Dogs in Spain – Everything you need to know

You did.not cover the issue
You did.not cover the issue of hysterical dogs at front gates whenever another dog passes by forcing dog walkers to change their routes and drive neighbours insane at very early morning and late at night when dogs are walked.

Can anything be done about a
Can anything be done about a dog that is left outside from 7-30 am until around 4 pm in the afternoon. It is an slsation/ German Sheperd,. It barks every time a dog goes by and people. It jumps up the fence and is a total nuisance but a lovely dog. We have tried speaking to the owners without success who only rent and give snuse

Some owners appear to take
Some owners appear to take pride in their dogs barking and do not take any action to ensure that their dog is kept away from other dogs at which they will bark aggressively.

I also note that many owners appear to fail to carry water for their pets especially during hot weather.

I truly believe that any
I truly believe that any tolerance towards the dog owning community is wearing thin and not before time. Pavenents streaked with sraped picked up mess, dog owners waiting patiently whilst their dog completes its defecation,usually in the middle of the pavement, plastic bag in hand admittedly, but why is this disgusting procedure allowed? Dogs can be trained to be very regular in their habits and the “toilet run” masquerading under the term exercise is offensive in the extreme. Likewise seeing every bench, wall and pillar along a pedestrianised walkway full of foul urine stains is just unacceptable. Knowing as I do about animal behaviour – I realise that most owners fail to understand certain behaviours amongst pack animals. The need for them to pee every few yards is to do with territory marking rather than necessity – and is learned and permitted behaviour – nothing else. If this laxity isn´t stamped on soon I fear that tourists will vote with their feet and stop coming to dog obsessed Spain – and it´s mainly the Brits to blame from what I´ve seen. I now avoid all so called “pet friendly” bars and restaurants on hygiene grounds, likewise “pet friendly” hotels and accommodation. I´m heartily sick of the lot of them. Why should my enjoyment of a walk along the promenade be ruined by these deluded, ignorant and selfish people? As for dogs in restaurants, even seen sitting at the table or on seats in bars – nudist colonies have rules about nudists sitting on seats unclothed, likewise gymnasia – but dogs are seemingly accepted – unbelievable! A dog is an animal at the end of the day. Treat them as such please for the sake of all right minded people. Another point that you don´t mention is the hazard of retractable leads. They are illegal by the way. A leash should be non retractable and no more than 18 inches in length.

Can anything be done about
Can anything be done about several dogs kept in the small outside space of a ground floor apt? They bark all the time and the owner hoses out the patio onto the street. The bulk of the poo is picked up but the remnants and the urine are washed out into the gutter. The patio is an eyesore and the smell can be unbearable. The president of the community does nothing to sort out the problem, the street has denounced the owner but nothing gets done. The dogs are working dogs in security and we have suspicions that the police ignore the issue because they know the owner. This has been going on for years now. If anyone has any advice I would be grateful to hear it. My apt is in Torrevieja.

I find the above comments
I find the above comments very curious. I live near Victoria on Vancouver Island, Canada. Almost all beaches and parks on the Island are dog friendly and off leash. I am trying to think of one that isn’t. Problems are few and far between. I can testify that this is one of the most pristine and clean places on the planet. We get visitors from all over the planet, including Spain and Britain, and they all agree. People who complain about dogs, and I have met only a very few who dared, are generally vilified before being pilloried. There is rarely any mess left behind and if it there is it is picked up by the next passerby. That goes for any litter whether it originates from a dog or a human. In all my days, I have never seen anyone complain about dogs peeing in public anymore than birds, rabbits, raccoons, squirrels, and bears doing the same. It is well established that dogs do not establish a territory by peeing – peeing is a means of communicating between dogs. All of the dogs in my community bark when someone, human or dog, passes by. It is viewed that the inhabitant dog is acknowledging your presence. We are not insecure or intimidated by it.
Dogs are commonly referred to, by those uneducated in modern animal behaviour science, as “pack animals” and they often speak of “dominance” behaviours in dogs. Modern animal behaviourists have dropped such misnomers. Dogs are “social animals” and their relationships with humans and other dogs are governed by complex rather than simply explained behaviours. Even wolves are no longer referred to as “pack animals”, but rather as “social animals”. Lets get one thing straight: humans are no less animals than dogs. Therefore, it is not a good argument to state that dogs are, after all, only animals as if humans are not. Animal behaviourists have even postulated that humans are as easy to train as dogs.
That being said, traveling with dogs is one of the fastest growing segments of the tourist industry. I have spent much of the last few years traveling with my 3 rather large dogs throughout Europe, the U.S., Latin America and, of course, Canada. For the most part, we have run into overwhelming acceptance rather than rejection. The tourist industry has recognized that making dogs and their humans feel comfortable and accepted is critical to the survival of the industry. Some places are just quicker off the mark than others.

