As in Australia, dogs come in all shapes and sizes but there are some differences too.
We have seen a surprising number of Schnitzel Von Crumbs (dauschounds), golden retrievers (in the south of France they were very popular), and French Bulldogs (definitely the status breed) but mainly lots of 'no breed' dogs, small of stature, longish fur. When I asked a man in a cafe what breed his puppy was he said, 'I don't know, he's just A Dog!' and in a way, this sums up the European approach to their pooches.
I have noticed many dogs have docked tails, a practice which has been banned in Australia for some years and sadly, many dogs that are not neutered. Surprisingly I haven't seen any stray dogs. I wonder what the state of their pounds is, given the high number of un neutered animals.
We have seen a few pet shops and grooming salons.
But the most interesting thing is that dogs are so welcome in Europe in public places. In France you can take your dog almost anywhere including most tourist attractions. It is not uncommon to see a small dog being carried by its owner around the interior of a castle for example. We saw many dogs being carried around in baskets when we visited the food markets.
Dog owners are relaxed, allowing their dogs to roam around in public off lead. Most dogs appear to have good recall and are happy to follow their owners around. They are also relaxed around each other indicating they have been well socialized.
We have seen a few beggars with puppies. No doubt the presence of a puppy attracts a few extra euro from passing tourists, particularly teenage girls (I talking about you Jess).
Dog poo is everywhere, although less in Paris.
Here are some photos of a few dogs we have seen in our travels.
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