Hundewiese im Hirschgarten

Hundewiese im Hirschgarten is a dog park in Munich, Germany. You might wonder why you would take your pooch to a dog park when it would seem that all of Germany is open to these well-behaved animals. Most European dogs, however, have been socialized to behave well towards other humans. When they come into contact with other pets on the street, though, their hackles are often raised as they wonder if they should protect their owner from the other beasts. A dog park offers some structure and yet plenty of space to give your dog the opportunity to become used to other furry friends.

One of the second things you might notice as you enter Germany, the first being the cigarette smoke, is that Germans love their dogs! According to the 2022 update of “Dogs In Germany [ A Complete 2022 English Guide],” there are 10.7 million registered dogs in this country. Okay, and there are 15.7 million registered cats. 

You can take your dog almost anywhere except for supermarkets, bakeries, government institutions, playgrounds, and public beaches. Keep alert for the sign ‘Wir müssen draußen bleiben‘ (we have to stay outside) with a dog next to it if you are not sure. 

There is quite a bit of chatter online as to why European dogs behave better than American dogs, but everyone seems to agree that humans are at the root of the problem. This “problem” is also the reason that dog parks are needed as training arenas (in my opinion) for German dogs. From what I read, European dogs are socialized to their human family and are generally ignored by others in public. Therefore, they are not seeking out other humans for petting or attention. If a pet comes across another dog, it might “bark either out of overexcitement, an attempt to interact or a reactive knee jerk response because they feel the other dog is a potential threat or that they need to protect their owner” according to “European Dogs Are Better (And It’s All Our Fault)”.

There are rules regarding how often a dog should be walked, so whether you take your dog to a dog park or walk him yourself, it is important that you do so.

:-)

The Simple Germany website offers great information about dog taxes and all of the rules surrounding owning a dog as well as other social and cultural norms you might have questions about as you live and travel in Germany. Check it out! https://www.simplegermany.com/dogs-in-germany/

Dogs In Germany [ A Complete 2022 English Guide]. March 17, 2022. https://www.simplegermany.com/dogs-in-germany/

European Dogs Are Better and It's All Our Fault. July 29, 2021. https://www.thenakeddogaustin.com/traininghowtos/2021/7/29/european-dogs