# How would a dog's life look like in Puebla?



## Stephan_Beyer (Dec 23, 2010)

Dear everyone out there who have any experience with dogs in Mexico, I would highly appreciate some responses to my topic.
I have a job offer in Puebla. Our greatest worry is our dog Berti. He has a perfect life here. Now we are about to take him out of dog paradise to a place where he might not be happy anymore. 
Does anyone of you out there have any idea what to expect in Puebla?


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## leegleze (Oct 1, 2007)

I don't know much about Puebla, but the one thing I absolutely LOVE about Mexico in general is that my dog is welcome almost everywhere I want to go. He's a quiet old guy, and loves to lie under the tables of local restaurants while I shoot the breeze with friends, or accompany me on trips to the little tiendas or the Sunday market. He often meets his doggie friends along the way.

I find that he is "freer" (more free?) in an area with less expats. Some expats tend to get bent out of shape if I walk with him without a leash. They are also afraid I won't pick up after him (which I ALWAYS do), but they occasionally pre-empt me anyway by yelling at me from their houses while the dog's still doing his business! 

The Mexicans don't give a hoot because he's not a combative dog. The store owners love him and ask for him if he's not with me. The only place he is not welcome is the big-box stores like WalMart, Sam's Club, Costco, etc. and I can understand that, and I would never take him to a fancy restaurant for dinner. 

There are also very few parks (well, none really) where I live, but he has both his morning and afternoon fun in the surf.

Perhaps someone from Puebla has a different view, but this is what I've experienced in a little beach town. The bottom line is that I think your pooch would be very happy here if you chose a home with a bit of garden for him to play in. Good luck!


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## sandraoaxaca (Oct 9, 2010)

*Dogs in Puebla*



Stephan_Beyer said:


> Dear everyone out there who have any experience with dogs in Mexico, I would highly appreciate some responses to my topic.
> I have a job offer in Puebla. Our greatest worry is our dog Berti. He has a perfect life here. Now we are about to take him out of dog paradise to a place where he might not be happy anymore.
> Does anyone of you out there have any idea what to expect in Puebla?


Hi, Stephan, 
My daughter, my 22-month old grandson, my Mastiff and Rottweiler, and I plan to move there. On our visits there, we have seen very few homeless dogs wandering the streets. However, we did see concerned owners with well groomed, healthy looking, well trained dogs taking their dogs on long walks in the big beautful parks. I also saw a very large, well maintained vet hospital. 
By any chance is your offer with VW? I'm trying to get a position teaching English at their language center. 
Buen suerte
SAndra


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

Now, Puebla is a pretty highly urbanized environment and perhaps a bit stuffy but Berti should be happy there. Perhaps when you seek an apartment or home to live in you should keep in mind the environs which might be useful for walking Berti. 

You´ve brought up an interesting point. We moved to Ajijic on the shores of Lake Chapala about ten years ago and, at that time the lake level had receded significantly so we took our two huge bordeaux and even hugher (is that a word?) neopolitan mastiff our for walks on, then exposed, kilometers of beaches and what a pleasure that was. Once we got out of the more populated area of Ajijic and walked to San Juan Cósala, we had that extraordinary beach with its cattle herds and truck farms all to ourselve so our enormous dogs could run free and that was a blast. We later bought a place in the old colonial town of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas and, while San Cristóbal is a fine walkable town with several dedicated l pedestrian boulevards, it ain´t the same thing. San Cristóbal is concrete and stone colonial treasure but not a great place for dog walking. 

I have only spent a small amount of time in Puebla but remember it as a typically Spanish concrete and stone conglomeration of rowhouses albeit with some colonial rowhouses with great character. Therefore, if I were you I would think of Berti when choosing a place to live and try, if you can afford it, to live in some close proximity to parklands where Berti will be welcome so you can have entertaining walks together.

