CULTURE SHOCKS OF HAVING A DOG IN ITALY

You all have met our dog Kiro in the video where I talk about adopting a dog in southern Italy. Now, four months later, Connor and I felt like it was time to share the culture shocks of having a dog here.
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All in all, Italy is an amazing place to have a dog. My only wish is that we lived in a city with dog parks! We were so spoiled by the dog parks when we visited Milan. Watch the video to see more of our experiences!
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A bit about me: My name is Katie Quinn and I'm a video journalist, writer, and food enthusiast living in southern Italy. On this channel I make videos about life, travel and delicious things. I post every week, and of course, I #keepitquirky :)

[@TheQKatie]

Need more Kiro in your life? Want me to send you a vintage postcard from Trani? Follow my Italian adventures by joining The Quirky Club! www.patreon.com/qkatie You'll get monthly exclusive recipes, pizza night live chat and all kinds of fun stuff!

[@marinazompatori5318]

Nonne in Italy are obsessed with keeping apartments clean. However, leave them alone with a dog for 10 minutes and it will be the most spoiled, loved, petted canine in the world!!

[@christianleku2355]

io avevo un bullterrier, mia nonna si lamentava sempre però quando lo portavo stavano sempre insieme e si faceva accarezzare solo da lei

[@shotgunner3780]

Well i'm seeing this with my grandfather that never... NEVER allowed a dog in his house. But my new hunt puppy Birba was surprisly wellcomed.

[@gaiacaputi]

I am Italian. I cat call every single dog I see. It’s a disease, I swear I can’t stop it. don’t know if it’s cultural or what, but I just love when people let you pet their dog and talk or interact with it. dogs love it most of the time, so when I see they’re happy, I want to do it more

[@TheQKatie]

😂😂When you see Kiro on the street someday, you can definitely pet him!

[@ItalianHomeChef]

Wanting to give someone else's dog attention is common in the USA, especially if they're dog people. I do it from a far; oh cute dog, beautiful breed, oooh it's a puppy! Etc. If the fur parent stops to continue and invites us to pet the dog we jump on it and love on them. The danges are most people don't have respect - if it's not your dog you could get bit, you have no idea what could trigger a dog's behavior or reinforce a bad habit the owner is breaking, people think giving a dog food is "nice" - well it's not. It can be harmful to its system or the owner's health (I'm celiac- which means my dog also has to be gluten free) if someone gives my dog a treat made of wheat- then my dog licks me -I end up sick.... for weeks. Odd thing... We would never do this to someone's human child! Lol🤣

[@tinalettieri]

Me too, in Italy. I currently live in Israel and Israelis aren't so generous with their dogs.

[@lordfilippus8243]

I am a cat person, but I can't resist petting a dog In the streets

[@MrSuperAntani]

If I had to take a guess on why grandmas are against dogs in closed spaces I would say it's because older people used to have their dogs exclusively in their yard and NEVER inside the house. As you've noticed dogs require much more frequent cleaning of your house and I guess that was unacceptable for a grandma that spent all day cooking and cleaning for the whole family. Today we have much different standards and I think generally we regard pets as much more than an accessory to an household. Most younger people regards dogs as part of the family. Grandmas were much more distant than that towards family pets.

[@Barbara_M.]

I agree, also today we take care to educate our pets, something nobody was doing at grandma's time when house dogs were left to fend for themselves and making their business wherever they thought best...

[@SabbGamer64]

I was about to type this, + dogs in the past were "used" (ugly but accurate word) as tools, like for guarding properties or as sheperds. Of course I'm not saying it's inherently bad, it was just the standard of the time, but dogs are obviously something else now, they're companions and lifemates and they're obviously much more "intimate" with humans than they were 40,50,60 years ago!

[@mimmiblu6138]

I am not a granma but I still strongly oppose dogs entering my home. I simply do not like dogs and I do not see why I should have them in my home when I really do not enjoy their presence. So many people nowadays assume that if you invite them to dinner they can take their dog too... why? If I invite anybody to dinner I want to have a conversation with them, not with their dogs. And dog poo is literally everywhere in Italy.

[@Barbara_M.]

@@mimmiblu6138 well, of course in your house you can do whatever you want but let me tell you if there's dog poop everywhere in Italy 1% is dog's fault and 99% their's owners fault that don't care enough to keep their surroundings clean and don t like to do a little flexion to pick up the poop. I also can tell you this:: since probably 30 years ago there wasn't a pet culture in Italy and I come from that ignorant culture whete dogs stayed outside, used for guard and hunting only, a nice word once in a while but very little 'amenities' to say the least. I have never abused a dog in my life but I was one of those saying "the dog should be a dog the human should stay the human each one in his place" but after I inherited my aunt's dog I understood what it means to live with a pet and what a dog gives his owner, so much so that last year I couldn't wait anymore and I took a rescue with me. She's phobic, nobody wanted her, sheds like crazy and drools excessively when stressed, which is basically basically half the time. I have huge mobility issues and the house is a mess now, once in a while I need a lady to come do a deep cleaning, just because I can't afford a full time lady, but I am not sorry for having taken my dog. I always say I was needing her much more than she needed me, the emotional balance a dog can grant you is incomparable. To love a dog and be loved and share our life with a dog can teach you so much about humanity and help you get perspective on everything, it's a healthy combination you can find anywhere else dog owners surely can understand me.

