Dogs Aplenty

 

Lots of Dogs

Let's add dogs to the list of what Scots are fond of. We already know they are fond of cheddar cheese and walking. And, when we are out walking, we encounter dogs aplenty. Haven't seen a cat yet. This is not an overstatement, we see 50+ dogs per day while out on our walks. Scots are fond of dogs.

Interestingly, we have never heard a dog bark. Never had a dog jump on or threaten us. Never seen a dog without its owner. Almost never seen a dog on a lead. This is not to say those things don't happen, but we have not seen it. Pictured is a dog and owner we saw on a popular walking path. We asked ourselves how this can be; so many dogs, so well behaved. Now we can add one more item to the list of things Scots are fond of, dog behavior. The official Scotland Control of Dogs Act 2010 (updated in 2020) lays it all out in considerable detail. The Act states that dogs must be "kept under control effectively and consistently." It appears that Scots take this seriously, like a point of pride.