The K-9 Connection

Going to the Dogs

Being raised in Seattle, a city where there are allegedly 45% more dogs than there are children, it has been quite a change living in China where the dog culture is strikingly different.  Though dogs definitely do NOT outnumber children here, like so many other things in China, the dog culture is evolving quickly.  As more and more people have the luxury of disposable income, the notion of having a dog for a pet rather than for a meal is becoming more and more popular.  In fact, last April an activist group stopped a truck in Henan province that was hauling 500 dogs off for slaughter. 

That said, dog meat was very plentiful in Hefei and I could find it at various markets throughout the city.  And while visiting the remote village of Dazhai there were lots of dogs that wandered around everywhere, but they were clearly not pets.  One of my Chinese friends told me that farmers in the countryside of Anhui would buy big dogs to help protect their homes, but they would get stolen by hungry peasants and eaten.  Another bizarre dog culture aspect I’ve encountered was seeing a row of kennels of dogs at the zoo in Hefei.  Then again, pretty much everything about that zoo was bizarre and unfortunate.

There are plenty of mangy dogs people have as pets, as well as some incredibly beautiful pure breed dogs, and the vast majority of them are not kept on a leash.  I was impressed with how well trained and obedient many of these dogs were and wondered what the owners’ secret was.  But after seeing various dogs get kicked a few times I got the picture.

I also marvel at how these dogs without leashes, and sometimes without owners, will actually manage to cross the streets and not get run over.  I still haven’t figured that secret out.  Perhaps the most entertaining, albeit slightly terrifying aspect of dog culture here is seeing them ride on the motos and e-bikes with their owners.  The dogs will either stand or sit on the floor boards at the owner’s feet.  It must be the ultimate thrill for these pups, but I really don’t know how they know not to jump off whenever they see or smell something interesting.  This mode of transportation isn’t just for the little guys either; I’ve seen a massive Old English sheepdog that could barely fit sitting at the owner’s feet and smiling happily as they putted along. 

Due to the limited space in China, the majority of dogs kept as pets tend to be small.  And similar to the dog culture in Seattle, these dogs are very much doted upon, as is evidenced by the various outfits and face painting I’ve had the pleasure of observing. 

Here are some of my favorites J