[@mimmiblu6138]

@@Barbara_M. of course it is the owner's fault if the dog poo is not removed from the streets. Still, I do not like dogs since a dog bit my kid. It was a pretty unfortunate incident, but too many dog owners don't follow the rules and do not keep their dogs on the leash... as during that accident, which luckily enough was not very serious just a huge fright. Since then no dogs near me or my family please and certainly not in my house.

[@gaiabanfi6249]

Nonne in Italy are mostly of an age that means that they lived through world war II. They went hungry. So for them, animals were not really pets, they were either a commodity (dog watching the sheep, cats keeping rats away from what little food they stored) and they are not used to having them as an affection animal or part of the family. Animals for them were tools and tools stay in the shed, not in the home. Their animals were not trained to be social, just to work so having a cat/dog indoors meant having dirt, possibly fleas or ticks that could be spread to furniture and humans. Having a pet means you have to feed them regularly, take care of them, buy things for them and it is just not within the upbringing of people who struggled to feed their children to now actively spend money on a pet

[@catherineyork812]

As usual loved the video. I've been living in Italy for over 20 years, in Rome. After my first dog, a black cocker spaniel passed away 8 years ago, I went to the dog shelter of La Muratella and got my current dog, a dalmatian/setter crossbreed. She never had training classes though in retrospect it would have helped as for the first 6 months I had her she destroyed every cushion in sight as well as a mattress! Pee isn't an issue in Rome, there's no precious white marble to protect, most pavements are a mess. Picking up poop is expected and a lot of conscientious dog owners will clean up after their pooches, however as everywhere a fair amount of them don't bother. Curiously enough I've read that Romans are actually better at cleaning up after their dogs than Parisians. Paris is notorious for dog mess fouling the pavements. As for the Italian nonnas, I'd say their attitude comes from a life time of keeping their houses impeccable and a belief that dogs stay outside and not inside. From that point of view it seems that a Roman nonna is much like her Pugliese counterpart.

[@TheQKatie]

🐶 ❤️ 👍

[@Andreacurits]

I just genuinely laughed so much about the dog cat-calling (Connor your impression was so accurate)! I guess we just love to give dogs a good pat and some affection, no matter if they’re ours or not. A dog is a common good, everybody feels the urge to greet them

[@myriamscaramella9444]

also, for us tha's the dog-calling, the cat-calling is slightly different ;)

[@MetalMike87]

Grandmas come from a diffetent time, a rural one you can say, when dogs weren't pets, but useful anymal: to take care of flocks, to hunt, to guard the chicken coop, etc... So much so, dogs were just another animal that shouldn't be allowed inside the house. My grandpa used to go hunting, he had an insane amout of dogs in his life: my grandma never ever allowed one of them in the house. Rain or shine, snow or heatwave, they always stayed in their kennel

[@TheQKatie]

This is good perspective. Thanks for sharing!

[@rhythmicmusicswap4173]

@@TheQKatie mind you, our grandparents grew up during WW2, they didn't have the privilege to have pets, animals were tools or foods, they were a key to survive. Obviously younger generations approach pets in a different way

[@billcook4768]

We used to live in a neighborhood in New York that had a lot of immigrants. We had a regular doggie play group that met in the park. While all the owners chatted in English (often broken English) everyone tended to speak to their dog in their native language. If you wanted to learn how to say sit or come or shush in Russian, Croatian, etc. this was the place to be.

[@TheQKatie]

I LOVE this!!!

[@Whippets]

The Italian grandmothers I knew, as well as my own Italian grandmother, were always kind of insistent that dogs (as well as cats) belonged outside ... and God forbid they should lay on a couch or chair. The best part of the dog culture in Italy, IMO, is the ease with which you can go to restaurants (or shopping) with your dog.

[@E.1981-s7s]

I'm obliged to clarify to international viewers that not everywhere in Italy you'll find 🐶 💩 on the street. In my town there are strict rules against it that dog's owners have to follow.

[@Barbara_M.]

Yeah, in my town too there are strict rules, but my street, that is not a downtown street but in a more suburban neighborhood, the street is always full of s...t, literally. Now that I think it, also when I was living in the city there were a lot of owners who didn't clean. They simply ignore the rules no matter what.

[@gabrielex]

And I'm here to clarify that those rules apply nationwide, the problem as usual in Italy is having cops to enforce them, as with any other law...

[@Barbara_M.]

@@gabrielex yeah good luck with that, should we also have to pay for the poop police? I would be more inclined to arrange for some civil education from us citizen?....

[@clepsydra85]

Exactly! Emilia-Romagna for example!