Now, Chiapas and Oaxaca are not Puebla but I can assure you that, in Chiapas, the reason there are so few scavenging streets mutts is they kill them mercilessly once they become a nuisance. I am not trying to scare you but when I walk my dogs, whether in Ajijic or San Cristóbal - they never come off of the leash. I have had one dog poisoned and that was enough. In Southern Mexico they are capable of rounding up and slaughtering dogs (just like in the U.S.) so letting dogs roam the streets without human control is a huge mistake. I can´t say that about Puebla City but just be cautious. We were told by neighbors in San Cristóbal some time ago. A street dog is a dead dog here. I am not joking. Control your dog witha leash at all times and you should have no problems. Well, you asked..


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## Stephan_Beyer (Dec 23, 2010)

sandraoaxaca said:


> Hi, Stephan,
> My daughter, my 22-month old grandson, my Mastiff and Rottweiler, and I plan to move there. On our visits there, we have seen very few homeless dogs wandering the streets. However, we did see concerned owners with well groomed, healthy looking, well trained dogs taking their dogs on long walks in the big beautful parks. I also saw a very large, well maintained vet hospital.
> By any chance is your offer with VW? I'm trying to get a position teaching English at their language center.
> Buen suerte
> SAndra


Dear Sandra,
you don't know how grateful I am for such a response. Our dog has been one of our greatest worries. So there are places where you can take dogs for walks. Perhaps we are a bit sensitive in this regard. Berti is an 8-year old, gentle Golden Retriever we had taken over from friends who went to Kenya. They didn't want to expose him to a tropical climate. We gladly took him and he has ever since been part of our family. At the moment, we live at the foothills of the Black Forest at the edge of a forest. Berti just came back from a snow walk. This is paradise for him. I hate making decisions that hurt others. If this move to Mexico could be made to work for him, it would be such a great relief.
No, Sandra, I am not going to work for VW. I am a maths and art teacher who got a job offer by the Colegio Humboldt in Puebla. We still have to sort out our son's life and go through a couple of bureaucratic procedures before this is completely settled. But the probability is 98 % we will be there in August 2011.
By the way, my wife Michelle is a language coach and consultant. She will partially keep her European clients, but might be looking for jobs in Puebla. I cross my fingers for your job application to VW. 
Merry Xmas to you and your family, Stephan


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## Stephan_Beyer (Dec 23, 2010)

Thank you so much for all this information. Even here in Germany, Berti is allowed to stray. Although we let him go off the leash in the forest where he loves to swim in the nearby river, we would make sure at all times that he is either leashed or in a safe place.
This is all very encouraging since we thought it might be more difficult then it sounds now. 
I wish you a merry Xmas, Stephan



Hound Dog said:


> Now, Puebla is a pretty highly urbanized environment and perhaps a bit stuffy but Berti should be happy there. Perhaps when you seek an apartment or home to live in you should keep in mind the environs which might be useful for walking Berti.
> 
> You´ve brought up an interesting point. We moved to Ajijic on the shores of Lake Chapala about ten years ago and, at that time the lake level had receded significantly so we took our two huge bordeaux and even hugher (is that a word?) neopolitan mastiff our for walks on, then exposed, kilometers of beaches and what a pleasure that was. Once we got out of the more populated area of Ajijic and walked to San Juan Cósala, we had that extraordinary beach with its cattle herds and truck farms all to ourselve so our enormous dogs could run free and that was a blast. We later bought a place in the old colonial town of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas and, while San Cristóbal is a fine walkable town with several dedicated l pedestrian boulevards, it ain´t the same thing. San Cristóbal is concrete and stone colonial treasure but not a great place for dog walking.
> 
> ...


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## sandraoaxaca (Oct 9, 2010)

Stephan_Beyer said:


> Dear Sandra,
> you don't know how grateful I am for such a response. Our dog has been one of our greatest worries. So there are places where you can take dogs for walks. Perhaps we are a bit sensitive in this regard. Berti is an 8-year old, gentle Golden Retriever we had taken over from friends who went to Kenya. They didn't want to expose him to a tropical climate. We gladly took him and he has ever since been part of our family. At the moment, we live at the foothills of the Black Forest at the edge of a forest. Berti just came back from a snow walk. This is paradise for him. I hate making decisions that hurt others. If this move to Mexico could be made to work for him, it would be such a great relief.
> No, Sandra, I am not going to work for VW. I am a maths and art teacher who got a job offer by the Colegio Humboldt in Puebla. We still have to sort out our son's life and go through a couple of bureaucratic procedures before this is completely settled. But the probability is 98 % we will be there in August 2011.
> By the way, my wife Michelle is a language coach and consultant. She will partially keep her European clients, but might be looking for jobs in Puebla. I cross my fingers for your job application to VW.
> Merry Xmas to you and your family, Stephan


