Tokyo Dogs

Walking around the streets of Tokyo, you can't help but notice the number of people who own dogs.  And I don't mean just any old dog.  They own Tokyo dogs.

A Tokyo dog is all of the following.

1.  Pedigree.  There are no mongrels in this city.  The most popular breed is the long-haired miniature Dachshund but you also see plenty of Akitas, Poodles, King Charles Spaniels and Chihuahuas.

2.  Well-groomed.  Being groomed by your owner is not sufficient.  This task must be done by a trained professional.  I work near a dog saloon where I see Poodles being clipped, Old English Sheep Dogs being shampooed and blow dried … the works.

3.  Well-dressed.  Dressing your dog is all the rage.  In fact, I have seen dogs wearing miniature Wayfarer sunglasses on sunny days.

4.  A model of good behaviour.  During my entire time in Tokyo, I have not heard a single dog bark, growl, whimper or make any sound for that matter.  Dogs don't run free in parks, fetch sticks or scrap with other canines.  They obediently walk alongside their owners, sit when instructed and pose for tourists taking photos.

But above all else, a Tokyo dog is kawaii.  Kawaii is the Japanese word for “cute.”  I could write an entire post on the Japanese obsession with kawaii, but you can probably think of plenty of examples of cute Japanese stuff yourself.  Well, Tokyo dogs are definitely kawaii.  You only need to walk past the window of a pet shop and hear the number of times that onlookers remark “kawaii” to be assured of this.

Do I plan to get a dog?  You must be joking.  First of all, I find the idea of seeking companionship in an animal very strange.  Secondly, my lease prevents it.  Finally, it's too much responsibility – grooming, clothing, sunglasses … I don't have the time.  I'm happy to just look at other people's dogs and wish Australian dogs were as cool as Tokyo dogs.

Thank you for reading and take care.

Our Man in Japan.