[@anjavs]

Catcalling at the dog 😅😂, hihihihi it is true! Gli italiani amanti dei cani salutano come se fossero dei nipoti anche i cani degli altri. ❤️

[@AG-bw2oe]

I live close to Milan. We don't water where the dog pee. Instead, we try to consistently retrieve the poop (not everybody does that). The rest is all very Italian :) Our dog also comes from the south: there seems to be a much bigger problem with stray dogs there compared with northern Italy...

[@Ardoxsho]

Strays existed all across Italy. During the Fascist era, the problem was solved in the north (cruelly enough, I assume). One reason it never got sorted in the south is because of all the money the various mafias make from the kennels they run. I suggest you guys do an Internet search, "canili mafia". By the way, odd that you don't use water in Milan. In Genoa it's mandatory. Which means the majority do use it. Mandatory is never really enforced in Italy, we all know that.

[@andromacha83]

We live in Turin and we adopted a puppy in April from Sicily - Pachino (Siracusa). They are full of dogs and puppies unfortunately, because people don't sterilize or neuter them.

[@flateric7777]

I don't know about Puglia but in Lombardia, where I've been living for my whole life, there aren't stray dogs any more and therefore side walks don't look that filthy. There are still some ill-mannered people who don't clean after their dogs, unfortunately.

[@dariobiolcatirinaldi7796]

That's so cool, I don't talk in my native language with my dog too! I adopted my dog Rockie while I was living in Texas and our trainer was American. Now we're in Italy and people think it's very weird when I yell "leave it!" to stop my dog eating garbage on the streets. Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@celesteparazzi]

"Sopra" "On top of" "On theee... Table!" 😂😂😂

[@thatoneannoyingcommentbot7415]

òn deeee tèbol

[@turuanu]

The video ended and I was like: "Wait, where are the shocks?" Sounds more like facts, not even cultural differences, since you didn't say what these realities differ from.

[@Badtz2]

The first one was literally about being shocked(??) that the trainer spoke a different language when they were in a foreign country lol

[@giovannamoro8564]

North and South have totally different culture and traditions . About grannies is because they were not used to have animal friends and they're still afraid of possible diseases carried by animals. They heard all their lives about rabies, plague from fleas , tuberculosis and mange . New generations are more educated on the subject. Thank you for your " simpaticissimi " videos! Love from venice italy

[@NyreeAlana]

I'm sure Kiro would prefer a basket type muzzle. With basket muzzles, dogs can pant, drink and you can feed them treats, which is a great way to improve their opinion on the muzzle 😄 Your trainer may know about muzzle training, but there are also great KZbin videos that show you how to get your dog used to wearing a muzzle, using reward based training. Emily Larlham of @kikopup is a really good trainer. Kiro probably doesn't often need to wear a muzzle, but there are times when having your dog comfortable in a muzzle is a real advantage. Like in emergency situations, some vets will require the muzzle because in painful situations they don't know how the dog will react, but you also want your dog to be as comfortableas possible at the vet. Evacuations during disasters can become easier if people aren't worried about your dog biting. Kiro is really beautiful ❤

[@diane9247]

Ohmygosh...I remember sidewalk dog poop in Florence! Also, so many well cared-for dogs being walked all over the place.😊

[@Takethis42340]

The fine for not making the dog wear the muzzle is 10€. Have a look around and you'll see only a small minority of dogs wear it (usually big, powerful dogs). Since dogs regulate their body temperature through breathing, I would not make my dog wear it if he's well behaved, in particular during summer. I'd carry it with me and put it on only if asked (and take it off asap). Also remember that is a good idea to have a pet insurance, in particular to protect you from liabilities in case your dog causes harm to other people or other people belongins or is in need of medical care. Grandmas and older women think that having a dog is just one more thing they'll have to take care of (on top of keeping the house clean, taking care of the children, preparing 3 meals a day, doing the laundry) because their husband won't! Also, it's true that people that are born in the countryside think of animals as dirty things, they don't have an empatic connection with them.

[@catherineanderson3393]

Kiro is awesome -- so much joy he must bring to you all!

[@TheQKatie]

He’s the best! ❤️ 🐾

[@videotopica3957]

Bravi, togliete sempre quello che Kiro lascia per terra. In generale in Italia la situazione è cambiata rispetto al passato. Nel senso che una volta non si vedeva mai nessuno raccogliere la cacca del proprio cane. Oggi è diverso e in alcune zone è la norma. Mi colpisce però che a Trani la gente non raccolga la cacca del cane ma al contrario pulisce dove il cane fa la pipì. A Milano, dove vivo, è esattamente il contrario. La cacca la portano via, la pipì non la puliscono. Ho una moto: quando vado in giro e la parcheggio, sto sempre attento a mettere il bloster (lucchetto antifurto a U) sulla ruota in alto in modo che non si sporchi se qualcuno fa fare al cane la pipì sulla ruota. Purtroppo capita.