Dear Stepan,
Give Berti a big hug. I left my 12-year old Golden back in Ohio with friends. I was afraid that the travel in the heat of the cargo hold would do him in. He passed away in his sleep almost two years ago at 14. I miss him terribly. Every time I see a Golden I go running after it to hug it. 
At any rate, the areas around Cholula are good. The park near Universidad IberoAmericano is beautiful with a 16K run/walk path and lots of open green area. There's some nature reserve not too far out from Puebla, from what I read recently. 
Thanks for you good wishes, 
Feliz navidad y bueno noche nuevo
Sandra


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

Please take Hound Dogs warning to heart. There is a real push in Mexico to control street dogs and poison is the method of choice. Even in our very small town we have had horror stories of pets wandering outside their house and getting into poison. They are supposed to post warning notices ahead of time but rarely done. We have about 6 acres for our two dogs to run and I do a lot of hiking into the hills and old mine complexes where they run free but I would put on a leash if I walked them into town.
Mexico is certainly a much more welcoming public environment for pets but with all things be careful.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

conklinwh said:


> Please take Hound Dogs warning to heart. There is a real push in Mexico to control street dogs and poison is the method of choice. Even in our very small town we have had horror stories of pets wandering outside their house and getting into poison. They are supposed to post warning notices ahead of time but rarely done. We have about 6 acres for our two dogs to run and I do a lot of hiking into the hills and old mine complexes where they run free but I would put on a leash if I walked them into town.
> Mexico is certainly a much more welcoming public environment for pets but with all things be careful.


Well said conklin;


Always remember, those of you contemplating moving to anywhere in Mexico. In Mexico, a wonderful place, you are on your own. Just because the government, whether local or state or federal, states they will warn you before they poison stray dogs does not mean they will and if they do poison your dog without warning, you are sh*t out of luck. In Mexico, you are on your own and don´t 
let anyone ever kid you about that. Why (snipped) weren´t you controlling your dog in the first place? You are at fault. Lawsuit? Get serious.

On the whole, Mexico beats living in the U.S. or France a thousand times over but, take my word for it, you are responsible for yourself and all those under your care. If that bothers you stay (snipped) away from here.


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## maryellen1952 (Oct 5, 2009)

I just moved 4 weeks ago to Tijuana with my 2 Pekingese dogs and my dogs have successfully assimilated into everyday Mexican life. We life in a regular (non-expat) neighborhood with dogs running around everywhere and have had NO problems.
The trick is to get your dogs accustomed to the neighborhood dogs and they will be fine. My dogs are much smaller (11 lbs. each) and one is blind but she has managed to get a Mexican dog as a boyfriend. He protects the 3 of us when we on the street; and my dogs are not on a leash. Once the neighborhood dogs get accustomed to the dogs they simply ignore them. And it also gives you as a responsible petowner a chance to talk to the kids (who will change things) about responsible pet ownership.
Yep...my dogs have totally become Mexican expats and I think they are much happier here than in the U.S.


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## ExpatPumpkin (May 30, 2010)

leegleze said:


> I don't know much about Puebla, but the one thing I absolutely LOVE about Mexico in general is that my dog is welcome almost everywhere I want to go.


I had almost the exact opposite experience in Monterrey. People were very uptight about dogs as "pets." The vast majority of dogs are kept outside as guards or "yard accessories" and are hardly treated as members of the family. I found this to be quite sad, and my little shih tzu lived as a king among dogs in comparison.

