I saw a commercial for this new show coming out on Feb 8th and the entire thing was showing Malinois behaving 'viciously'. Teeth showing, lunging with teeth showing, barking with teeth showing, spit flying because teeth are showing. It's a show about a 'kennel' that trains dogs for police and military work.

All I can think about when I saw this commercial is poor fear aggressive Phoenix who was beaten by his owner to make him mean for attack/guard work. Phoenix was a sweet, kind hearted dog who was plagued with the nightmares he'd suffered for 6 years and had to be put down because of his behavioral issues.
The commercial I saw made me feel sick to my stomach thinking of the hundreds of dogs that are going to be abused and neglected because stupid people will see the show and think they need a working dog. The same stupid people who produce resource guarding fear biters because they watched that creep Milan wage mental war on peoples pets as the 'owners' stood by with their heads up their asses.

Am I just a bleeding heart and jaded by working with countless dogs who've suffered from extreme human stupidity?

Sam;

I think most of us are hoping that they will show that training protection dogs is NOT about beatings and viciousness, but rather about controlled, disciplined training. The previews that I have visited gave me no sense that they would present an inhumane approach. I also doubt that the humane society censors that have to sign off on production will allow anything abusive to be portrayed.

JMO

Yet they allow quacks like Milan to remain on TV for years while he plays hell with dogs minds and forces them to be anything but calm submissive. You don't have to take your shoe off and beat a dog in the face to abuse him.

I hope it's a good show, but the preview I saw? That's just begging freaks and idiots to watch it and get their jollies off thinking about having a big bad Shepherd or Mal at the end of their leash. Just like that show 'Pit Boss' portraying pit bulls being the ultimate dog for thugs and wannabes.

JMO

These perceptions already exist.

"Pitbulls and Parolees" is exactly the same kind of junk that I hope this doesn't model itself after, as referred to in the other thread about this show. My hope, and I think this would be seconded by Mary and many others here, is that this show be a vehicle to break thru these perceptions.

You might very well be right. I hope not. We'll have to wait, watch, and see.

I withhold judgement until I see a few episodes.

And here's the other thread already started by Brian about this show.

http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=33084&page=1#373064

I too will withhold judgment. I admit, though, the first thing that crossed my mind was I hope this will not add fuel to the already growing desire by many of the general pet-owning public or tough-guy wannabees to own a Belgian Malinois. So many other breeds have already gone down that unfortunate path.

Here is the video .

Here's their website
http://www.vohneliche.com

While I too am withholding judgment I have a fear that even from the commercials this show even if unintentionally will perpetuate the growing negative image that certain breeds are viscous. I mean someone seriously could have been a little more tactful when choosing to highlight the fact that these trainers look like a biker gang. All the snarling and teeth baring does nothing but try to show these dogs are bad asses.

And the website for the show itself:

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/wild/alpha-dogs/

Based on the websites, the trainers seem to have the best interest of working dogs in mind; "training a dog to do work in water for a charitable organization...". I just hope the editors share this perspective. Hopefully the youtube trailer is just advertising hype, and the show itself provides solid info.

Thanks for presenting another viewpoint, Sam.