Required Dog Training

My dogs, Sky and Dug, were on the Brienz Rothorn cogwheel train in Switzerland during COVID. They are happily enjoying the train and the Swiss family that joined me.

Recently, someone I know had their dog attacked. This person is a veteran, and their dog is a service dog. The dog is well-trained. But another dog attacked it where this person lives, and the dog was severely injured. This reminded me of something I saw in Switzerland regarding mandatory dog training.

I always thought that people in the US loved dogs, but when I traveled, I realized they were even more loved in other places. I began to notice how many places in the US where dogs are not allowed. I take my kids to the playground, and I see the sign that says, “No Dogs Allowed.” I always found this interesting because, out of all the signs they could have put up, that is the one they chose to put up, not “No Drugs Allowed,” not “Play nice,” or “Invite Others to Play with You.”

In Switzerland, dogs are allowed just about everywhere. When I went to the grocery store, they had hooks outside for the dogs, because grocery stores are one of the few places they are not allowed. When I walk around town, there are dog poop stations everywhere. When I brought my dog to an outdoor museum, dogs were not allowed, so they provided crates for the dogs.

Dog Problems

One of the reasons dogs are not accepted at as many places as they could be, and why there are so many dogs in shelters, is a lack of dog training. Many people fail to train their dogs, which can result in various problems. I have seen people personally who have adopted dogs but didn’t know anything about them, and ended up having problems. I think one of the reasons that there are too many dogs is that people who are not responsible have dogs, and those dogs either have puppies or become abandoned.

Mandatory Dog Training?

Switzerland used to have a law, which is no longer in effect, that required dog owners to train and certify their dogs. I think this might be a good rule for other countries as well, because it emphasizes responsible dog ownership. I want to see animals respected and accepted in more places, and this might be a way to do that. I want to see them taken care of better. I believe it is essential for people to understand the actual responsibilities that come with dog ownership. And all of this fosters a deeper connection with the animals themselves.

I'm thinking about having “My Dog Has Been Trained” badges.