[@thetemptedvida8650]

C'è sempre da considerare il fattore dei cani randagi. Magari diverse volte la colpa è dei proprietari fannulloni, ma può anche essere che quelle cacche provengano da cani randagi

[@lordfilippus8243]

I am a cat person, but I really like dogs too! Here in Italy, if we want to pet a stranger's dog, we usually ask permission for it, as they might not like that a dirty hand touching their dog. But on the cat side: there are a lot of them in Paesi around the country. They stay in places where there are not a lot of people and it is not a surprise seeing one during a walk in afternoon. They even make colonies. Also Kiro looks very cute

[@kappa-k7599]

it's so interesting watching you being surprised at what we consider common, I love these videos keep it up!

[@lissssz]

Older people, especially from southern Italy, do not consider a dog as an actual member of the family. That's why there are so many strays (even "family" dogs often stay outside, are not spayed/neutered, generate more dogs that end up on the fields, on the streets, in shelters, or dead), and that's why the common behaviour of a "dog mama" or "dog dad" - dogs on beds and couches - is frown upon, so not only for hygene. On the other hand, affection in Italy is always connected with food and nicknames, so here it is! Kiro è bellissimo, bravi per aver preso un cane dal canile

[@edgar7021]

The poop problem sounds like a common problem to all southern European countries (specially the southern part of them) Im from Southern Spain and its the same here 💩 but quite different in Northern Spain 😅 I suppose its just about education and the fact that traditionally poorer regions in the South are behind the more northern areas for those matters (same with litter on the streets) About the nonnas… same in Spain 😆😆 and Im convinced the one and only reason is the one you pointed out at: older ladies in Mediterranean cultures have a thing for immaculate clean extremely fresh smelling homes and, sometimes, dogs are not compatible with their idea of a home you could eat from the floor of hahaha. I guess it’d be great if people in these areas could see the streets as a place in such urge to keep clean too 😜

[@TamzinVokes]

I'm in a Catalan village and poop is a big problem here too as well as most dogs living permanently outside and barking throughout the day/night! Some of the bigger towns are now resorting to DNA samples in order to "educate" or fine irresponsible owners. Poop was also an issue in French towns too when I lived there!

[@neutronalchemist3241]

@@WinstonSmithGPT I can easily avoid doog poop without even minding while walking in Rome, In Paris is practically impossible, and not just for me. Doormats outside bars in Paris are all invariably of the same colour, brown.

[@nanucca]

Thanks to you both to sharing your videos with us I find them very cute so accurate, Thanks to have adopted Kiro

[@johnsantilli7096]

How interesting that people are going to southern Italy to find dogs. My experiance was a dog we found in Molise and it was adopted by a family in Finland. (Who happened to also have a lake in their garden . Dog loves water) They were so happy that soon after they adopted another, same size.

[@mirkobruni]

Old timers don't like the dog in the house because in the good old days dogs were only for guarding outside and never inside the house.

[@tinalettieri]

Feeding you is how we Italians show our love. They're telling you that unlike the nonne, they accept Kiro. BTW, my Nonna hated dogs. My mom and her brother were never allowed to have one, and this was in the US. I don't call to dogs so much but we have lots of cats here in Israel and the Russian babbas take good care of them. When I see them on the street, I do call them and talk to them. If a dog shows interest in me, I will say "hello" and say something nice to the owner.

[@giovy1922]

North Italy doesn’t have stray dogs because here we take them to the vet and sterilize them. On the “catcalling”(for dogs), i do that a lot😂 The majority of us love dogs A LOT and we try to be friends with them (same for cats )🐶🐱

[@Fjesole]

Hi there! I wanted to add my two cents on the muzzle thing😄 Yes, by law you should bring a muzzle when walking your dog. But in fourteen years as a dog owner I have never had a police officer complain that I didn't have the muzzle with with me 👀 Maybe in Trani there are stricter rules, so don't take my word for granted! That said, you folks are law-abiding citizens and it is absolutely admirable, but don't get too stressed if you happen to forget it at home😅

[@giulianaraffa9391]

Qui in Inghilterra esistono collari e altri accessori per cani con scritto a lettere cubitali "DO NOT FEED ME". Riuscite a trovare qualcosa del genere a Trani? Non perdete la pazienza, ragazzi. Siete bravissimi. Kiro è un amore completo. Grazie per averlo salvato.

[@suzayq]

Love all the comments from different regions/ everyone’s 2 cents. I live in Italy too (Puglia) and travel with my dog on the trains/ planes everywhere. Never has worn a muzzle ever and he is frequently adored by all

[@perlarossini1492]

I'm from Trieste, THE italian dogs' city. In here we have quite a dog every 2 or 3 people. In here dogs can enter freely even inside supermarkets. Try to believe ;)

[@TheJosevr]

I live in the Netherlands and also adopted a stray dog from the south of Italy

[@TheQKatie]

No way! Cool!

