Dogs here, dogs there

One of the key differences between small-town Russia and small-town America is that Russia has lots of stray dogs. Some stray dogs meet you just outside the flat, while others meet you on the way to metro. Stray dogs are nearly everywhere. In America, there are hardly any. Why is this? My reasoning is that in Russia, stray dogs are taken care of by the people who often see them. For example, there is a dog that stays outside of the building where we stayed, and when people walk by him they would give him some food. In Russia, the dogs are friendly because many people are friendly to them. In America, everyone is scared of stray dogs. They think they are dangerous just because they don't have a true home. I must say that I was scared of stray dogs when I went to Russia, but after my trip I realized that those dogs would not touch me. It was a weird feeling to trust these dogs, but somehow I did.

It is often stressed in our culture that a stray dog needs a home. People think that dogs would be much happier living with a family who loves them. This is quite true, and I agree with this statement completely. However, this statement is only true if the family that adopts that dog truly gives love to the dog. In many cases, true care does not prevail for a dog that is adopted, in which living by itself in a pack would be a happier setting. In Russia, dogs living in packs works. Russians do not have large homes in which our dogs can roam and live freely. Many flats in Russia are very small because they are so expensive. They would be much happier living with other dogs and getting food from friendly people in the streets. Thus, stray dogs in Russia are very content are people friendly, unlike in America.

In America, however, stray dogs could come into conflict with the dogs who do have homes. No one can restrain a stray dog, and if someone here was walking their dog down the street and encountered a stray dog, conflict could easily erupt. Stray dogs are looked down upon here, which is why the stray dogs that do exist are unhappy. Also, dogs that have a human family are much more common in America because Americans often have larger homes than we do. Dogs have lots of luxuries in America, and Americans can afford taking care of a dog. So in the end, stray dogs are not a threat in Russia, just as home dogs are not a threat here.