12 Comments

  1. Sabina
    May 22, 2012 @ 8:26 pm

    It’s interesting that you’ve found that the more smashed together people are in their living situations, the more they want to get outside. That makes sense. I actually wrote a post about the animals in restaurants issue last week. You almost never see this in the U.S., but where I am now in Dahab, Egypt it is as common as the sun. Stray cats and dogs are everywhere, and literally as I write this in a restaurant on the beach a cat is sleeping beside me. I love having stray cats wandering around, but some people don’t. I think in the U.S. we need to become a little less uptight about this, don’t you?

    • Andrew
      May 23, 2012 @ 7:57 pm

      I would definitely mind a hyper barking dog in a restaurant in the US. Here I don’t mind because they are quiet and stay where they should. The stray cats as well. They are cute and fine on the ground, even meowing softly for scraps. But if one jumped up on the table and started into my plate, I would be quite upset I think.

  2. Annie
    May 21, 2012 @ 1:24 pm

    I love dogs too and I think a lot of people would love to have one.. This is a great idea actually to some people.. Great post shared for us..

  3. Natalie
    May 20, 2012 @ 5:02 am

    Turkey has a big problem with street dogs and not a lot of Turks will take dogs into their houses. The expats actually do a good job of helping and getting donations to help with neutering etc.

    • Andrew
      May 20, 2012 @ 10:25 am

      Street dogs and street cats from what I remember seeing while we were there. That is good to see the expats making some positive changes.

  4. Jeremy Branham
    May 19, 2012 @ 7:57 am

    In reading this information about dogs, this sounds a lot like California. I know a lot of towns here have the same things. Dogs aren’t allowed in that many restaurants although some do allow them. There are bags along the trails to pick up after them and there are numerous dog parks around here (including one down the street).

    Maybe I’ve been in California or some other places that do this. I like that Germany has this attitude towards dogs but I think some places in the US do this as well. Maybe it’s because I’ve had dogs my entire life so I am used to seeing what is out there and what is allowed.

    Only thing I don’t like out here is not everyone picks up after their dog even when the bags are on the trails.

    • Andrew
      May 20, 2012 @ 10:22 am

      Not EVERYONE does it here too either, but a larger proportion than I would expect.

      I expect the bigger more urban cities in the US have similar qualities as the more urban societies here too. I have seen dog parks here, but I couldn’t tell you where as I don’t have a dog. I have seen them meet up in the mall with 10 dogs to do some sort of socializing I guess.

  5. fotoeins | Henry
    May 18, 2012 @ 5:32 pm

    Andrew: what I didn’t like was the frequency of dog poop on streets and how a few reasoned that their high-taxes “allowed” them to have their dogs leave their presents openly on public grounds. On the whole, however, it was good to see dogs treated well. Then again, I think there are a few owners who would rather be around with their quadrupeds than deal with their fellow bipeds!

    Ali: I thought the same, though in all of the time I’ve spent in country, I’ve not seen an “encounter” nor have I seen a “resolution”.

    While I finally became accustomed to the sight, I admit that time inside a large café with a quiet friendly dog sitting at the next table isn’t so bad … well, for those of us who don’t have dog allergies …

    • Andrew
      May 20, 2012 @ 10:20 am

      I get the opposite impression. I am surprised at the number of people that actually pick up after their dogs. And how little of it ends up on teh sidewalks here. Sure, it is in the trees and gardens, but not where I want to walk like in Paris is often the case.

  6. Ali
    May 18, 2012 @ 5:07 pm

    I’d really like to see what happens if someone sits down with a dog and a person at the next table has a dog allergy. Seems like it’s bound to happen at some point.

    • Andrew
      May 20, 2012 @ 10:18 am

      I asked our kiwi friends and the answer was that most likely the person with the allergy would move. I dunno, we need to keep our eyes open.

    • swanpride
      June 3, 2014 @ 2:00 pm

      Simple solution: if you have a problem with having a dog beside you in a restaurant, you simply tell the owner…they might act offended (because dog owners tend to have a problem with the concept that some people are not dog lovers, have allergies, are simply afraid of dogs or don’t want them near them while they are eating), but usually they will move the dog if you ask them politely…and since Germans are not prone to hedging such subjects, it’s simply a matter of communicating.