[@TheJosevr]

Yes, his name is Willem, he is 1 year and 3 months. He lives here for almost 4 weeks. We are waiting on his DNA results tight now, can’t wait to know what breeds are in him

[@angstbringer2992]

Can confirm you can take your doggo pretty much everywhere over here. I work as a waitress at a bar/ristorante in one of Italy's biggest shopping villages. It's a fake town made of shops from Gucci to other expensive stuff, in northern Italy, and we get dogs all the time. In fact I *will* bring your pup water before I bring yours XD And yeah, I cat call dogs, too. I just straight up tell them "ma che brava!" and "sei bellissimo!" and only then greet the owners XD P.S: Kiro seems really happy and healthy! That's great!

[@TheQKatie]

🇮🇹🐾♥️🐾♥️🐾🇮🇹

[@OurUnspoiledItaly]

@@TheQKatie In Palermo, they made sure our dog was comfortable, then brought her water and breadsticks, then we got some attention. My dog loves going to Italy. She has many friends, who all seem to be retaurant owners.

[@antoniocastelliti7856]

Hi!! Thanks for the video!! I personally love dogs even though I never had a chance to get one of my own. Kiro seems to be the kind of friendly dog anyone would like. I've been living in Calabria, down south from Puglia, for many years and we have the same problem here in my town. Poop on the main sidewalks!! I just hate it and mostly the owners of the dogs that should clean up right after and don't even though the law says that they must. Well anyway great video!! Ciao Kiro!!

[@TheQKatie]

Grazie per la visione!

[@darlingdim9656]

I love dogs. Thanks for this perspective on Italy.

[@elsa9321]

My boy came from Sicily too! Now he’s in Alaska 😂

[@scarfacetheflame]

Hey Katie, first of all: I really love your channel, usually american people talking about Italy are super cringe but you're the exception, everything is on point (even tho sometimes is on point for... Well, Puglia and not the entire country :D). Regarding the dogs: I'm from Bari, nonne in the cities are not that much against dogs like in towns because the dog ownership as pets goes reeeeally far back in time, but in towns they were historically used to guard the fields and not as pets :) P.S. I don't live in Italy anymore since years and a couple of your videos are so on point about the good stuff from my country/area that they almost made me cry, well done ❤️

[@vietnamvet4533]

Best shock I had in Italy well two were the silence of the non stop Spanish I hear all day here in Florida. And the lack of cell phones glued to peoples hands and ears. Both for me I love.

[@antoniodimascio5340]

Kyro is so adorable sweet dog

[@richardwohlers5245]

We had people give our friends dog food while we out to lunch and he was tied in their boat (on guard?). We found out it was cheetos and hot dogs about half way home! So yeah people want to bond with other peoples friendly dogs.

[@evaalimonti5277]

Great video - I enjoyed learning about Italian attitudes to dogs 🐾

[@TheQKatie]

Thanks for watching!!!

[@alwaysasummergirl7]

We go to Italy a lot with our very sweet chihuahua and he is loved and welcomed everywhere we go (even to wine tastings or cooking classes) 😊 Our experience in Italy with our dog has been nothing but wonderful! Interesting about the muzzle as we have never seen this, and we’ve been all over the country 🤔 Omg the poop though! We haven’t seen anyone picking up after their dog! Here in Zürich it is a MUST so we always carry bags with us. We love Puglia, how nice you live there!

[@mind.journey]

Not 100% sure but I think the muzzle is compulsory only for large dogs (in Italian "cani di grossa taglia"). Not sure what exactly constitutes a big dog though

[@fabiolatroiano3980]

First video I watched and was like "cool, where are they?" turns out you guys are something like 20 minutes car ride from me 🤣

[@domenicozagari2443]

Puglia is a dry region, the Puglia aqueduct was built by Mussolini to bring water from the appenine mountains.

[@damianscardamaglia7857]

That makes so much sense to bring water to wash the urine .

[@littlefeet2]

Interesting vid. Thank you. I inherited a side table from my Italian immigrant grandmother (Calabria) and grandfather (Napoli). It has small, but visible, dog chew marks on one leg, leading me to think they had a dog in their small, and always immaculate, Queens home, fwiw. I’m old so this goes back to the 1930/40s.

[@TheQKatie]

Hahaha that makes the table a 1 of 1! 🐾 ❤️

[@akira2601]

I live in northern Italy and apart from the fact that dogs are welcomed practically EVERYWHERE here (restaurants, pharmacies, grocery stores, department stores, small shops, big shops, coffee bar), i assure you that EVERYONE will come and pet my dog. I've got a harder life than others because i've got a Corgi and they're not really common, but the cat calling (or dog calling? ahah) it's insane, and appreciated

[@niclaci6093]

I think the "granmas hating dogs" is correlated to the stray dogs issue in south of Italy. I've grown up always be worried to walk alone at night not always for the usual gender stuff, but also in the fear of find a pack of stray dogs in the street, which can be pretty dangerous. Nowadays thins are better, shelters in Puglia are better organized so you don't find stray dogs as easely as before (at least where I live, which is not that far from Trani), but you know, you spend a big part of your life being afraid of dogs so you learn not to like them.

