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Poochy Paris: Doggy Culture
in the City of Lights


by Carmel Mercado

In the U.S., it is only common to see superstars, like Lindsay Lohan or Paris Hilton, carrying with them their little toy dogs as they go about their daily errands. Today, pampered pooches remain a symbol of wealth, although it is becoming more and more popular amongst dog owners. But in Paris, doggy love is not a fad, but a way of life. I saw dogs everywhere— on leashes, without leashes, tiny ones peering out of chic Louis Vuitton shoulder bags, some scampering alongside their owner to pick up the mail, riding a bicycle with their owner, waiting patiently in the métro—barking as the next train approached. Sporting jeweled collars, wearing perfume and designer sweaters that matched their owners’, you can’t miss them or their unpleasant surprises they leave all over the sidewalks.

All the dogs I saw were surprisingly well-behaved. In South Florida, my city is known to be the most dog-friendly—with a fully-furnished dog park and obstacle course, dog spas and probably the most number of veterinarians per street corner. Often you will see new owners chasing after their dogs, or people trying to teach their dogs how to sit or stay. In Paris, dogs waited calmly under tables as owners ate or conversed in cafes. They walked by their owners without a leash, undistracted by the bustle and noise of cars and passersby. I imagine the relaxed relationship between owner and chien is to due to the acceptance of their presence in almost all parts of Parisian life; dogs are allowed on the métro, in trains, restaurants, cafés, at the airport, at the bakery, and in shopping malls. They were there at le Cirque d’Hiver and several of the museums we visited, including on the tapestries at the Musée de Cluny, which showed me the age-old relationship between dog and man. Even in the hotel, I couldn’t get away from the Parisian doggy love. On the television one morning, news casters had a special on dog adoptions. Below are some photos of the places where I saw dogs. There is even one photo of what I like to call “hit-and-run” at the Palais Royal.

Dogs in Paris 1

Dogs in Paris 2

Dogs in Jardin des Tuileries

Very rarely did I see signs forbidding the entrance of dogs—only at cemeteries and parts of small grassy parks throughout city, and even then, there were also signs that forbade their human counterparts from walking on the grass.

No dogs sign

The only issue I had with this dog love culture is the need for vigilance as you walk through the labyrinth of streets. This is something I learned to do very quickly, only a few hours upon arriving in Paris. I did see small subtle signs to indicate that dogs should be curbed if they need to go, but apparently, this is not a law strictly enforced because there are street cleaners who come around during the mornings specifically to vacuum up doggy doo.

sign: clean up dog doo

With nearly free reign in public places, lax rules about where they can go about their business, and stores galore that sell fashion accessories, clothing, services and supplies just for pups, Paris is truly a dog’s heaven. We even met owners who were so proud of how “mignon” their dog was that they handed over the leash to complete strangers just so we could play with them. It was all too cute.  

Serginio with dog