We have 2 dogs in the Villa next door to us, they are left for hours on end barking and howling sometimes from early morning and late into the night. They are never walked or cleaned, there is masses of dog dirt all over the grounds next to our walls some of it piled high, this is very rarely cleaned up as you can imagine 2 dogs going several times a day!! We have tried speaking to the owner but received nothing but abuse she refuses to do anything about the problem. We are not anti dog just bad neglectful owners. We have been to the police and taken out a denuncia but nothing seems to work. Can anyone make any suggestions for us to try please? We wondered if there is an environmental agency we can apply to about the dog mess?

My landlord has let a house to some people who live next to my garden. They have set up a rescue place in this small house and garden. Some of the dogs have tried to attack me and my own dogs through the fence. They up yo at least 12 to 20 all living there most of them are big lurchers. They don’t clean up after them they bark all the time and one has been tying to attack me. I have complained to my landlord who does nothing about this. What do I do I sn at my wits end x

Hello I have recently adopted 2 rescue dogs and normally exercise them on what I understand is called the Campo here in Spain. They are let off the lead and run around usually without incident. Today they harassed a large dog the owner told me that his dog wasnt good on a lead and his dog was immediately aggressive but I could understand why as my dog was barking and confronting the dog.
The owner told me that from April 2019 it was the law that dogs should be on a lead at all times.
If that is the case it is being ignored by the majority of people who walk their dogs in the village.
On roads and pavements and parks my dogs are always on a lead but not when in the countryside..
Am I breaking the law.

This information is helpful, but will be viewed only as ‘advice’ to dog owners who choose to ignore it. Can you please tell me the actual law designation in Spain? That is perhaps the only route we can take against the owners of large dogs that run uncontrolled around the streets. Thank you

Valuable information. However, people visiting Spain should also know that everything is not so well organized for dogs in Spain. There are many reports on encountering dogs in Spain that are treated badly, starving and left sick and with broken limbs to die with no veterinary care in this country. If lucky these dogs are brought to dog shalters and are exported to other countries to live a decent dog life and have a proper owner. Many dogs come from Spain to my country this way. Spain has to work a lot on their dog culture and is not only about cleaning after the dog. It is about strict breading regulations and about bans and their enforcement of dog exploitation (in particular dog fights and running competitions). Spain is a beautiful country but there are some issues there and dog culture is one of those.

Thank you for your input.

What are my rights if my car is damaged by large free running dogs in the campo which jump and scratch our car every time we go past them, and have now ripped the trim off the door? They belong to a resident in the locality who is out at work most of the day and they roam about unsupervised all the time.

do dogs on communal areas need to be on a lead if open to puplic

Is the landlord responsible if he rents to someone with a vicious dog and so.ething happens?

can anything be done about a large dog possible 45 k never on a leash

People are telling me that a new law has come out in Spain that you are not allowed to walk your dogs between 11 am and 8 pm. I think they mean in the warmer months and you will receive a fine if caught walking them between these times.. Can you clarify this for me please

A bigger dog tried to bite my little dog.
To protect my dog I took her up away from the street.
Then the big dog still wanted to bite my dog. In that way he took me and my little dog down on the street.
That caused that I got injured.
The big dog ran around without lead. Later we could not find out who the owner of the dog was but I had to go to the hospital to see a doctor. I am still suffering on that.
What can be done in that case?
Thank you in advance
Tanja

I am travelling with my dog from U.K. flying out of Paris via Madrid to Mallorca she is up to date with all inoculations but in U.K. the vet doesn’t sign the worming tablet could this be a problem?
I ask because when we returned from Mallorca last year we weren’t allowed on the ferry as had no veterinary confirmation of her having had the tablet

can you recommend a lawyer for a friend who has been savaged by a dangerous dog.?

thanks in anticipation

Michael Brown

my neighbour in sabariego jaen spain has a Staffordshire terrier. it is constantly off the lead and runs around pooing but they don’t pick it up. a year ago it jumped up me causing bruising and cuts. I’m very afraid of it. what do I do

We have just bought a town house in Jardín del mar. While out walking the amount off dog faeces is horrendous. Can this be rectified. Maybe dog bins, and notices put up.

Kind Regards.

This blog has been very informative. I am especially interested in learning more about owners who keep dangerous dogs (attack dogs) outside on their property without a sign on a gate. Unfortunately, my little kitten (8 months old) got out of the apartment (we are renting for 6 months) onto our patio. She jumped down to the neighbor’s patio and was met by two attack dogs that killed her. We saw the event happen from our roof, but could not do anything. Our landlord of the apartment we are renting, called the neighbor when it was happening and the neighbor said he was not home and could not do anything. We were also told not to jump down to try and save our kitten. The police and fireman were also contacted, but no one came. Days later, I spoke with a man who lives near and he showed me where his dog had been attacked by the same dogs that killed my kitten. I realize I could file forms against the neighbor. Unfortunately, the neighbor has already removed the dogs and is in the process of selling his home and is never home. Thank you for any advice.