One thing that I have noticed during my years of living in the Philippines is that most Filipinos are scared of dogs. Sometimes, if I am out walking one of my dogs, and a Filipino is coming down the sidewalk, when they notice that I am coming with a dog, they will even cross to the other side of the street to avoid a close encounter with my pooch! And, my dogs are small, and very friendly.
I have often wondered why it is that culturally, people here are scared of dogs. I think that it is because it would seem that dogs are kept here for protection. In the States, yes, there are some guard dogs, but primarily people keep dogs for pets, even companions. Here, I rarely see people socialize with animals in the way that we would as pets. So, since dogs are generally kept for protection purposes, they might tend to be a little more aggressive, or maybe they enforce their area a little more than just wanting to get some companionship from people, as we would expect.
Remember, last year, John Grant wrote an article that was wildly popular, “Pinoy Dogs” and he told how dogs would keep him awake all night long with their barking behavior? I have written similar columns about noisy dogs myself (although, admitedly not nearly as popular as John’s famous post!), and others have mentioned noisy dogs at night. This all plays hand in hand with dogs focusing in more on being guard dogs than pets here.
What about other animals? Honestly, I don’t see many animals being treated as pets the way that most westerners would do with animals. I really do think it is a cultural thing. We just have different outlooks when it comes to animals.
Here in the Martin household, we are really animal lovers. We have two dogs, two cats, a rabbit, a turtle…. hmm… there must be other pets too that I have forgotten!
What do you think?
Hi Phil – Ah, yes… I had not thought about Rabies, but that makes sense. I didn’t even know that rabies was rampant here.
Thanks for sharing that!
I love dogs. In fact, we sailed from Vancouver to New Zealand with 2 dogs before we flew them to Norway. Very spoiled and take over my pillow in bed sometimes. My mother loves dogs, and I remembered we had 14 of them at one time – from Great Danes to little poodles. So, it would seem natural for my brothers and sisters to love them also, but no – my 2 sisters are terrified of them, and most just tolerate them. You are right, here, most dogs are used as guard dogs and stay outside. So they are a bit aggressive sometimes or are scruffy looking.
I am so excited because I have an order for a labrador puppy. I am hoping for the runt of the litter – they are the fighters/survivors.
Hi Bob,
I don't like dogs personally and I would avoid them where possible in the philippines because of the diseases they may be carrying.
I have seen a documentary about rabies in the Philippines and I can understand why people would stay away from dogs.
Thats just my opinion of course, there are many other animals I can understand people wanting to own, but not dogs.
Yes I am aware most people disagree with me but Thats my tuppence worth!!
Regards
Phil
I think Phil is on to something with the mention of rabies. My wife tended to shy away from dogs also when she first came to the states. I found out later that she thought all dogs carried rabies. We don't have a dog, but she doesn't mind them being around anymore now that she knows they are safe.
Morning Bob,
Dogs are meat eaters and if the locals can't afford meat for themselves it is understandable not many have them as pats – particularly the larger (hungrier) breeds. Its also hard to shy away from the fact that many of these cultures eye off such creatures as a potential meal! Is there really rabies in the Philippines? I don't remember that when it came to immunisations? That would explain the fear along with the guard dog aspect.
Maayong buntag Bob
A filapina friend of ours is deadly scared of dogs. I have seen her couple time get scared to the point she breaks down crying when a dog runs up to her to play. In an incident like this it will take almost 30 minutes before she will stop shaking. Her fear of dogs could have been easily caused by a mean guard dog when she was a child.
Hi Steve A – Yes, I think Phil had a good one there! Glad that your wife is no longer afraid of dogs!
Hi AussieLee – Don't take me wrong – there are tons of dogs here, but they are not really pets. So, the food part, I don't think is the reason. If they could not be fed, they would not be around at all. I think it is just culturally a different way of treating the animals.
