We recently went to Paris on a family vacation. Like anyone else who is dog obsessed, I noticed all the dogs calmly walking with their owners, some even off leash, just plotting along. I was initially amazed at how well-mannered they were, and frankly, a little envious. Over the next few days, I delved further into my observations.

Mastering proper leash walking skills is much easier due to the culture of the people.

I would not describe Parisians as “friendly.” They don’t make eye contact with anyone and smiling at a stranger or saying good morning is definitely not the norm. People also don’t engage with unknown dogs, it almost appears rude to do so. It is safe to say the entire city follows the same protocol when they see a dog; ignore and just keep moving. As a result, the dogs mirror their owners and display no interest in other people, and very little interest in other dogs. Imagine what that would be like here in the states? No need to worry if your dog is going to embarrass you and jump on people or simply be too excited to greet at all!

The entire city is more dog tolerant.

Dogs are integrated into people’s everyday lifestyle. This means they are spending more time with their guardians and joining them in a variety of different locations throughout the day. This is a critical component in improving the bond with your dog, teaching them you are the apple of their eyes.

Paris offers a different level of distractions. The city is all concrete, with little greenery or parks.

People use the small parks for rest and relaxation, not exercise and play. Dogs are predominantly on leash, hanging with their people. They don’t have the opportunity to run at breaking speeds, play, or chase balls, birds, or other dogs. The majority of a dog’s daily exercise is walking (a lot). Skills are mastered easier, because there are less typical dog distractions acting as competition for attention.
Dogs bark based on excitement, frustration, fear, boredom, anxiety or attention. In Paris, dogs bark less because they experience these emotions less.

Overall, there is decreased barking in the home. Since most buildings are multiple stories, dogs are not alert barking to outdoor street activity below, because their view is obstructed. They don’t practice poor door manners because few guests come over due to small living spaces. When people head out for extended periods of time, they often bring their dogs, decreasing separation anxiety and boredom.

Due to the constant congestion of city living, dogs are desensitized to a multitude of sounds, sights and smells at a very early age.

The biggest difference I found is that it’s acceptable for dogs to eliminate anywhere outdoors. When a puppy needs to eliminate, they can hit the cement right outside their door, avoiding long exposures to all the city hubbub. As a result, they are experiencing multiple calm, short outings throughout the day, always keeping a safe distance away from distractions. If they do go for a longer walk, no one is interacting with them, therefore the temptation to socialize is nonexistent. This lends itself to calmer behavior overall.

Here in the states, if we live in an apartment, we have to walk our dogs to a designated “elimination area;” a single spot where all the dogs congregate. Along the way, young untrained dogs practice pulling on the leash, and being highly distracted heading to the spot. As a result, each time they head out for a walk, they are often too close to other distractions (people and dogs) and are quickly over threshold. They act like adorable goofballs, jumping, pulling, and barking to play and socialize with anyone in sight. Many people can’t resist such silly antics. They stop for a visit, which reinforces the dog’s unwanted behavior and thwarts our training efforts.

It is a hard and fast rule that if you can control the environment, you control the dog.

Then should we all move to Paris to have calm dogs? Not so fast. Paris proved to me that dogs can thrive in a controlled environment. This concept has benefits, but it may not be for everyone. What I didn’t see are dogs playing and frolicking with others, one of the driving reasons many people get dogs! The dogs appear to live a sheltered life, only knowing the concrete jungle in which they inhabit. Dogs are owned for a variety of reasons, but we must not forget some of their original breeding purposes; dogs of all sizes can excel at games of chase and fetch, learning new tricks, practicing agility and obedience, and sniffing out all sorts of scents. Observing our own dogs and developing their natural instincts leads to increased mental enrichment, better health, and improved physical mobility. Plus it can be fun! Here in the states, we seem to want it all from our dogs. We strive to have that calm, well-behaved dog, but also want them to be social and malleable to a variety of situations.

My take-away:

  • Is this in the best interest of every dog? Training takes time and energy. Are we willing to put in the time and energy to attain all our goals?
  • How much of an investment are we willing and capable of making with our dogs?
  • Do we need to re-evaluate our own expectations?
  • When is a dog’s current lifestyle “good enough?”

If you’d like to explore your answers to these questions or learn methods to control your own environment, reach out to a professional dog trainer for guidance.