Dog Tricks

It can not be stressed how important dogs are in Czech society. Families are more reasonable about this than singles. A short walk along the tram tracks in summer and it is not hard to see a 120 lbs. (55kg) woman being drug behind 110 lbs. (50kg) dog. Maybe, the dog is cheaper than heat, because she probably lives alone in a one bedroom, 1+1 or a 1+kk, by herself.

Possibly, when she shows her mom the receipts from the grocery store to prove she is eating she really is the bill for the dog’s food. We know she can not keep that figure and be eating 1000czk per week of “diet” Czech food. Judging from the size and health of the canines in the area, it is pretty clear where her spare change goes. Where there are horse-sized dogs there are always presents.

It is pretty difficult in the summer to avoid the presents that the well-fed puppies leave nearly everywhere along the street. If you do manage not to step in any presents on a summer day, the overwhelming scent of well-watered dogs probably will overwhelm you. A choking, diesel smog is welcome in some of the well-ventilated alleys and passages throughout downtown. A trip to the square at “Narodní Třída” is enlightening, when you realize that the contributions to this phenomenon are not wholly canine in origin. A person peeing in public is certainly common. Bums and other urchins peeing outside is one thing. Children boys and girls, men and even women squat peeing in secluded corners and alleys are not really hard to find.

 If you sit and watch, you can see the concern they have for their animals. Every family dog knows special tricks. Dog tricks are almost ubiquitous in Czech. Everyone knows dogs are smart. They can open doors, answer the phone, can pick up groceries. Stories are told in depths of some less than trust-worthy pubs about dogs doing “special things” for their wayward moms. There always has been a theory about dogs and stinky stuff. None of it seems impossible, considering a dog can tell the difference between a bottle and a can in the fridge and retrieve the correct one on command during a hockey game commercial break.

Beware not all dog beer tricks are as gentle and cute as others. Having not been confirmed, but tales do exist of people training their dogs to bring the beer pitcher to the pub. Shamefully, stories also exist that some people have trained their dogs to steal beer from other houses. So pay attention, if you hear “Dineska, Litovel!” The dog might be going for your beer. Or worse the dog might go for your pride and then your beer. Training your dog to do this trick is just wrong.