Dogs across Taiwan are by far the most healthy and happy dogs that I have ever seen. There is an incredible respect for dogs across Taiwan, from the big city of Taipei all the way to the rural aboriginal village of Alishan. In the United States, dogs are generally kept on leashes and kept very close in proximity of their owners, which seemingly changes the culture around owning a dog and caring for a dog, but also around the attitudes of the dogs themselves. Generally, in Taiwan it seems that dogs are cherished by their owners, as if an owner’s dog is their own child. The culture around owning a dog is also different in Taiwan, which presents itself in the shape of dog independence. Many dogs are left to run around on their own, which makes them significantly more social than many dogs in the United States. This seems to be the reason why the dogs in Taiwan are seemingly happier than dogs in the United States. I have included a full album of my own photos of dogs across Taiwan during the TMT program below in order to provide visuals of these happy pooches!
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Soulful eyed puppy through a fence in Alishan[/caption]
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A sweet little French bulldog who couldn’t get her tongue back in her mouth in Alishan[/caption]
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A puppy with her own shelf at a market in Pingxi[/caption]
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A friendly girl who was interested in the boar sausage I was eating in Wulai[/caption]
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A smiley pup who seems to be loving her cone in Wulai[/caption]
By: Lilia Wilson
Program: Tradition and Modernity in Taiwan
Term: Summer 2019