Ruh-Roh! Here We Go Again: Why the New Scooby-Doo Film Makes Dog Trainers Nervous
- RuffStartDogTraining
- Jun 15
- 3 min read
Scooby-Doo is technically a Great Dane, but the issue isn't specifically Great Danes—it's the pattern we've seen repeatedly with Dalmatians after 101 Dalmatians, Border Collies after Babe, Chihuahuas after Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Huskies after snow dogs, Game of Thrones, and so on.
The announcement of a new Scooby-Doo film has dog trainers, rescue centres, and shelter workers everywhere making exactly the same face:
"Ruh-roh."
Don't get me wrong. I love Scooby-Doo.
I grew up watching Scooby and the gang driving around in the Mystery Machine, somehow solving crimes despite appearing to have absolutely no investigative qualifications whatsoever.
But every time Hollywood puts a dog breed front and centre, a familiar cycle begins.
And it's about as predictable as Scooby finding a sandwich.
Step 1: Everyone Wants One
A new film comes out.
The dog is funny.
The dog is lovable.
The dog saves the day.
The dog has a quirky personality.
Suddenly thousands of people decide they absolutely need that breed in their life.
Not because they've researched the breed.
Not because it suits their lifestyle.
Not because they understand its exercise, training, or behavioural needs.
No.
Because a cartoon dog made them laugh for ninety minutes.
Step 2: The Backyard Breeders Smell Money
You can almost hear the cash registers ringing.
The moment a breed becomes popular, backyard breeders and puppy farmers start rubbing their hands together.
Demand shoots up.
Prices go up.
Social media fills with adverts.
"Rare colour!"
"Last few left!"
"Ready now!"
"Perfect family pets!"
And somehow every puppy is apparently descended from canine royalty.
What nobody talks about is temperament, health testing, genetics, or whether the people buying them have any idea what they're taking on.
Step 3: Reality Arrives
Here's the bit that never makes it into the film.
The puppy grows up.
The puppy starts chewing furniture.
The puppy needs training.
The puppy develops breed-specific behaviours.
The puppy discovers that your favourite shoes are actually a chew toy.
The puppy starts costing money.
The puppy turns out to be an actual living animal rather than a furry accessory.
And suddenly the dream isn't quite as dreamy.
Step 4: The Shelters Pay the Price
This is the part that stops being funny.
A few years after every breed boom comes the inevitable flood of dogs into rescues and shelters.
Families discover the breed wasn't right for them.
Behaviour problems develop.
Medical issues emerge.
Life circumstances change.
And rescue organisations are left picking up the pieces.
The dogs pay the price for decisions humans made.
Again.
Marley & Me: The Film I Secretly Hate
Now before anyone grabs a pitchfork, yes, I know it's a beloved film.
People tell me they cried.
People tell me it's heartwarming.
People tell me it's one of the greatest dog films ever made.
I tell them it's two hours of watching people repeatedly ignore a dog's needs and then act surprised when chaos follows.
Marley wasn't a bad dog.
He was a Labrador.
A young, energetic, intelligent Labrador.
The film presented behaviour that many trainers look at and think:
"Well yes... that's exactly what happens when you have a high-energy dog and don't give them enough guidance."
The problem is that many people watched Marley & Me and came away wanting a Labrador.
They didn't necessarily come away understanding Labradors.
There's a difference.
Dogs Are Not Movie Characters
Scooby-Doo is entertaining because he's fictional.
Marley was entertaining because someone else had to live with him.
Real dogs are wonderful.
But they're also work.
They need exercise.
They need training.
They need patience.
They need consistency.
And they deserve owners who choose them because they're the right fit, not because they're currently trending.
Before You Buy Any Dog...
Ask yourself:
Why do I want this breed?
What were they originally bred to do?
Can I realistically meet their needs?
What happens when they're no longer a puppy?
Have I considered adopting instead?
If the answer to the first question is, "Because I saw one in a film," you may need to do a little more homework.
The Real Mystery
The biggest mystery isn't who the villain is.
It's why we keep repeating the same cycle.
Film comes out.
Breed becomes popular.
Backyard Breeders cash in.
Shelters fill up.
Rescues work overtime.
Everyone acts surprised.
Then we do it all over again with the next famous dog.
If history teaches us anything, somewhere out there a rescue centre has already started preparing for the inevitable wave of future Scoobys.
"If a film makes you fall in love with a breed, brilliant. Just make sure you're falling in love with the real dog, not the movie version."
Ruh-roh indeed.
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