So believe it or not, dogs deserve their OWN category on this blog. I’m calling it Dogs in Panama.
Why you ask?
Well because so much of the culture here revolves around dogs AND you may not like how Panamanians treat their dogs.
Here’s some facts you may wish to know:
- Panamanians generally use dogs as alarm systems. The problem with this is, because the dogs are abused, when they bark, it doesn’t necessarily mean someone is breaking into the house.
- While Panamanians in the city are MUCH better at taking care of their dogs, they, like Panamanians in the Interior leave their dogs outside 24/7.
- The locals in the city usually take their dogs for walks. In the poorer areas in Panama city, they probably don’t. In the Interior FORGET ABOUT IT.
- The locals who abuse their dogs tie them up (I’m NOT exaggerating here) 24/7. The dogs aren’t just left outside in the grueling heat, many of them are tied up so they get NO exercise.
- When the locals don’t want the dogs anymore, they let them out onto the street to starve to death or fend for themselves.
- Most of the stray dogs on the streets are female. That’s what I’ve noticed.
- The Panamanians don’t spay/neuter their dogs. Because of their lack of intelligence & education, they don’t bother.
- As I’ve already mentioned before, most of the dogs bark 24/7 unless the owner actually cares for the dog & keeps them quiet. It’s rare to see, but I know of one house here who has probably 15 dogs or so & they clearly care about them.
- The dogs aren’t loved. I believe that is one of the reasons for the constant barking. That & that they get NO exercise. Overall I believe these dogs are highly stressed because of that & the heat.
- Even though they mistreat the dogs, I once befriended one of the dogs & the owners got upset. When I got someone to go over there & ask them if I could have the dog, they threatened me.
- I’ve seen drunks at one of the parties that Panamanians have BLAST the music in the dog’s ears. Do you know how sensitive dog’s ears are? Then I saw one guy pulling the dog up to stand & start dancing with her.
- The dogs are never washed or their coats brushed. They have constant fleas of course being left outside 24/7.
- As you know from my other post, they can be poisoned so thieves can get into the house & rob the place.
- Many expats have a lot of dogs & love their dogs dearly.
- There’s an expat who started a spay/neuter clinic. She is trying to help the situation.
16. The strays seem to be primadonas. I don’t know how many times I’ve been in a car & we come across a dog lying in the middle of the street like they own the road LOL
Of course this doesn’t happen in the city, but in the country it does.
17. The dogs in the country owned by people locked behind a fence aren’t as friendly as the dogs in the city. Many seem to be down right vicious in fact.
18. In one complex I lived in in Arraijan, the stray dogs were very passive & actually scared of me when I would go out onto my porch or the street.
19. Those same stray dogs in that complex were HILARIOUS. They would come out at night once most everyone was in their house sleeping & start playing with one another. They were very quiet most of the time, I would just hear rustling & go look to see what is going on.
Once 2 dogs were literally acting like little children play fighting, running after one another trying ot start a fight, but it was all done in fun & it was FUN to watch.
20. Stray dogs really do walk around in packs at night.