I found the prevailing mentality to be that "dogs are for outside" and a certain amount of ignorance about inside dogs accompanied these beliefs. Example:

Me: "Yes, we're taking Oscar skiing with us to Utah."
Husband's cousin: "What??? But what will he do while you're skiing?"
Me: "He'll wait for us in the hotel room, of course."
HC: "But won't he poop and pee everywhere?"
Me: "No, he's trained to go potty outside..."

This lack of understanding about inside dogs is fairly common, and I should point out that the cousin who thought my dog would surely ruin a hotel room is very sophisticated and Harvard-educated! Some visitors to our home were shocked that it didn't smell like a dog and that Oscar wasn't peeing everywhere...

Getting Oscar on a plane in Monterrey was a chore everytime as well. On American Airlines, he can travel in the cabin with me. But it was fight every. single. time. So frustrating...

It must be different in Puebla, as Leegleze illustrated. But again, I found it to be exactly the opposite in Monterrey. In the States and Europe, dogs are almost considered little people. In Mexico, they are dogs. Livestock, even. 

Also, almost no one neuters their dogs. Perhaps it's due to the macho mentality, etc. But of course this leads to more unwanted and uncared for dogs. And since so many (intact) male dogs are penned up under carports or in small yards with no diversion and very little human affection, when they escape WATCH OUT!!! All of that frustration and boredom builds up to aggression. I had to stop walking my little dog around the neighborhood because an aggressive dog got after us after digging out of its yard...

Anyway, all of this certainly DOES NOT mean that YOUR DOG won't have a wonderful life in Mexico. You will be able to provide an excellent environment for him. But you'll probably feel sorry for most of the other dogs.


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## maryellen1952 (Oct 5, 2009)

ExpatPumpkin said:


> I had almost the exact opposite experience in Monterrey. People were very uptight about dogs as "pets." The vast majority of dogs are kept outside as guards or "yard accessories" and are hardly treated as members of the family. I found this to be quite sad, and my little shih tzu lived as a king among dogs in comparison.
> 
> I found the prevailing mentality to be that "dogs are for outside" and a certain amount of ignorance about inside dogs accompanied these beliefs. Example:
> 
> ...


Well I probably live in a much more Mexican neighborhood with many regular somewhat poor neighbors. All the people who live in my complex who have dogs have never had a problem with walking their dogs outside of the complex despite the fact there are many dogs running around.
Sometimes how people tolerate pets depends entirely on whether they feel you, as a foreigner, are attempting to assimilate into the environment.
I always say HELLO to anyone walking around the neighborhood, and I do speak Spanish, so perhaps my sitution is different because of my relationship with my neighbors.


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## ExpatPumpkin (May 30, 2010)

maryellen1952 said:


> Well I probably live in a much more Mexican neighborhood with many regular somewhat poor neighbors. All the people who live in my complex who have dogs have never had a problem with walking their dogs outside of the complex despite the fact there are many dogs running around.
> Sometimes how people tolerate pets depends entirely on whether they feel you, as a foreigner, are attempting to assimilate into the environment.
> I always say HELLO to anyone walking around the neighborhood, and I do speak Spanish, so perhaps my sitution is different because of my relationship with my neighbors.


I lived in a Mexican neighborhood, I'm married to a Mexican, and I do speak Spanish fluently... But dogs still weren't welcome in restaurants as the other poster mentioned. Just wanted to point out that dogs in Mexico are DOGS, not little people as many Americans and Europeans see them.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Generally speaking, dogs are not welcome in restaurants or other places of business. Most areas require that they be on a leash. Yes, strays and street dogs are periodically shot by the police; usually at night. Noisy or otherwise bothersome dogs are sometimes poisoned and cats often succumb to poisoned rodents or neighbors trying to rid their yards of possums, raccoons, etc.
We love our three dogs, but did lose our cat to poison, and we have a very large walled in property for them to run. They are always leashed if we take them off the property for a walk. Naturally, you must pick up after your dog in the city.


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## Top (Apr 24, 2011)

*Puebla Life*

I am far more interested in my life in Puebla. I'm moving there May 5, 2011 and don't speak Spanish, dance Latin dances, or particularly care for Latin music, food or fashion. Sooooo, what are the options - other than the obvious? BTW, I don't have a choice of going to Puebla but maybe I do of leaving so are there better city options in MX or Central America?


