Welcome to
the World of Dogs

Places

 

	There are places where owners take their dogs either to be with their dogs individually or in a small group, say when a couple or two friends take their dogs for a walk.
	There are communal gathering places where owners take their dogs to be part of a group of other dog lovers, enthusiasts, or "fanciers" as some dog owners style themselves and other dog owners.
	There are places for dogs.  These are places where owners keep their dogs, ranging from a special room or backyard area in the house.  In some cases, owners build these places for their dogs inside their home or in their backyard, ranging from a small section of a room with a dog bed to a simple to grandly designed dog house.
	There are transitional or liminal places which are used to take dogs from one place to another, and a variety of rules, rituals, and procedures that govern how dogs can be moved.  Such places range from cars and vans for transporting dogs locally or personally to special facilities, guidelines, and carrying containers for handling dogs on planes, trains, and ships.
	There are places for keeping dogs when the owner leaves but has to leave the dog behind or the dog needs special care when it is sick or injured, such as kennels and veterinarian clinics and hospitals for dogs.

           Each of these places have unique characteristics and provide different ways in which people relate to their dogs and each other.  These patterns can be very informal, such as when an owner simply takes the dog out around the neighborhood for a casual walk, puts the dog in the car to take it shopping, or brings the dog along on a hike in a nearby park.    Or in some cases, these patterns of behavior can become very stylized and ritualized, so that groups of dog owners who go to particular places on a regular basis can think of themselves as a subculture, such as owners who show their dogs at dog shows.  Then, the place becomes an arena in which to enact what has become a stylized ritual or activity, enmeshed in a series of special rules and norms that guide this behavior, shaping both how the participant interacts with his dog and with others.

           Following are examples of different kinds of places, along with photos and graphics to illustrate the discussion of these different worlds.   Just click on the link below to see each type of place.

	Individual and personal places
	Communal places
	Places for dogs
	Places for transporting or traveling with dogs
	Places for leaving dogs

 

Communities on the Web

www.doyoulooklikeyourdog.com
 

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