In Dog We Trust

Posted on March 6, 2007
Filed Under Montevideo, Culture, Vocabulary | Leave a Comment

The Beagle has LandedMontevideo strikes me as a remarkably dog-friendly city. On every visit, I’ve been amused by frequent sightings of dog walkers leading packs of dogs on leashes. Pet shops seem as abundant as bakeries. Dog food and kitty litter can be ordered over the phone and delivered free of charge to your home. Veterinarians and groomers make house calls! And it is not hard to find trainers, grooming establishments, boarding kennels, hospitals, emergency care and even mutualistas (or HMO plans) for pets. If you are the type that loves your pets more than your children, Montevideo may be your Shangri-la.

Dogs can be seen and heard throughout Montevideo. Perhaps due to the dramatic increase in crime to property in the last decade, many people now keep dogs for protection. Some people go even further and keep ferocious-looking dogs. This seems especially true in some suburbs and balnearios, where often the only thing separating you and them is an easily jumpable three-foot barrier.

I found this can be quite a problem in the balnearios. If you are on a bicycle and happen to pass in front of a house with a dog, it will either bark at you or bark AND chase you out of his/her territory. I tried several techniques to avoid provocation, but none worked very well, although speeding worked least well. I am not sure what the dog-biting statistics are, but I reckon they must be considerable.

Although I am not a dog owner, I do get a lot a pleasure from watching dogs and their antics. To my pleasant surprise, I discovered one can do this simply by sitting on the Rambla, even though theoretically dogs are not allowed on the beach. I was happy to observe that, in practice, this rule is not enforced. Not only will you find people playing with their dogs along the beach, but also a few dogs roaming without a collar.

Steet Dog SleepingI was also happy to notice that Uruguayans seem very gentle and tolerant with the street dogs. One afternoon we saw a male dog gallivanting about on the sidewalk near Punta Trouville when, all of a sudden, he stopped and sniffed the air. In a decisive move, he turned around and headed back 20 meters to the stairs that give access to the beach. He did it in such a matter-of-fact way that it made us curious. So we peeked over the Rambla wall and followed the dog. Sure enough, down at the beach, next to the wall were two young women having mate with bizcochos. In no time, the dog was next to them. He then started to beg in such an adorably charming way that even I was ready buy something to give to the dog. No need, the women were just as charmed and he soon received a few treats. Minutes later, after he was sure that this source of food had dried up, he moved on, as if in search of greener pastures.

In case you are moved to adopt a dog or cat in Uruguay, here are a few pet related words for you to practice your Spanish:

Animales domésticos - Pets
Mascotas _ Pets
Cachorro – Puppy
Pensionado - Boarding
Envios a domicilio – Home delivery
Alimento para perros – Dog food
Alimento para gatos – Cat food
Cirurgia - Surgery
Internación – In-patient
Esquilas – Grooming
Sin cargo – Free
Medicamentos – Medicine
Clínica Veterinaria – Veterinary clinic
Mutual de Animales Domésticos – Pet HMO
Urgencia noturna – Night urgent care
Urgencia las 24 horas – 24 h urgent care
Alimentos balanceados – Balanced rations
Consultas – Vet visit/appointment
Collar - Collar
Esto perro ladra mucho? – Does this dog bark a lot?
Mi perro es precioso – My dog is beautiful
Extraño a mi perro _ I miss my dog
Adiestramiento del perro – dog training
Entrenamiento - training
Entrenador - trainer
Dueño – owner
Raza – Breed
Morder – To bite
Mordida – a bite
Cimarrón - a Uruguayan dog breed

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