Dog Trainers Warn Fans Not To Buy Channing Tatum’s ‘DOG’ Breed

Actor Channing Tatum didn't anticipate this backlash when he was filming his movie "DOG."

The official synopsis reads: "With a dog named Lulu by his side, Army Ranger Briggs races down the Pacific Coast to make it to a soldier's funeral on time. Along the way, Briggs and Lulu drive each other completely crazy, break a handful of laws, narrowly evade death, and learn to let down their guards to have a fighting chance of finding happiness."

The dog Lulu is played by three different doggy actors in the movie. Everyone has been asking about the breed of the dog to find their own lovable canine companion, but vets are warning that owning a Belgian Malinois is a bad idea.

On Tuesday, law enforcement agent and canine trainer Shane Ross warned the public that the Belgian Malinois breed is not as friend as it looks on screen. The Facebook post, which has since gone viral, begins, “There is a movie coming out on Feb 18 called ‘Dog’. It stars Chanum Tatum and a highly trained Belgian Malinois. It's a road trip/buddy movie.”

“People are going to see this film and many will want their own Belgian Malinois,” he continued. “This is not going to end well for this breed.”

“A highly trained Malinois is a work of art,” he continued. “So is Michelangelo's statue of David but I don't necessarily want it in my living room.”

“This breed can be amazing in the right hands but they require a lot of everything,” he explained. “If you are considering getting a Malinois, please, first go meet some Malinois of all ages at your local rescue.”

“Be honest with yourself about the amount of time that you have to dedicate to training one of these dogs,” he added. “Not the person that you want to be but the person that you are right now. Sitting on you’re a-- and reading this post.”

“If you are still determined to get one. You can stem the inevitable tidal wave of Malinois that will be surrendered to the shelters by sourcing your dog in one of 3 places:

Your local shelter

A local Malinois rescue

A real, ethical breeder (researching one is hard work but an ethical breeder will prove their dogs and require that you return the dog to them if you can't keep it)”

“DO NOT get a Malinois from the guy down the street,” he added. “Don't help backyard breeders line their pockets. Pure bred doesn't equal good breeding.”

“If you see the popularity of these dogs sky rocket and think you can make a quick buck by breeding some. May all of your financial ventures fail one after another,” he warned.

“From the bottom of my heart, I love this breed,” he continued. “I know what's coming and so do the shelters and rescues.”

His statement was echoed by Alpha Instincts Dog Training, who got people’s attention with a photograph of a K-9 named Arco.

“Tomorrow, the movie "Dog", starring Channing Tatum, will be officially released in theaters,” they wrote in a separate Facebook post.

“It features a well-trained Belgian Malinois in a light-hearted, road-trip film traveling across the States with an Army Ranger to attend her original handlers' funeral,” they continued. “While this film does touch on a few of the growing pains & learning curves that come with owning a ‘Maligator’, many will still want to go out and bring one home as a pet—as they did when John Wick III came out.”

“As Shane Doss mentioned in his viral post, ‘A highly-trained Malinois is a work of art. So is Michelangelo's statue of David, but I don't necessarily want it in my living room. This breed can be exceptional in the right hands, but they require a lot of everything.’”

“These dogs require an incredible amount of dedication to training, and rescues are already bracing for the influx that will inevitably follow when people realize why this breed is primarily used for military & police work,” they continued. “They thrive off of working; they literally exist for it.”

“They are not going to be couch potatoes,” they added. “They are not well-equipped to just be a running buddy. They are not going to protect you without extensive, professional training.”

They quoted Ross again, saying, “‘Be honest with yourself about the amount of time you have to dedicate to training one of these dogs—not the person you want to be, but the person you are RIGHT NOW.’”

“Hollywood has a history of romanticizing animals, and backyard breeders are just waiting to make a quick buck off ignorance,” they warned. “Please, even if you simply love the idea of this breed, do your research.”

One vet took to Twitter to warn the public of the dangers of owning a Malinois with a meme from 1992’s “A Few Good Men.”

“Where my people at? Dog with Channing Tatum is released tomorrow featuring a highly trained Belgian Malinois,” the tweet read. “We stand firm as a community that most people should not own this breed.”

“They are a strong breed that needs an experienced handler. Not for everyone,” one comment said.

“I know I can’t!” another wrote.

“Agreed,” said another user.

“Oh no, seriously? This will be bad, sales will skyrocket!😱 I'm a vet and wouldn't dream of owning one, I know my canine limits,” another shared. “I can't bear to think what will happen to so many of these dogs and some of these people.”

As Shane Ross suggested, anyone looking to purchase a Malinois should do their research and speak to an experienced handler before considering adoption.