Living in the Czech Republic: "Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." Roger Caras

Growing up in Australia I find you tend to be either a dog or a cat lover. Personally I was the latter. My family always had cats and still does to this day. I believe your experiences - or lack thereof - with animals ultimately shape how you interact with them. As a result I didn't always feel comfortable around dogs, (particularly the bigger varieties!) unused to their lively and playful nature and sometimes even wary of being attacked.

Dog Hospitality

Since moving to Prague though that has all changed. I mentioned in one of my earlier posts how once Spring arrives quite literally 'every man and his dog' comes out and I wasn't kidding. In the warmer months Prague becomes 'dog city'. From dachshunds to dobermans, pugs to poodles and everything in between - everywhere you look there are dogs. And their presence isn't just limited to parks and pathways, dogs are accommodated for in bars, cafes and restaurants, on the metro, buses and trams, and even the zoo! Yes it's true, when I visited Prague Zoo a few weeks back I was shocked to see visitors walking through the grounds with their dogs in tow. What I found the most hilarious though was the provision of dog water bowls, which where randomly placed along the zoo's walkways. Back home you'd never find dog hospitality to this extreme, but this is Europe after all- the land of the liberal!

Dog Behaviour

What has also surprised me is their behaviour. Considering the number of dogs here in Prague, for the most part, they behave very well. Very rarely do you hear dogs barking, they don't fight one another and not once have I felt uncomfortable or that I was going to be attacked. In fact I've become quite the opposite, admiring the different breeds and often smiling (sometimes even 'cooing'!) to myself whenever an adorable little creature walks by. I remember vividly one such creature when I was waiting for the bus one February morning. Still adjusting to the European winter, my numbness was soon forgotten when my attention was diverted to a woman standing beside me. Cradled in her arms was a shivering little terrier, dressed in a Desperate Housewives-style, pink terry-towelling tracksuit complete with a matching pink clip in it's hair. Well, I melted. I guess you could say Prague has changed me, I've essentially become a dog-lover!

I believe my changed perception of dogs all boils down to the friendly and non-threatening way they interact with one another and humans. I've definitely noticed a difference between here and back home. That's not to say that dogs are badly behaved in Australia, but you do hear more barking (just ask my Dad!) and of more dog attacks/maulings. Perhaps this is because they are so well accommodated for here in Prague. Dogs are almost as much as part of the fabric of society as humans are and as such their interactions are, 99% of the time, positive in nature.

Here are just some of the dogs laws/rules in place in Prague...

- Dogs are allowed to ride on public transport (metros, buses, trams) provided they are on a leash and have a muzzle. Otherwise if they are small enough, they can be placed in a small bag or cage.

- In most public places, dogs must be kept on a leash at all times. In some parks they are allowed to roam free, but more often than not owners turn a blind eye to this rule.

- Owners are supposed to pick up dog feces, with fines applying if caught by the police. With the amount of 'matter' sometimes present on the streets this rule appears to not be heavily enforced, but nevertheless owners are encouraged to 'do the right thing' by the provision of 'poop' bags and bins around the city.

- Dogs are allowed in bars, cafes, restaurants and shops at the owner's discretion. At first it was rather bizarre to enter a bar and see a dog sitting beside his owner - I often wondered if I had drunk too much! But now I don't bat an eyelid, in fact (as informed by a dog-owner friend of mine) they often receive more superior service than their owner. I've been told that on arrival, it's not uncommon for a bowl of water to be fetched for the dog right away while the owner waits to be attended to!

So as you can see Prague is very much a dog-loving city. Definitely since living here this mentality has rubbed off on me, to the point where I could see myself someday soon becoming a dog-owner.

Below are some fun, dog-related snaps I've taken during my time here in Prague.

Australian in Prague