Charley's mom walked out when he was young, and his dad is a beer - bellied slob (played by one - time Calvin Klein model Travis Fimmel, here
looking more like the redneck version of his
rugged «Vikings» character), not a bad guy, but no role model either, getting drunk after work and using what remains of his homecoming - king charm to bring home local women (it's a part better
suited to Steve Zahn, who appears later, miscast as an abusive, borderline - homeless man).
While human interference played a role in this dog's present day
look and demeanor, nature is what ultimately shaped its genetic makeup from the start, creating the perfect canine beast
suited to dominate the
rugged highlands of the Caucasus Mountain Ranges.