Dog obedience and training > Information > Dog etiquette on the street

Dog etiquette on the street

By Ty Brown

Europe is a wonderful continent to visit. The historical landmarks, natural wonders, and delectable cuisine are huge draws for tourists the world over. Go to Europe and you will notice something very different than the United States other than the architecture and food. You will see dogs everywhere. Dogs in the hotels, in the cafes and restaurants, in the stores. Dogs have much more liberty on this continent.

I love Europe. I have had the opportunity to travel in many European countries. I even lived in Spain for two years. Throughout my experiences I have come to the following conclusion. It isn’t that Europe is ‘dog-friendly’. The main difference is that Europeans better understand dog etiquette. They generally understand better than Americans that every dog should have training and should have an understanding of boundaries. As a result, dogs can be in busy environments without causing havoc. So it isn’t that the public is dog friendly, its just that dogs don’t cause as many problems. Can you imagine what would happen if the owners of several of the dogs in your neighborhood started taking their dogs to outdoor cafes and to stores and on busy city streets? My bet is that they would get kicked out and asked not to return.

Don't get me wrong here. I am not America bashing. I am American and I love my country. I just have happened to notice a difference with respect to dog culture on these two continents.

I propose that as responsible dog owners we should be able to take our dogs to public places. This means, however, that we have a big task to do to make sure that our dogs are not public nuisances.

• Dogs should have adequate obedience training. It is obviously a liability to take your dog in public if he doesn’t listen to a single command.

• Dogs in public should be kept on leash. In most places this is the law but it also happens to be proper dog etiquette.

• Dogs should not be allowed to go up to anyone on their own. When you are out in public you don’t know who is a dog lover and who isn’t. Some people are deathly afraid of dogs and any approaching dog can cause panic or worse. Play it safe and only allow your dog to meet people who ask to meet your dog.

• All dogs should be trained not to jump on people. What a horrible way for your dog to greet strangers.

• Teach your dog a proper recall. How many times have you been at a park or a beach and an unwelcome canine visitor interrupts your picnic or family event? Moments later a harried owner comes running up screaming for the dog to return, all the while the dog is trying to get to your plate of food. The only thing worse than this is the owner who doesn’t even bother to come retrieve his or her dog.

• Do not let your dog run free in the neighborhood. This is terribly dangerous for your dog. Loose dogs are prone to being sent to the pound, hit by a car, poisoned by annoyed neighbors, or adopted by a new family. Not only that, it is poor dog etiquette to set your dog loose in the neighborhood. Loose dogs invade back yards, defecate on neighbors lawns, chase neighbor’s cats, harass children, and generally have poor manners.

• Teach your dog the down stay for when you open the door to visitors. When people come to your door it might scare them to have a dog rush out the door when it opens. I know, I know. It is your house, you should be able to do what you want. You are right. However, I am not talking about dog owner rights, I am talking about dog etiquette. I believe that if dog owners could abide by these rules of dog etiquette that the United States wouldn’t be decidedly dog ‘un-friendly’.