, its the trainers fault haha..
I thoguht that movie was kinda bunk anyways, as if she would just go on a crazy killing spree for no apparent reason lol.

[3muttsandaboston]

The dog was actually a belgian malinois I believe. None of my dogs would bite anyone no matter what they were doing to me I believe they are too sweet. lol They wouldn't go running up to strangers though like the dog did in the movie.

[lizbud]

ANY dog I have ever had would have bitten the bad guys if I was being hurt. Never mind a German Shepherd! What were they thinking? How could they NOT factor that in? Maybe if it were a small dog, like a Shih Tzu, that they could have knocked unconscious or something and stuffed in a bag so he couldn't bite, but a Shepherd?

This is also true of my Buddy. He would definately have defended me
with his life. Not so with Maggie or Smokey. They would bark, but that's
about it. I would guess this writer knew nothing about different breeds.

[3muttsandaboston]

http://www.ahafilm.info/movies/mr.phtml?fid=7844 A link telling more about the dogs in the movie.

[Karen]

Thanks for the link, I really couldn't tell if "Curtis the Dog" was played by a Malinois or a Shepherd, but temperamentally and training-wise, they are much the same for the use in this role and movie. Malinois as far as I know can be even MORE protective than some Shepherds are.

[bckrazy]

I would be SHOCKED if a Malinois just jumped around while their owner was actually being assaulted! That part of the movie annoyed me, too.

I know that both of my dogs would do everything they could to protect me. Gonzo has proven that he would, even though he has never hurt anyone. Fozzie loves everyone and everything, but he can also tell when some one is not acting right, and he can be very suspicious of weird strangers. I think the ONLY time either of them would bite some one was if they were seriously coming after me or anyone in the family... I would expect ANY well-bonded dog to protect their family, no matter how sweet the dog normally is.