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The Straight Story

(48,121 posts)
Thu Dec 13, 2012, 01:49 PM Dec 2012

Montreal bylaw requires dogs understand commands in both official languages

Montreal bylaw requires dogs understand commands in both official languages


Earlier this week, Montreal city councilor Benoit LaDouce proposed a bylaw that would require all dogs in public parks to be bi-lingual. According to Mr. LaDouce, "Dogs parks in our city are chaotic and communication is at the heart of the conflict." In his mind, K9/citizen relations would be more harmonious if dogs in public spaces understood commands in both English and French.

Earlier today Pat Kelly spoke with Mr. LaDouce to find out more.

http://www.cbc.ca/thisisthat/blog/2012/12/12/montreal-bylaw-requires-dogs-to-understand-commands-in-both-official-languages/

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Montreal bylaw requires dogs understand commands in both official languages (Original Post) The Straight Story Dec 2012 OP
This is funny... Mona Dec 2012 #1
This came up before with a seeing-eye dog at a Francophone college campus jberryhill Dec 2012 #2
I guess they're not familiar with Larson... pinboy3niner Dec 2012 #3
Heh.... TheMightyFavog Dec 2012 #4
Ok..so, that covers the Poodles and French bulldogs.... dixiegrrrrl Dec 2012 #5
Fake story Newsjock Dec 2012 #6
My dog understood commands in burrowowl Dec 2012 #7

Mona

(135 posts)
1. This is funny...
Thu Dec 13, 2012, 01:57 PM
Dec 2012

Most dogs don't know how to respond to one language, passing a law to be bilingual won't help. Good positive training and a better understanding of dogs will though.

 

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)
2. This came up before with a seeing-eye dog at a Francophone college campus
Thu Dec 13, 2012, 02:23 PM
Dec 2012

The thing is, well trained dogs don't respond to commands by strangers in the first place.

If you have to tell a dog, other than your own dog, to do something, tone matters a lot more than whatever word you say.

I was sleeping in a hammock on a porch in a small town in Brazil one time, and the owner's dog had wandered by, picked up one of my shoes, and was starting to walk off with it.

I awoke with a start when my wife saw the dog and shouted, "Hey!"

The dog stopped and looked at her with the shoe hanging comically from its mouth, and in a scolding tone she said, "Drop it!"

The dog looked suitably chastened, put down the shoe, and wandered off.

I guarantee you that dog had never heard a word of English in its life. They are much more about tone and posture than language.
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