Being away from home for a couple of months now, naturally, I miss a lot of things, one of those things being my dog Oreo. Being someone who always notices the dogs on the streets before anyone else, I have been able to develop an album of dog pictures of the dogs in Hong Kong. There have also been a couple of things that I have noticed about the dog culture in Hong Kong that is different from in the United States.
1. Constantly beautifully groomed dogs
A very big thing I noticed within a couple of days of being in Hong Kong is how well the dogs are taken care of in Hong Kong, even the ones that belong to the streets. By ‘taken care of’, I especially refer to the grooming of the dogs as well as how well they are fed. There is a dog park near my accommodation where I can see dogs at all times of day, but the busiest times are in the afternoons after 5 pm when people start to get off work. It is there where I can witness all the poodles with their haircuts as well as the sweaters they wear when it starts to get chilly. There is overall better care from the general population towards their furry friends.
2. Off-Leash dogs
Back in Philadelphia, it is common to have a leashed dog since an off-leash dog on the street is dangerous for them, and the owner could get fined as well. In Hong Kong, many dogs are off-leash close while on the streets and are well-trained enough that they won’t cross the street. This surprised me as at various times amongst a large group of people there will be dogs walking behind their owners and they know when to stop as well as keep going. There are still a lot of dogs that are leashed and not as well-trained, but it was a big surprise to me that many of the dogs you find on the streets are well-trained.
3. The pet clothes and strollers
In the United States, the typical section of clothing for animals is small depending on what store you go into but at Pet Smart or other local dog stores the selection is usually limited. Compared to the selection in the U.S., the selection in Hong Kong exceeds the food and toy sections combined. You can typically find a lot of dog clothes as well as strollers to choose from whenever you enter into a pet store. In Hong Kong, it is very common to have dogs around in strollers, especially for senior dogs that still want to go out as it’s a way for them to get fresh air without overexerting themselves. For the younger dogs, the hot weather causes the ground to be too hot for their paws, so they’re taken out in strollers instead.
From owning a dog, I have been able to learn a lot of things when it comes to caring for one as well as the responsibilities that come with being a dog parent. With that being said, all the dogs I see I usually admire from afar since you never know how wary they are of strangers. Only once have I petted a dog in Hong Kong, which happened to be the dog of my friend’s family. Also, all these pictures were taken with the permission of the owner but due to being walking or in a rush the quality isn’t great.
