Since popular culture influences almost every aspect of our lives, it is not surprising that a new study found that movies that feature dogs can have a serious impact on dog breed popularity, the effect lasting up to ten years. Further, according to new research from the University of Bristol, the City University of New York, and Western Carolina University, the impact is associated with the success of the film and movies’ influence was strongest in the early 20^th century.

For instance, the 1943 movie Lassie Come Home is responsible for the 40 percent increase of Collie registrations in the American Kennel Club in the following two years and The Shaggy Dog attributed to a 100-fold increase in Old English Sheepdog registrations following the 1959 movie.

Professor Stefano Ghirlanda, lead author of the study, described some of the principles of the research.

“We focused on changes in trend popularity rather than on popularity itself to avoid attributing to movies trends that were already ongoing before movie release, as up-trending breeds may have been chosen more often for movies.”

Hal Herzog, co-author of the paper, explained that the popularity of the breed has nothing to do with breed health and temperament.