[@alexandriacampbell2104]

The Cat calling thing is hilarious and great, because my husband will fit right in. We are American and here he can’t help himself with every dog he sees and it’s a little odd here, ha!

[@CookingSecretsForMen]

👍 great!!💥👍👌😎

[@banyalaplace]

Ohh do you live in Trani, guys? We're kind of nearby! Amazing video btw!

[@matthewbrigham5981]

Thanks for this video! We're contemplating moving to Italy for a year, but we have 3 dogs (small dogs). I'm not sure it's the best idea, but we hope to get them trained a little better since the are very barky. On the strays, you're very right. I used to live in Napoli and would often get chased by strays when running there.

[@TheQKatie]

Italy loves dogs, that’s for sure!

[@fran791]

Just go to northern Italy and you won't have any problems with stray dogs because the regulations are much more strict up there and the organizations looking after stray animals are more efficient

[@emmamellberg3017]

one tip that a basket muscle is better so that the dog can keep panting the muscle where they close their mouth is only for very short periods of time

[@cassandra4530]

The downside of adopting a dog in south Italy is that, when me a person who lives in Bari wants to adopt a new one, most shelters say no just because they prefer to give them to people who lives north. The excuse is "because most of the people here treat them bad". Having my last dog was a struggle (that ended well because i have a friend at the canile sanitario di Bari). Apart from that, yes, dog are very welcomed everywhere here and everybody loves them :)

[@TheQKatie]

🐾🐾🐾♥️

[@denisew3917]

So nice of you to give Kiro his forever home. He has the nicest smile when he isn’t wearing Rule #4 the muzzle. Must be an old law. First time I saw a dog with a muzzle was 1970 in Venice.

[@riccardodemedici7116]

It depends on the community…

[@janetlombardi2314]

I love your dog and i adore them generally. They make such good companions. A very good interesting video as always. Thank you

[@fredfine]

Yep, the nonnas thing I think has to do with cleanliness 🐶

[@cinziatessari3006]

We have so MANY dogs (and cats) in the "rifugio del cane" because we don't kill them. In USA after a while they kill the dog they know they are not going to be adopted. I would like to go ti USA on vacation but I will not because over there you can't bring your dog (mine in VERY little) in restaurant or supermarket or museums....you can only walk or stay home. I am happy that here I put my dog in her bag and I can go almost everywhere. PS....you are right....TOO MANY PEOPLE DON'T PIC UP THE POOP!!!!!!😡

[@ShlomiIsraely]

One important warning about the muzzle - I know you don't have to use it all the time, but that is a vet muzzle, usually for medical operations. It is not suitable for day to day. Dogs need to regulate their body temperature, and it is done using their mouth. keeping their mouth closed for long time, especially in warm weather, may cause heat strokes and even death. There are muzzles that allow panting - you should use these types instead.

[@rmorretti]

Whaa , great for you, I am so happy that you adopted that beautiful dog, how lucky him. Ma dove’ quel posto dove avete adottato Il vostro cane? I would like to visit that place and hopefully adopt a dog, I have lost my dear Simba of 15 years Golden Retriver mix, I miss her so much❤. Grazie state bene, ciao

[@tappingflamingo]

Kiro is so cute!!! :)

[@Klerey]

As an italian I can confirm that for grandmothers animals belong outside the house. Especially in rural areas the houses used to be really small, barely having the space to shelter the family. So you would not use that space to accomodate an animal. The mentality stuck even as things changed!

[@andreaeisenberg8851]

Sounds similar to Israel is a lot of ways. Many religious people are totally freaked by dogs; they will squeal or cross to the other side of the street. And the cackie (poop) on the street, ech. Same rules on the muzzle here. And sadly, so many many unwanted dogs. And abused dogs, largely but not exclusively in Arab villages; it's horrific. But Tel Aviv supposedly has the highest per capita dog population in the world, so we love our doggies here. Hoping my boy loves Italy when we move there, he sure hates the heat here. (We plan to move to the north.) Best of luck with Kiro; he's a very handsome guy.

[@chelseapw]

Pro tip: invest in a robot vacuum it will change your dog loving life 🥰

[@TheQKatie]

We LOVE our Roomba!

[@bellad.1274]

People dislike dogs because in the old days they didn't have flea control and Worm control and Neutering, Spaying, etc. Dogs & cats were strictly outdoor animals. Indoor plumbing has only been common within the last 100 years. I love dogs, but without these modern innovations.. I think it would have been impossible to easily care for an Indoor dog. ( plus most of Europe didn't even have commercial dog food until 20yrs ago, but Still feel homemade food is better!)

