Where in the US/world are dog owners the most polite? Considerations enforced?

[Anonymous]

These days locally, it feels like 95% of dog owners are inconsiderate. If they don't let their dogs pee on your plants, then they walk their dogs on a long retractable clothesline that they call a "leash" or walk them while spaced out on their phone, or let their dogs bark.

Are there any places in the US or world where dog owners are actually polite and considerate? Or local laws and regulations require (and enforce) owners to be mindful?

[Anonymous]

Dog owner here.

This kind of post makes me inclined to be less polite.

[Anonymous]

Pretty much any place in Europe has better behaved dogs (that is, owners who make more effort to control and train their dogs). Having been pulled to the ground by an off-leash German shepherd (in Chicago), I have no interest in unknown dogs approaching me, jumping on me, etc. In extensive travels in Europe, I have encountered many, many dogs and have never been approached or harrassed by a dog.

Standout: Norway. Even on sparsely populated hiking trails, people were very careful to call and leash their dogs when other walkers came into sight.

[Anonymous]

China and Saudi Arabia, but for different reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much any place in Europe has better behaved dogs (that is, owners who make more effort to control and train their dogs). Having been pulled to the ground by an off-leash German shepherd (in Chicago), I have no interest in unknown dogs approaching me, jumping on me, etc. In extensive travels in Europe, I have encountered many, many dogs and have never been approached or harrassed by a dog.

Standout: Norway. Even on sparsely populated hiking trails, people were very careful to call and leash their dogs when other walkers came into sight.

In general, I agree with this. But definitely does not apply to things like allowing dogs to pee on someone's lawn or plants. They piss and 💩 everywhere but no one really cares.

[Anonymous]

Southern California does pretty well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much any place in Europe has better behaved dogs (that is, owners who make more effort to control and train their dogs). Having been pulled to the ground by an off-leash German shepherd (in Chicago), I have no interest in unknown dogs approaching me, jumping on me, etc. In extensive travels in Europe, I have encountered many, many dogs and have never been approached or harrassed by a dog.

Standout: Norway. Even on sparsely populated hiking trails, people were very careful to call and leash their dogs when other walkers came into sight.

The OP asked about owner behavior, not dog behavior (I realize the connection between the two). And as a former resident of Paris, I can tell you that even in the fanciest arrondisements of Paris. the sidewalks are covered in dog shit. So I would not count "pretty much any place in Europe" as a place with considerate dog owners.

[Anonymous]

Don’t come to Colorado. Lots of entitled dog owners who insist their off leash dog is friendly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dog owner here.

This kind of post makes me inclined to be less polite.

Oh look, one of those ~*special*~ dog owners.

[Anonymous]

I live in DC, have 2 large dogs in a dense/walking neighborhood, and 98% of dog owners are polite.

Everyone (of the dog people I know) else hates the 2% and avoids them at all costs.

It really isn't that bad here. Better than most places I've lived.

[Anonymous]

You've obviously never been to Paris. Dog sh*t everywhere on the sidewalks.

[Anonymous]

NOT in Denver. Sooo many entitled, completely inept dog owners and their “fur babies”

[Anonymous]

I actually like Switzerland. Nice owners, well behaved dogs, low dog poop.

Just got back from Spain and there is dog poop and pee everywhere in Madrid and Barcelona. Owners walk off leash and while the dogs are well behaved it allows the owner to kind of keep walking and ignore it when their dog stops to do their business. Just so gross.

US may have entitled owners with poorly trained owners but at least they pick up their poop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually like Switzerland. Nice owners, well behaved dogs, low dog poop.

Just got back from Spain and there is dog poop and pee everywhere in Madrid and Barcelona. Owners walk off leash and while the dogs are well behaved it allows the owner to kind of keep walking and ignore it when their dog stops to do their business. Just so gross.

US may have entitled owners with poorly trained owners but at least they pick up their poop.

That's true about the poop. I recall French people being confused about why Jodie Foster was carrying around a plastic bag of poop.

[Anonymous]

I don't know, OP, but REALLY agree that the behavior of dog owners in my DC neighborhood has gotten much worse in the last few years. My guess is that the pandemic enabled a lot of people who "always wanted a dog" to get one, thanks to WFH. My impression is that many of these new owners probably should have kept pining after them

So many poorly trained dogs, first of all. Which makes me annoyed with the owners, not the dogs. I see people with minimal control of their dogs who are energetic and curious and clearly have not been taught how to mind voice controls or leash signals. This is how dogs wind up in traffic, in rights with other dogs, and biting people.

People give their dogs way too much lead and slack on leashes, assuming their dog will be calm the entire walk, and not considering how a dog (but especially a young, untrained dog) will react to surprising stimuli like another dog with an aggressive bark, a small child running by, a huge truck rumbling past. A lot of bad incidents with dogs are due to the dog getting surprised and reacting like an animal to a perceived threat.

And don't even get me started on the people who have decided all parks are off leash dog parks. They aren't! There are signs! These people do. not. care. Or maybe can't read? In amy case, a lot of these people shouldn't have dogs.

My theory is maybe it's better in a suburb because less density and the existence of yards might mean you encounter these crappy dog owners less frequently.