Hi Larry – Yes, the kind of fear that you describe is exactly what I am talking about. It is quite common here that people are deeply fearful of dogs! It's too bad.
Hi Ellen – Like you, I love labradors. I had a black lab years ago that was really a good dog. I've always wanted a yellow lab, but never had one. Our Japanese Spitz was the runt of the litter, and she is the only survivor out of the entire litter, all of her brothers and sisters died, so I really believe what you say on that.
Yes – my order is for a yellow lab – a female. Normally I wouldn't have chosen a lab for a boat dog – they love the water too much and we would have been doing Man-Overboard drills all the time. Hopefully, I can train them from the puppy stage to only go into the water on command. 😀
Just thought I would point this story out, a Filipino nurse died in the local hospital in UK. It was the first death in this country for many years. It turned out she had been bitten by a dog on her return to the Philippines and did not get the necessary injections. By the time she came back to work at the hospital she had been carrying the disease for too long and when she eventually took ill it was too late for her.
Phil
When I was working in Alaska the guy I was working with has a Philipina girlfriend. She hasn't been back home for over 5 years and he really wanted to come over here to visit me and see what living here is all about. She is dead set against it because of the street dogs and she told him that "The dogs will just run up and bite you." I had never heard of something like that happening, especially since I have maybe 20 dogs a day approach me. I don't encourage them because they are scruffy but I don't throw rocks at them like some of the locals do. Personally Venice and I have 2 cats and that's enough. 😀
hello bob
we have a couple dogs here as well.one black lab and a small poodle/shitzu mix.believe it or not the smaller dog is more aggresive and even dominates the bigger dog.kinda funny situation.although they are great if someone is around at night because they will wake us very fast.and usually most people even here will leave if they hear a dog barking.my old dog before was a trained rotty.he ate way to much but even his presence is enough to keep people away from the property.and he loved kids so he was awsome.
salamat bob
Wow! I totally had forgotten about the dogs being afraid of by Filipinos. I lost my white Pomeranian, Gandalf, 3 years ago and I still get teary eyed when I see another one like him. He was my baby for 14 years. I can’t bear to replace him, yet. Before him I had Greyfax, a Keeshond also 14 years old when he passed on. I had loved them dearly!
Your pooch looks cute and well behaved, Bob! Is it true that dogs take the owner’s personality? 😀
Hi Bob
My wife and I love dogs and most animals, we have 17 dogs, all except 1 are a cross between German Shepard and Doberman, 8 of them are just 1 month old puppies. They are great and very good guard dogs. We also have 2 cats who get along like best friends with the 1 dog who is outside of the German Shepard/Doberman family, I suppose it's because he is the only one allowed into the house and the cats dare not go outside while the big dogs are around.
Obviously, they are meat eaters but they also eat rice when its mixed up with the meat and broth. My wife also rears farm animals so I guess she has no problem with any of the animals in Philippines except maybe snakes.
Jack
Funny, I haven't seen any fears of stray dogs here since I arrived. There are about 3 just walking around and have adopted the ferry terminal as their home. Sometimes I see them just lying in the middle of a car lane, and nobody seems to mind. They are not skinny either, so somebody must be feeding them 😀 . If people throw rocks at them, their intention is not to hit them but to get their attention/ shoo them away. Dogs that bite or are aggressive are the ones that are inside homes or gated yards. It is their natural instinct to guard their home/master.
Rabies – there are only a few countries that are considered rabies free – i.e. NZ, Australia, UK, and Hawaii of USA. Canada and rest of USA are not rabies-free. We know, because we had to give them their rabies shots and they were quarantined in NZ for 1 month before they were given their bio-security clearance certificate.
