Japanese Pet Peeve: Little Dogs Who Think They're People

If you go to any public park, you'll soon realise: Japan is full of ugly dogs.

I don't know if it's because the dog aesthetic is different, so that people think they actually look cute. Or I don't know if it's a case of taking pity on the animals that only a mother could love.

Of course, there is logic in choosing small, rat-like dogs; in a city where space is at a premium, little dogs can be kept in apartments. 

Anyway, a dog is not to be blamed for its looks. What does bother me more is dogs in coats. I heard that coats can diminish a dog's ability to regulate its own body temperature. If there is a good reason for it to wear a coat (it has some rare sickness, or it's prone to running away and you want to be able to easily identify it), okay. But it seems to be more about cute accessorising. The dog clothes I've seen cost more than *my* clothes.

For the record, if you put an ugly dog in an overpriced coat, it doesn't become cute. It just becomes ugly and stupid-looking.

Then we come to the subject of dog-walking. Often in Japan, when the owner takes their little darling for a 'walk', the only one getting exercise is the owner.

I can't count the number of times I've seen people walking while carrying their dogs. Okay, so this is understandable in a big crowd, but let me go one step further: I've also, frequently, seen people pushing a child's pram or stroller with a dog inside.  It's not like their child has gotten out so the dog temporarily jumped in; no, it's the dog's pram. 

That's right, the dog is not to exert itself. Why take it with you at all?!