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## ExpatPumpkin (May 30, 2010)

Top said:


> I am far more interested in my life in Puebla. I'm moving there May 5, 2011 and don't speak Spanish, dance Latin dances, or particularly care for Latin music, food or fashion. Sooooo, what are the options - other than the obvious? BTW, I don't have a choice of going to Puebla but maybe I do of leaving so are there better city options in MX or Central America?


Your dog will be fine in Puebla, you'll just have to take more care than you would in the States. I can't imagine that attitudes change wildly from city to city or that you're likely to find a dog-loving oasis in Latin America. In Latin culture, dogs are seen as DOGS and not little people, so accept that and live your life accordingly.


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## sandraoaxaca (Oct 9, 2010)

*A Dog's Life*

As it turns out, I'm not moving to Puebla, but would love to. We saw a lot of dogs being walked by their owners in a large municipal park. All the dogs were on leashes and looked well fed, well trained and well loved. Vet care there is good.


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## ASL (Apr 24, 2011)

Glad you saw so many happy-appearing dogs in Puebla. It's on my list of places to visit as I further explore Mexico. I also appreciate knowing that Monterrey is probably not a place for me. I think, in general, large cities are tougher for dogs than smaller places.


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## sandraoaxaca (Oct 9, 2010)

ASL said:


> Glad you saw so many happy-appearing dogs in Puebla. It's on my list of places to visit as I further explore Mexico. I also appreciate knowing that Monterrey is probably not a place for me. I think, in general, large cities are tougher for dogs than smaller places.


Actually, the smaller places have a more primitive attitude towards dogs. We had lived in a village just outside of Oaxaca, and a local man took his machete to one of my dogs, hacking him about five times. Fortunately, my dog survived.


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## ASL (Apr 24, 2011)

Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry that happened. That's terrible!

I guess I've been fortunate to not see anything like that, although I hear it happens. I'm so glad your dog survived.


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## sandraoaxaca (Oct 9, 2010)

ASL said:


> Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry that happened. That's terrible!
> 
> I guess I've been fortunate to not see anything like that, although I hear it happens. I'm so glad your dog survived.


There is no rule that says you can't try a number of different places. Have you lived in Mexico before?


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## ASL (Apr 24, 2011)

sandraoaxaca said:


> There is no rule that says you can't try a number of different places. Have you lived in Mexico before?


Hi.

This is my first time really living here. Many years ago, I spent a bit of time in Quintana Roo a few miles away from Playa del Carmen when Playa was still a dirt-road crossroads, but this is the first time I've packed up my life and made my home in Mexico.

I'm in the Chapala area, a bit outside of the expat hubbub. I'm now looking for a place a little more remote that still gives me access to Lakeside. I'll need to be here for another year or so, then I can explore living in other areas of Mexico, or wherever.

I have two dogs and a cat, and their safety and happiness is important to me.

Coming from Florida, mild weather is important, and because I'm still working and far from retired, high-speed Internet is important as well. While I'm actively learning spanish, I am nowhere near even second-grade level yet. Still, I try hard, work at it every day, and have been well-received by my spanish-speaking friends.

Puebla is a possible contender for me as well, and I look forward to making a few weekend trips to the surrounding areas.

Have a good day.


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## DocVic (Apr 27, 2011)

*A Dog's Life in Puebla*

Dear Stephan,
By now I imagine you have already made a decision about Bertie and your move to Puebla. I've just joined today so sorry for the obsolete answer...

I'm originally from Mexico and have been in Puebla a couple of times. I suppose it's like most cities: it all depends what sort of house or apartment you'll be living in and the needs of your dog based on his size. I actually know someone in Puebla with a nice house, a large garden and two perfectly happy dogs.

Basically, I can't think of an obvious reason why Bertie might categorically not be happy in Puebla! Best of luck to you both and, by now, I hope you both have had a good experience in Mexico.

Vic


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