A Dog Day in Paris

France has one of largest dog-to-human ratios in the world, with about 500,000 dogs in Paris alone. What do the dogs of Paris do all day? Where do they go? The narrow cobbled streets of Paris may not look like a great place for dogs to roam, but Paris is a very walk-able city and there are lots of parks to be discovered, especially if you have a four-legged friend.

There is a beautiful park in Paris called Parc Monceau. If you’re into architecture, and the city itself hasn’t filled your quota, Parc Monceau has structures called architectural ‘follies’, which are copies of great monuments such as the pyramids, Corinthian pillars, Venetian bridge, and Chinese pagodas. If you want to relax, it has several pathways lined with benches – perfect for soaking up some sun, maybe eating lunch with a friend, or just watching the world go by.

Parc Monceau is also a great spot for dog watching. The wide pathways give pet people a great place to loosen the leash a little so that their dogs have more room to roam. If you haven’t spotted many dogs in the neighbourhoods of Paris, it’s likely because they’re all at this park – there are a lot of dogs to watch!

Dog Friendly Parc Monceau

Given the vast number of dogs at Parc Monceau walking with their people, it’s clear that this is a dog-friendly park.  Almost all of the dogs in the park were on leash and stayed on the main gravel pathways, though we did spot one or two smaller dogs playing games of fetch on grassy knolls with their people.  These little fetch-playing pups were extremely well behaved while playing; though their fetch games took them away from their owners where there was lots of opportunity to divert from the game (such as people, other dogs, strollers, to name a few), they stayed on task, finding the object to retrieve and taking it directly back to their person so they could repeat the game.  There was no fear of one of these little off leash fur-balls getting into trouble by seeking attention elsewhere. (Our pup could take a lesson or two from these well behaved dogs!)

Bigger dogs, or perhaps the ones who don’t have their recall and/or obedience nailed down, stayed on leash and sauntered through the park with their people.  When the park got busier, all dogs were on the pathways and on leash, which leads us to believe that this is likely the park regulations, ie. dogs are welcome, but should be on leash.

Small Dogs Out for Their Morning Walks

When you think ‘Dogs in Paris’, do you think French Poodle being carried in a Louis Vuitton bag? Perhaps that’s how they travel in the streets of Paris, but there’s no free ride at Parc Monceau  – this is where dogs come for a walk (not a carry) in the park, often with a canine buddy, like these two pups:

Didn’t come to the park with a buddy? That’s ok – there are lots of dogs to meet:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contrary to popular belief, Parisians DO pick up after their pets.  Just like you’d hope, people wait patiently for their pets to finish ‘their business’ so that they could whisk it away without the risk of someone else stepping on it.  There is little fear of stepping into a mess at this park as you wander through.

The Big Dogs Come Out to Play

Since the wide pathways at Parc Monceau create a loop around the park, the pathways are overtaken by joggers running laps around lunchtime.

If you have a reactive dog or one who needs to chase something or someone in motion, heading to the park at lunch probably isn’t your best bet. However, if your dog needs some exercise and feels like doing a few laps, this is a great place to be.

Parc Monceau is also a destination for a nearby school full of children at their lunchtime.  They play in an area at one end of the park, away from the jogging ‘track’.  This is good to keep in mind if your dog likes (or doesn’t like) to meet kids or does better in a quieter space.

Paris’ Parc Monceau is a great multi-use green space that has room for everyone, including dogs and their people.  If you have a pet and want a quiet amble with potential to meet a few smaller dogs, consider heading to the park in the morning.  If you and your pet prefer lots of activity with lots of people and other dogs around, go to the park at midday. There aren’t any designated off leash areas for wrestling or running with other dogs, but that’s not what this park is about.  It’s about a dog and his or her person having a stroll in one of the most beautiful cities in the world – Paris.