Dogs in Thailand

Dogs in Thailand are unlike any I have ever experienced either at home or on my travels round the world. The majority are badly treated, not cared for and in many cases just left to roam the streets where they follow their natural instinct and form packs. Which sort of beggars belief in a predominately Buddhist country, given the religions attitude to all animals.

In fact the street or soi(small street or alley) dog in Thailand is a hazard that is sometimes difficult to avoid if you are on foot or riding a cycle or motorcycle.  Most soi dogs are ferociously territorial to their patch of street or footpath so if you venture into it unknowingly you can expect to be barked or snarled at.  Some dogs will try to bite you particularly from behind when you have passed.

Now given that these dogs are not feral it stands to reason that they are or were owned by someone at some point. So what is the Thai peoples attitude to dogs, ownership of them and control.

In my experience my Thai neighbours do little or nothing to control their animals, even if the dog is chasing someone and the owner is present. Their attitude seems to be that its up to the intruder(albeit they might be a neighbour) to avoid the canine who is defending his turf. Feeding and veterinary care also seem to be low on peoples priority list and it is common to see distressed dogs suffering from flea infestations and mange. I have also never seen a dog on a lead let alone being exercised by the owner.

Since self help seems to be the only way of dealing with soi dogs in Thailand I have personally developed a strategy for when I am out walking or cycling. What I am about to say might seem cruel by Western standards, but this is not the West and my strategies have come about through watching how Thais deal with the nuisance dogs.

When walking I carry a bamboo “walking stick” and a catapult since most of the dogs one encounters understand and recognise these two articles as a means of delivering pain. In fact I have rarely had to use either and when I have used the latter weapon the offending animal has never ventured near me again.  Another strategy that sometimes works is to stop and bend down as if reaching for a stone from the ground. By the time you have stood up most dogs will have run away well out of striking range.

When cycling I just carry my catapult and a few missiles in a pocket although firing on the move can present its own hazards and must be quite comical to watch. Generally speaking I find few problems now when I am out riding since the territorial beasts probably recognise me and see me as no threat.

Given that most soi dogs get their gene pool from Thailand’s two recognised breeds, the Thai Bang Kaew and the Thai Ridgeback it is perhaps understandable given the characteristic of these breeds, that cross-bred animals are quite ferocious when left to roam. Both breeds are fiercely territorial by nature although with proper positive reinforcement training make exceptional loyal and well behaved pets.

Indeed lack of any training is probably one of the main reasons that soi dogs are so troublesome.  In my experience most Thais I know simply beat their dogs into submission when they are pups as a substitute for proper training.

By way of example let me tell you about my neighbours three dogs who roam the soi and behave in the way I have described above.

When I first came to live here the dogs were aggressive towards me, however within a few weeks I had won their trust and started to get them to do exactly what I wanted with a few simply commands(in English) and a bit of positive reinforcement(treats) since the dogs are always hungry and will do anything for food. I have also trained them to come to my whistle. Now if they chase or bark at a person on the street I can get them to stop quite easily much to the amusement of my neighbour.

So if I can do that with some dogs I don’t own why can’t the average Thai person do the same? I certainly don’t know the answer, maybe you do.

Related posts:

1. Bringing a Pet into Thailand
2. Animal Welfare in Thailand