Hi Bob,Asians in general, do not have an emotional bond with their dogs as we westerners do and the majority would not have them in the house.Yes,Rabies can be a problem throughout Asia,most owners probably cannot afford to have their dogs vaccinated.Having once owned 2 Rottwielers,people always crossed the road to avoid them when we were in public,even though they were well trained,but thats a natural reaction to large dogs.Living at the time in quiet semi rural area,they were for security as much as pets and lived in a large outbuilding with a run.They were to big to have running round the house and would have also made relatives and visitors feel uncomfortable.We also had a toy poodle at the same time,guess who was the boss? yes the poodle.Regards Chas.
Hi Bob, you are absolutely right on this one – although there are some exceptions of course. My wife's family is definitely among the exceptions.
I think originally dogs and man mutually benefited each other – dogs were loyal and protective, in turn they could feed off our scraps. Some cultures selectively bred dogs to be better hunters, guards, herders, eventually companions. Other cultures, including the Philippines, seem to continue the original relationship.
I wrote about our Filipino Terrier in the comments of John Grant's "RATS" post yesterday – he asked if I still had some of her DNA (lol).
BTW – I remember a number of news articles a few years back concerning rabies in the Philippines.
Hi Bob,I recently read an article about a Bull terrier in Phils ( i think it was in Luzon) that saved a mother and child when a Cobra slithered into their kitchen,the dog attacked and killed it,sadly the dog also died from the snake bite,regards Chas.
Hi Bob, I was talking to my driver friend about the fact that filipino's don't play with or pet the dogs and he told me it was because nobody by and large has the money to vaccinate their dogs so they refrain from much contact with them. It makes me wonder why they have them around at all, but they do. The dogs seem to have the run of the place for that matter. They are in and out of everybody's places and will lay down where ever. When I would start to play with one, the family would discourage it. The dogs didn't seem to know how to play either. They must keep them around to cleanup garbage.
Hi Bob!
My wife Marie has said that she always loved dogs before she came to America but not like we do. She said that she is amazed at how smart but also childlike that a dog can be. We have a little terrier named Tisoy. When I explained that Tisoy has a dog bed in the house; Marie thought I was teasing. Marie has spent a year so far here in Arkansas and during that time we have become involved in what we laughingly call a Filipina Gang. During our many visits from Filipinas here at our home we have noticed that some women are terrified by contact with Tisoy. We are a bit sad that Tisoy will probably have to remain here when we return home because of the logistics of transporting him. When Marie tells friends and family at home about Tisoy they always ask if he soils the house and are amazed that he scratches the door to be let out. We named our little dog Tisoy as kind of a joke aimed at my Filipina sister Tisay who named her dog Tom and also because he is our Filipino Kano cross baby! ha ha! We have a couple of compound dogs in our Silway home but hope to find a little dog like a pug when we return home for good. Thanks for dulling our pain of homesickness with your blog
Tom and Marie
Hi Bob – I've been instructed by relatives NOT to make friends with our dogs or else they'd become ineffective in guarding the property. I can see their reasoning as being a kano walking about is strange and new enough to cause all the barangay dogs to start barking. I did teach our dogs not to bark at me, but they'll still go off at the tip of a hat!
One of my favorite uncles had a different take for me to consider: one doesn't play with his food! 😆
Hi Bob
I still remember going to my gf's house and some of her relatives were eating a dog and its head was still on the pike.
About 8 months after my wife got here she was outside planting flowers. We live in a small town and sometimes people let their dogs run free for a while. About a block away someone has a Great Pyrenees. The dog is harmless and usually stays in his yard. My wife was doing the flowers and she came running into the house scared to death. She was on her knees and she turned her head around and looked up to see the face of this dog watching her. Wife ran in the house, dog went home I imagine. I asked her if the dog bit her? "No" Did the dog growl at you? "No" Did the dog bark at you? "No" I said he probably wanted to learn how to plant flowers. I explained to her that if a dog 100 pounds or more wanted to harm her it would have. It didn't take long for her to loose her fear of dogs.
Now we have 2 dogs of our own. The little one is a 6 year old Labrador, he is about 100 pounds. The puppy is an 18 month old English Mastiff, he is about 210.
