The Dogs of Taiwan

As a dog owner myself, dogs that I encountered during my trips will catch my attention. Taiwanese loves their dogs. They will bring them everywhere they go – in work, in play and even for a holiday cruise at Sun Moon Lake.

The photo above shows a cute dog belonging to a busker performing at Syuanguang Temple, Sun Moon Lake.

There were even dogs riding on prams and dressed in clothes.

Dog in pram alighting from boat cruise around Sun Moon Lake.

 

I saw one that even rode on a scooter with its owner. Scooters are a common mode of transport in Taiwan. Our taxi driver in Hua Lien told us he knew of an owner who would let his dog jump off his scooter when he stopped at a red light signal. The dog would know to get back up onto the scooter when the light turns green again. Not sure if he was pulling my leg, but I am inclined towards believing his story.

The pet dogs in Taiwan are generally well behaved, calm, submissive and respectful of humans. Even the stray dogs that we met at various locations around Taiwan.

Patient dog waiting for his meal at Shilin Night Market. Not sure if the dog belonged to this lady shopkeeper as it was wandering about before it was fed.

Another patient dog at Cingjing Plaza.

Some owners would also dressed up their small dogs in fanciful doggy clothes and shoes! Probably treating them as their “fur-kids”. Young couples prefer to raise their “fur-kids” rather than to have human babies, and contributing to a decline in human birth rates.

Dog wearing “police uniform” at Feng Chia Night Market.

Dog  at a store selling toy guns at Shilin Night Market.

You can see shops selling doggies clothes and accessories at the various night markets and Ximending.

Of course, pet shops selling puppies and kittens. These puppies were for sale at a shop near Shilin Night Market.

Not all dogs in Taiwan lead a good life. Despite Taiwanese’s love for dogs, stray dogs could still be found at most places of interest. The good thing is that they were calm and respectful, despite being strays. Maybe they were not strays but villager’s dogs without collars. None of them were aggressive and kept their distant even when we have food in our hands.

This black stray dog was wandering between buses and cars at a narrow road in Juifen. It was eyeing our sausage while we waited for our taxi to pick us up. It did not pounce on us or rob us of our food; else I would have an interesting story to tell for a long time….like the time we were robbed of our picnic food by a lone dingo at Fraser Island! And photographed by a group of excited Korean tourists who had just came down a tour bus and snapped pictures of our ordeal instead of coming to help us.

 

 This mother dog (above), without her pups, was loitering at the carpark in QiXingTan where we were buying our “Big Sausage Wrapped Small Sausage”. QiXingTan (Seven Star Lake) is actually a beach near Hualien. QiXingTan is a place with strong winds, waves and beautiful view of the East Coast of Taiwan and Pacific Ocean.

Another dog at QiXingTan, Seven Star Lake near Hualien.

We saw a few limping dogs along the highway while travelling in Taroko National Park. Mr Li, our taxi driver, bringing us from Cingjing to Hualien through Taroko Gorge, told us these dogs belong to villagers in the region. They were injured by traps used to trap wild boars.

Dog in Taroko National Park.

Compared to the dogs at other places of interest, these Taroko dogs were quite aggressive. One even charged at our taxi when we drove past.

Let Sleeping Dog lie –  Taken at Baisiandong, Cave of the Eight Immortals. Caves also served as temples.This dog (above) could have given up a life of aggression and seeks peace and solace at the cave temple in Basiandong near Hua Lien. Sounded like a typical story line in a old Chinese sword fighting movie.

French Bulldog belonging to Nita at Misty Villa Minsu.

And finally, the bulldog at Misty Villa, Cingjing. This friendly dog was there to greet us when we checked into the minsu. Unfortunately, we did not get to see it again, till the last morning when we were about to leave.