[@stefanorossetti6057]

I have 2 dogs and I live in Italy in Rome. I always collect the poop and throw it in the special bins. It has to be done BY LAW and most polite people do it. Unfortunately, but it depends on the area, there is also someone who does not respect the rules and leaves dirt on the road when it is not seen. Certainly not everyone in Italy has a civil and responsible mentality and this also applies to those who take dogs for a walk. They are the same people who throw the wastepaper on the floor instead of putting them in the rubbish bin. I am ashamed of them, but, I repeat, those who truly love dogs always collect and throw poop in the bin.

[@GabrieleCannata]

Italy is long. You might have different experiences elsewhere, like the northern part.

[@enricacantori2984]

Da me, nelle Marche, non ricordo di aver mai visto cani randagi (e sì che ho sessanta anni!) quando mia figlia è andata in Sicilia, la prima cosa che ha notato erano proprio i cani randagi, sono rimasta allibita!

[@oniricPrj]

dog poop is a problem in Italy. It's getting somewhat better here in Triest, but still...it's a problem 😞

[@lisacujdik2484]

Katie is it true Italy treats dogs like rock stars? They’re allowed everywhere you go🐶

[@TheQKatie]

It’s true! I love it. 🐶 ❤️

[@lupodimontenero661]

in many cases but not everywhere, however I disagree on "treated like a rock star", unfortunately I have seen and I see quite horrible things. For example, like some hunters (not all but a good percentage) he treats dogs, relegated to small boxes. Here it is not in question whether it is good or bad for a person to be a hunter, but whether he is a barbarian or not

[@teifear7528]

I'm from Puglia and moved to Rome 30 year ago and I saw people slowly changed their custom and started to gran their dogs poop, finally. I'd Say, be patient, Rome wasn't built in a day... They will change habitat in Puglia top..

[@lpanzieri]

Italian who lived in London for 3 years: my dog eventualy learnt English :D PS I would definitely 'cat' call your dog if I meet him around!

[@RainMan0]

“La civiltà di un popolo si misura dal modo in cui tratta gli animali” (M. Gandhi)

[@BiggieTupac95]

Gli indiani ritengono sacra le mucche ma poi hanno le caste...

[@lawrenceebersole9765]

Beautiful dog

[@johnoliver2022]

Bellissimo Kiro 😍😍😍😍💖😍

[@susanmargaretwills6432]

In my Italian town people put a plastic water bottle on their doorsteps in order 4 people to splash water on dog pee

[@marcellabellifemine6497]

My nonna and all her family (even my mother before getting our dog) used to hate dogs and cats for a funny reason: she couldn't stand the fluffines or the 'morbidezza" of their coat. Also her relatives who live in the states never liked dog and they even jumped on the top of a table once. Eventually she grew to love my dog and my cousin's ones (she is a veterinarian), but she'd never touched them, while my grandfather used to give them taralli all the time

[@gianlucaborza]

I’d say the dog poop on the street is from the stray dogs

[@thatoneannoyingcommentbot7415]

no sono tutti gli incivili che non la raccolgono

[@ThePinkus]

Mmm, actually, yes, my grandma' hated dogs, almost hated cats, and definitely hated the wild raven my ma' tried to adopt... I guess the picture of a dog running after a cat running after a raven in her salotto didn't suit her. Thus, another confirmation of this weird statistic.

[@TheQKatie]

😂😂

[@tomtomtomash]

Loved the video! May I correct an expression you used, just because I think I have heard you using it also in some other video (otherwise I hate people correcting you and your Italian is amazing by the way)? You said “our Italian is abbastanza bene”, but you should say “è abbastanza buono (or “è decente, discreto) :) have fun in Trieste!!

[@TheQKatie]

Grazie. Sto ancora imparando!

[@tomtomtomash]

@@TheQKatie sei bravissima!

[@ellephedre]

It has to be said that the culture you are describing is more typical of the south of Italy. In the northern part of the country - I speak for the city of Milan - you don't find poop on the sidewalks (not anymore at least, for the last twenty years). And here they treat dogs like children. Of course they get to stay in the house, and nobody complains. After all, in Milan hardly anybody has a personal yard for the dogs, so the house it is for them. Also, here you won't find strays in the street. They would end up being killed by cars, becoming a danger for everyone. But more than that, any stray would get picked up by a concerned animal lover within hours.

[@TheRudespo]

My mum love dogs, but its true many itialian women dont want them in their house, anyway your dog its really nice.

[@arthurclaymore4995]

Concerning old women hating dogs: that must be a southern thing. My wife and I have settled in the Veneto and here old women LOVE their dogs.

[@carolc1543]

I rode train from Rome to Florence and back and I didn’t see any dogs with muzzle. I did not know it was a law. I’ll have to train mine before we move

[@gianniortona86]

Funny that I talk to my cat in English cause he's born in Sydney!!! My mom (is nonna since a while tho) loves dog, but only out of the house! Dogs are not allowed in, like every other animals... Thanks for the video, loved Trani

[@danielelabianca82]

un saluto da Barletta!

[@TheQKatie]

👋

[@kazadams]

I am considering moving to Italy with my dog. She is a senior and somewhat shy. Do you ever see or have problems with the street dogs being aggressive to leashed dogs?