They are both house dogs and everyone gets along fine. My wife can walk either dog outside on a leash.
Danny, I think those dogs would drag a little filipina on a leash,they must be well trained Ha Ha!
Hi Bob – your observations are spot on. I can add that stray dogs are also especially fearful of people. try bending down in front of one as if your picking up a stone or even just raising a leg, they'll instinctively quickly move away – not a reflex you'll find in the west.
like a previous commenter, i'm also fortunate enough to be married to family that loves dogs. I also know a few pinoys from different backgrounds that love their pets.
I have a westie terrier that i jokingly call my son. my wife is even trying to convince me to a adopt a toy corgi that a co-worker is giving away (i think i'll stick to one "child" — but who knows?).
i do have to say, from my recent observations, more & more filipinos are growing fond of dogs. in manila, i know someone who is raking in money selling gourmet dog cookies! in davao, i see more friends who have have recently purchased & care for their pets (shi-tzu, labs & beagles to mention a few). not just the type who cage their prized imported dogs but actual house pets.
then you have a few pinoys who frequent this site who are dog lovers. cheryll ann is on top of that list for sure.
i also was surprised when i saw a few regular pinoys walking their dogs in makeshift leashes in downtown davao. i wasn't sure if i just noticed it because i was seeing davao as a visitor. strange sight but it made me happy.
so, i really do think as the country is exposed more & more to western habits that attitudes can slowly change in some circles.
Ok dog lovers, here is the local Phil website for you:
http://www.onedogworld.com/
Hi Ellen – Labs do enjoy the water, no doubt on that! Good luck with your training sessions!
Hi Ron w – I have seen situations like that where a smaller aggressive animal totally controls a much larger, but less aggressive animal. It can be quite a sight to see!
Hi MarcelinaWW – Ha ha! I didn't hear about that possibility of animals taking on the personality of their owners! Actually, Che-Che is not so well behaved. She acts like a little kid, and can get a little wild. I need to spend some time with her to try and teach her some obedience.
Hi Jack – Wow, 17 dogs! You are the champion! I used to have a cross between a rottweiler and a doberman. I tend to like smaller dogs myself, though.
Hi Ellen – I just passed through the ferry terminal this morning (and back this afternoon) and saw some dogs there, undoubtedly the same ones that you have mentioned. They looked healthy enough.
Hi chas – For dog owners in Davao, the City sponsors a time once per year when you can get your dogs immunized for free by the City Veterinary Clinic. They even travel around the neighborhoods and do it right at your house. Great service!
Hi Gary – Yep, there are always exceptions, no doubt there.
Hi chas – I didn't hear about that snake incident… interesting!
Hi John – I think your observations are pretty on target. Like you, I have noticed that lots of dogs here don't seem to know how to play, or interact with people much.
Hi Tom Ramberg – Thanks for telling us about Tisoy! Sounds like a good little dog!
Hi Paul – Ah, I knew that this would turn into a discussion about dog eating sooner or later…. I think, actually, that eating dog meat has become rather rare in the Philippines. Up north it is done more widely than down here in the southland.
Hi Neil – Ditto the remark that I made to Paul!
Hi Danny Thompson – Great story! I enjoyed it.
Hi macky – Yeah, I'm waiting to hear from Cheryll Ann, her comment on this topic should be quite interesting.
Interesting comments you made. I agree, changes are happening in the Philippines in relations to interaction with dogs.
Hi Ellen – Thanks for sharing the link!
Hi BrSpiritus – Like you, I find the story from this lady to be a little beyond the truth. I have never been threatened by a dog her.
Hi Phil – Sad story. It's always important to get a dog bite checked out!
After reading John's post about rats and this one the first thing that came to mind was: Can you buy rat terriers in the Philippines?
