Dogs in Peru

The dogs in Peru are of a different culture. It is somewhat of a dogs’ heaven where they are able to run free, there are no leash laws. In Chaclacayo and the cities closer to Lima, it is common to see dogs on the roof tops, and they even run and jump from rooftop to rooftop barking at the passerby. The one thing that is not heavenly about the dogs in Chaclacayo is that they are aggressive and they will bite you. You do not go over to a dog and say “hey buddy, how’s it going there fella?” and stick your fleshy and meaty hand in the dog’s face. The real fun part is when you are going to go visit a neighbor and when you get close to their house, their dog charges at you while barking and bearing its teeth. No way do you turn around and run, or you are already doomed, you have to act like you are supposed to be going where you are going and walk casually while thinking, “I’m going to get bit!” I fortunately have not gotten bit, but have had two close calls. Several volunteers in my group were on the receiving ends of dog bites and for this is why it is Peace Corps protocol for us to receive several rabies shots throughout our stay in Peru. Dogs are everywhere; roaming the streets, digging through trash, getting shooed out of the local restaurant, pretty much going wherever they want until somebody tries to kick them. That’s the thing, as much as it is a dogs’ heaven here you would assume that the people here like dogs, but the people do not pet dogs. There is a common understanding between the two about their living together relationship and people maintain their position of dominance in the relationship by throwing rocks, and feinting a smack or kick at the dog. The dogs do serve as loyal property protectors of their owners and also fight for their property against other dogs on a continual basis.
In the mountains where I am living the dogs are not as aggressive, and are definitely different from the dogs closer to the coast. I do not feel threatened around them and I almost feel bad for them because nobody ever gives them any affection. I felt comfortable enough to pet 2 of them and the one wolf that I encountered in the plaza. Once I started petting, the muscles in their face completely slumped and they did not want me to stop, I am sure it was an experience like no other for them. When the locals saw me petting the dogs they looked at me like I was strange, and either laughed, or asked me why I was doing that. Last Wednesday I was petting one of the dogs in the plaza and even playing with him a little bit since he is about 8 months old, and the caretaker of the plaza asked me if that was my dog. I answered, “No”, and she said with a smile, “I’m going to kill that dog because he is always in my plaza”. This is not a joke, if a dog bites a local or a tourist, or roams around the plaza too much, they will poison him. In Chosica, one of the bigger cities close to Chaclacayo, I was told that the municipalidad puts poison in the park all the time to get rid of stray dogs (although owned dogs roam like stray dogs). One of the volunteers in Sibayo told me that a dog was killed two weeks ago in Sibayo for roaming around the plaza too much. Teaching a dog here to ‘Sit’, ‘Stay’, and ‘Heel’ is hard enough; I wonder if it is possible to teach ‘DON’T GO TO THE PLAZA!’