French dog

Dear Dog Lady,

Over Thanksgiving vacation, I plan to travel Paris with my girlfriend. It means I will leave my dog, Oliver, at home. But I take comfort from the fact I’m going to a beautiful dog-friendly city where I can see familiar hairy canine faces in every café and wagging tails on every street corner. I don’t speak French, nor have I ever been to France before. I understand Parisians can be a mite unforgiving to Americans who mangle the language. What about the dogs? Isn’t the best way to connect to the people is through their dogs?

Josh, San Francisco, CA

Josh, gosh, don't expect to get a quick dog fix in gay Paree. Yes, it is true that all dogs understand a universal language of love, but Parisian dogs must be approached with caution. Oh, it’s not about the dogs, it’s about the canine culture in Paris, where it is not considered polite to approach a stranger’s dog without asking permission.

Here, vacationers lunge at my dog all the time. Dog Lady lives in the heart of the Boston tourist belt, close to the Freedom Trail. Right now, busloads of leaf peepers on package tours, wearing nametags and clutching maps, have invaded my neighborhood. I want to hide behind locked doors but I can’t. I must walk the dog.

Inevitably, while stepping out with my sweetheart, I am constantly chased down the street by visitors who miss their precious pet left back home in Sheboygan (or wherever). The travelers don’t even look at me; their eyes soften and lock right into my pooch. I understand they’re canine-deprived and want to cop a quick furry feel. But in Paris, such a forward advance toward an animal is considered very rude.

You must first acknowledge the human holding the leash. Try a friendly “Bonjour” to break the ice. If you sense the dog keeper is receptive to your patting the dog, then here’s a handy phrase to remember: “assieds-toi” (ah-syeh-TWAH), which means “sit.” Have a treat handy – a smidge of liver pate in your pocket, perhaps. Remember, in Paris, the dogs speak French – oui, oui, ouf, ouf. Even the dog will appreciate your extra effort to communicate in its native tongue.

Posted by Dog Lady at February 24, 2003 12:00 PM