Hi David S. – Ha ha…. 😆 not sure on that one.
i have been to the philippines several times i am married to a filipina . most filipinos have a dog or at least a dog that hangs out near there house i also know filipinos who show pedigree pure breds .filipinos love dogs!
Hi mike sottile – I agree that most Filipinos have dogs around, but they are generally treated more as guard dogs, not pets.
Cheryll Ann has been busy with online games
#1 shih tzu breeder in showdog.com and woner of #1 clan in a war game, LOL LOL!
Anyway personally I think most Filipnos should NOT own dogs.
The poor can barely feed themselves, why would they want a dog?
The rich, they think of them as disposable "things"…
There are many who say they love dogs, but I am not sure about the love part, they refuse to spay and neuter their pets because it's "kawawa"… DUHHHH!
Even my champions are spayed or neutered after their show and breeding careers.
Actually I found some friendly stray dogs that I have fed and petted, (though I better get a rabies vaccination just in case…)
My dogs are also quiet… They don't bother anyone and just sleep and play and whatever… Bob and Feyma can vouch for that, LOL!
Though one of our neighbors is DRIVING me crazy they have a dog that howls and screams non stop at night, I thought it was one of my dogs dying or something.
There are more and more people in the Philippines who are becoming responsible owners, but don't get me started on the Puppy Mills and the ByB's.. I HATE THEM!
I don't know hwy they must make a living out of dogs.
Actually dog eaters I hate less coz they kill the dog and eat them and that's that. (I still don't like them)
The puppy mills make the dog SUFFER IN AGONY for years and years until the day it cannot make a profit for him/her and then gets rid of "it"
Oh well let me shut up now…
And it looks like a lady reader from here is going to be bringing her Chihuahua to PH. I feel for the lady and her chihuahua as she cannot carry the dog under her seat in a bag like in the USA.
BTW many of my dogs are not pets but family.
My children are cremated and the ashes are in my room, I still cry when I think of Muffin and Dipsi…
Dipsi was very sick for 10 days before he had to be put down as it was kinder he no longer could swallow IV was keeping him alive and he had a cathether etc… I spent thousands daily but still lost him, he was NOT a champion, he was not a show dog,he was not a stud, I spent because I loved and adored him, not because he could have made me an income.
I HATE people who would not spend on their dogs they go to vet and say "magkano" instead of PLEASE treat my dog.
And vet has not even treated dog yet go "walang discount"
They should NOT have pets. Ok I am really going now…
BTW – I have met a LOT of young people who really love and care for their dogs teenagers who save their allowance to spend on their dogs etc. They buy fans for their dogs, clothes, etc.
Their dogs sleep on their beds etc…
So times are changing the younger educated group, are responsible dog owners, though their parents are not….. LOL!
Hi Cheryll Ann – Thank you Cheryll Ann for sharing your views on this topic. For those who don't know, Cheryll Ann is a real dog lover here in Davao. Feyma and I have been to her place, and basically much of her life revolves around her dogs, and their lives. Honestly, I don't think I've ever met anybody who cares about dogs as much as she does.
Thanks again for sharing your views!
Hi bob,
Nice article, I myself own a dog, a pomeranian, a terrier poodle and a boxer dog.
I think one of the problem in the philippines why filipinos are not into having dogs because of the few breed of dogs that they can actually call a pet, most of the dogs in the philippines are stray dog and for most filipinos, they don't take pride of owning one, only if breeded dogs are available for a common pinoys i think there will be a lot of pinoy who would want them. most of stray dog are vicious and dangerous not because the way they are raised but because it's their natural behaviour. every breed of dogs have their own charecteristic. i used to have a stray dog and raised it just like a breeded dog, i don't use a leash on him and let him roam the house, and still if he saw people other than us, he will just growl, bark and even attack visitors which of course scares them, unlike the breeded dog, you can actually pet it even if the dog do not know you. i think, stray dogs are good as a guard dog and not a pet dog that you can toy with.