[@TheQKatie]

I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Stick to the main areas of any town and you’ll be fine. Only time we’ve had run-ins with aggressive dogs off leash are the guard dogs outside of a car park on the edge of town. Hope this helps!

[@Favoxhille]

I think nonnas hatred towards the dogs is actually mostly because the average Italian owners are disrespectful and uncaring of the most basic rules... like picking up the poop, many also don't train nor make their dog socialize so they become very rough and aggressive with strangers.

[@anochalewis5516]

Do you get asked if Kiro is 'maschio'. We live in Rome and when we have our dog 'nephew' Filippo, we are asked several times a day if Filippo's maschio.

[@TheQKatie]

OMG YES. What is that all about!?

[@tenten3577]

Because if it is a boy "Maschio", and the other dog is also a boy, especially if not neutered and/or trained, there are big chances they could fight. The same goes for girls with girls "Femmina", even if it's less common. So the dog's person asks the sex to avoid conflict if they know their dog won't react well with the same sex My girl dog is really calm, but has made some ugly encounter in the dog park with some other territorial girl dogs, so I tend to ask if the other dogs are calm with "Femminas" before unleash my lil girl friend

[@anochalewis5516]

@@tenten3577I've always understood being asked entering parks, its also passing people on the pavement with dogs, who obviously have no issue with our dog or don't have dogs at all. I feel it just a force of habit for many.

[@nhvnaturalpet]

Thank you for sharing your challenges of adopting Kiro in Italy! The water bottle thing is actually so interesting! We wonder if the soil is at all happier with the added water 😉. We were also kinda surprised about all the dog poop everywhere 💩but luckily, there are bag dispensers everywhere!

[@angelacutrupi1555]

Hello qK, nice video, as always! This time your experience mimic Italian habit almost perfectly 👏👏 the only thing you don't see everywhere is people using the bottle of water: it isn't extremely necessary 'cause dog's urine is not that smelly, but many shop owners will really upset you if your friend fulfils their needs 😅

[@Tiffolo]

Premesso che in alcuni comuni è obbligatorio per effetto di ordinanze comunali (non conosco il caso specifico di Trani), ci sono sentenze della Cassazione che dicono chiaramente che quando il fatto avviene sul muro di un'abitazione e non si "diluisce" l'urina con acqua si configura come reato d'imbrattamento. Un esempio in questo senso è la sentenza Cass. 7082/15

[@angelacutrupi1555]

@@Tiffolo no, per carità non volevo aprire un dibattito, 😅😝la legge è molto chiara! stavo solo precisando che, nonostante tutto, la cosa non viene fatta regolarmente in ogni città italiana

[@andreil1313]

The pouring water on dog’s pee is not something that’s done in Italy in general, and it’s true that nobody picks up poo even though is illegal to not do so. And we also have a stray dogs problem especially in the south ;; I also trained my dog to accept the muzzle in the case it was requested and I always had it with me. I think it’s one of the first things to train your dog to accept, it can be useful in so many occasione.. imagine a stressful vet visit that becomes so much more stressful because of the muzzle and the dog is not used to it. I also wanna pet every dog I see but i refrain or I ask the owner because I hate it when other people do it with my dog 😂

[@elenabelletti61]

Perdonami, ma che lingua dovrebbe parlare l’addestratore, visto che siamo in Italia? Gli anglofoni pensano di poter e dover sempre parlare la loro lingua; una sorta di colonizzazione linguistica che, francamente, trovo arrogante. Per il resto, avete ragione. Ciao!

[@romulus_rex]

Mi trovo in forte disaccordo, ormai bisogna riconoscere che l'inglese è la lingua internazionale per eccellenza, non dico saperla alla perfezione, ma almeno sapere di cosa si sta parlando, il "yes... on the table" del signore mi ha sinceramente fatto rabbrividire (nonostante sia scusato per la sua età avanzata) ormai la "colonizzazione linguistica" di cui parli è già avvenuta e dobbiamo farcene una ragione

[@varunadeiwos860]

1. I am a dogcaller but I always ask for persmission to interact to the owners, but I do say 'amore' to every freaking dog I meet sorry 2. giving food to unknown dogs...is wrong but there's no culture about dog training and health, I'm pretty sure that people gives food to human kids without asking about allergies 3. there are some bigger metal-cage shaped muzzle that may look scary BUT allows the dog to breath better and *TO DRINK* still giving you/the trainer/the people full control and safety 4. the lack of dog related culture and well behaviour brings to the poop problem AND therefore to the BANNING, if everyone had -like you- the muzzle, or even just a trained dog with the right lenght leash (no more than 150cm) it would be less of an issue but too many people and dogs are still untrained so many people...ban the dogs (and the owners). Also many places are scared of dogs, allergic etc so small places and stores cannot afford both a dog and a 'victim' in the same small space. And being in Italy 100 angry signs is the only way to make people understand, I guess XD ps I'm a dog trainer in training.