Dog Behavior in Spain vs. U.S., by Kaya Banka

One of the cultural shocks which I experienced in Spain is how well-behaved the dogs are here in Spain. When I first arrived in Spain, I was very shocked by how many dogs were off a leash. It seemed that the majority of dogs were simply walking around alone. At first, I thought that these dogs were alone or stray dogs. However, I would look around and notice the owners were always somewhere nearby. Whenever the dogs were walking too far away, the owner would simply whistle or call their name and the dog would return straight back to its owner. In addition, many dogs would be off leash, but still walking right alongside their owner.

None of the dogs would chase a squirrel or go up to any people. The dogs are simply so well-behaved and mature. In the United States, this is not the case. First off, in most places, it is mandatory for dogs to be on a leash. Secondly, the majority of dogs are not as well-behaved. For instance, they are more likely to run off if they become distracted by something such as a squirrel. I would say they are also more likely to be more stubborn. For instance, not wanting to go in the same direction as their owner or wanting to eat something they shouldn’t eat. I think this directly ties into many concepts that we learned in class. One such topic that is very related is nature vs. nurture. While yes, genetics do play a role, the way that a dog is trained or raised also has a major impact. The owners in Spain may be more strict when training their puppies or train them in a different way. For instance, I don’t really hear many commands being given to the dogs, they simply know how to behave in a certain area. Furthermore, another important concept (also related to nurture) is the environment. The environment (thus, including culture) affects the social situations that the dog is exposed to. For instance, in Spain, I do not notice many people wanting to interact with dogs in the street. If the dog is used to not receiving attention in the street, then they will be less likely to seek it and become distracted. On the other hand, in the U.S., it is very common to see children and people ask to pet dogs in the street. Thus, creating the opposite environment for the dogs in the U.S. Overall, this was a difference that I was not expecting, but was very interesting to see.

News Link: What We Can Learn From European Dog Culture - The New York Times (nytimes.com)