Hi dans – I agree with you about the strays. They are good for making noise, and keeping people away, but not necessarily good pets!
I was cautioned about " packs of wild rabid dogs " before going to Iligan City. Someone commented if you see any dogs don't make any attempt to touch or recognize them, if they sniff you just let them and keep on walking.
One thing I learned about dogs a long time ago is that it is not a good idea to lean over, pet one and smile at it. A natural instinct of dogs is to show their teeth as a sign of agression. If they see teeth they think it is an aggressive move on the person or other animal.
Out of all the things I saw on my visit to Iligan City, I may have seen a dog here or there but I just can not remember seeing any dogs at all. It is possible my attention was diverted elsewhere. So as far as the " packs of wild rabid dogs " wandering about the city attacking people, it never materialized.
Where I live, in the suburbs of New York City rabid dogs are not very common although there are rabid raccoons, and other wildlife that may have rabies.
Interesting that I just can not remember seeing any dogs there.
Hi Bob New York – I think that's an old wives tale.
By the way, Bob, I thought you'd be interested, there was a series of 3 bombings in Iligan today.
hi bob, also my wife was atacked by three dogs when she was a little gril. the scares are realy bad and to this day she dosnt feel good around dogs. dogs are just like any animal. one of my philippino friends suffers the same thing that was caused from a monkey atack. he was bitten on the head and the monkey wouldnt let go until the monkey was killed. lucky his father was near when the atack happend. that was about 40 years ago pero when he tells the story he tells it like it was yesterday.
one thing i nottice in the deep philippines is that the small dogs are raised in the yard along with the chickens, and when feeding time comes the chickens and the dogs get a main course of rice as well as the table scraps. surprisingly the coats on the dogs look realy healthy maybe the dogs in the philippines are adapted to this diet. or maybe the dogs in america have adapted to the diet that we force onto them here.
Hi jerry smith – Of course, in a case like this where an incident lead to scars, and a bad incident, fear of the animals is natural. I don't blame your wife for that at all. I am sorry to hear that this happened to her.
one last story, whyle in the philippines a visited one of my wifes friends who had the most perfict doberman in witch she bought from germany as a puppy. and to my surprise the dog was trained only to respond to bisaya. this was a realy spoiled and very well trained dog
Hi jerry smith – Ha ha… I'm glad that I am learning to speak bisaya! I wouldn't want a doberman not being able to understand me!
Hi Bob, meanwhile we have eight dogs, no cats and rats (?), almost 300 tilapia fishes, and several canaries… And? Many more to come as I was informed today… 🙄 😉
Thanks for the info Bob, I have been closely monitoring the situation there and keeping in touch with my friends in Iligan via internet. Fortunately they are still safe. I have one PC here out of several that is just about dedicated to internet connections in Iligan. Being able to view some of the city cams that are on line is re-assuring. If you think about it, where would we be today without the Internet ? It has certainly brought the world a lot closer together and for the most part in a positive way as well.
Hi Klaus – Congratulations!
Hi Bob New York – Yes, I know all about what it was like with no Internet. I married Feyma before the Internet was readily available. At that time, you could only make a phone call to General Santos one day a week too, on the other days no International lines were available in the City.
Actually Bob, I've lost count. This could be way number 53 or 54 to make aliving here. For every Filipino family who doesn't trat their dog as a true family pet, there is at least one who does.
My brother and sister in law have a huge Doberman thye paid afortune for .. he's actually the lap dog, and a pure-bred Chihuahua (PhP 15,000 as I was told) who is the guard dog (recently alerted them to an attempted burglary in tme to catch the perpetrators.)
There's a purbred Dalmation on my street I( see every night, I asked the owner if his source had any puppies for sale, the answer was, "Oh the waiitng list is very long."
Purebred dogs are certainly a possible profitable sideline here.
Hi Dave Starr – Ha ha… yes, Dogs can be a good business for some. For me, they are just pets! 😆