I’ve spent most of my dog owning life living in the ‘burbs, including rural Newtown some 30 years ago. It wasn’t until I headed to New York City for my “doggie” job that I realized there is parallel universe of dog ownership in large cities. As I befriended many of my coworkers’ city dogs it reminded me of Aesop’s fable about the “city mouse and the country mouse.” I began to wonder who had it better?

One day I brought my country bumpkin hound to Madison Avenue for a media stint and discovered some interesting things. While in the country my dog loves to bark and chase squirrels in the back yard, in the city the pigeon makes an excellent stand-in. I also discovered that Jinx would absolutely not go to the bathroom on concrete. She held it for 14 hours before returning to her ancestral home in Newtown to let loose, literally, as she leapt from the back of my van to her patch of sacred suburban grass. I had no idea that the surface on which you train your dog to be housebroken really has a profound effect on the animal.

Recently, a very charming book, The Miss Fido Manners Complete Book of Dog Etiquette (Adams Media, 2007) by Charlotte Reed came across my desk which magnified even more the differences between city dog and country dog. Here’s what I discovered: 

City Dog

Dealing with “pooper scooper” laws 24/7. There is a product called Poop Freeze that comes in an aerosol can that you spray on the …well — figure it out. www.poopfreeze.com.

The definition of “curb your dog” means that if your dog pees in the middle of the sidewalk you can get very mean stares from pedestrians.

How to successfully get your dog into a taxi — in a carrier is best. Be considerate of the next passenger and wipe down the seat should your dog sit next to you. (Think health club exercise equipment).

When to call a Pet Taxi (I had no idea these even existed).

When heading to the elimination area, hitting those walking signals is crucial as well as dodging what Reed calls “gutter gourmet delicacies.”

It is bad manners to tie your dog to a parking meter outside a retail establishment. It discourages parking and may create fear for someone trying to feed the meter, not to mention your dog may get stolen.

Never brag about your dog’s good looks or pedigree or you will be labeled a “dog snob” at the local dog run.

Did you know that Bed, Bath & Beyond lets you put Fluffy in the shopping cart while you look for that perfect duvet cover?  

 

Country Dog

Here are some of my country dog concerns that city slickers can ignore:

Discovering ways to safely secure your pooch in the minivan.

Battling with mud season which, depending on how warm a winter we’re having, lasts from mid-December through April. Make sure you keep plenty of clean-up rags near the back door. 

Knowing when horses and hounds don’t mix, such as when the blacksmith comes to the barn leaving “hoof treats” or when the manure pile is overflowing.

The trials and tribulations of installing and training for those electric fences around the yard.

Mucking the yard, especially in winter. Country dog owners don’t need Poop Freeze. Mother Nature takes care of that.

During warmer months, we use tick repellent on our dogs like we use deodorant on ourselves, for daily protection. Never forget that Connecticut is the birthplace of Lyme disease.

Coordinating the schedule of the mailman, cable man, or any other service man (or woman) that might be coming into a yard with a locked gate and a dog on the other side. 

Living proof that fences make for good neighbors especially in preventing your dog from leaving presents on your neighbor’s lawn.

Dealing with Copraphagia (if you don’t know what this is, look it up).

Manners For All Dogs

Despite the varying challenges we face depending on where we call home, all dog owners need to make sure their dogs have good manners when greeting others, walking in public, hanging around the house with the family or any other gathering between the canine and human species. Each year I make a list of fun things I’d like to do with my dog, such as swim in the ocean, train toward an obedience title, or just spend more quality time with my fury friends. As you look forward to making your own list, may 2008 bring you and your best friend all the hound happiness you seek whether you own a city dog or a country dog. 

 Lisa Peterson, a longtime owner/breeder/handler of Norwegian Elkhounds, is the AKC Director of Club Communications. If you have a question, send it to Lisa at ask@lisa-peterson.com and she may select it for a future column.