Q&A: Dalton and Having a Dog in Paris

When Dalton and I were locked out on Monday we decided it would be fun to do a question and answer. Since Dalton was available for questions, a lot of them were about him and what it’s like having a dog in Paris in general. Romain luckily came and rescued us before we could answer all of the questions so we’ll finish them here!

My experience is a little biased because Dalton is a very calm, older dog. Even though his size is more of a factor, he’s so well behaved and used to apartment living and his routine that it’s easy. He’s the sweetest boy and I could only hope that any future dogs I might have in Paris would be exactly the same.

There were so many sweet messages sending love to Dalton and I read every single one to him.

Questions for Dalton

Did you bring Dalton with you from Texas?

Dalton is my boyfriend Romain’s family’s dog. Although it might not have been love at first sight with Romain, it definitely was with Dalton (kidding…kind of). Dalton was born in the dining room of their apartment in Neuilly, which maybe explains his love for food. Dalton is the only puppy they kept from the litter. They chose him because he had the biggest appetite and they knew he’d be strong which has definitely proved to be true.

What’s Dalton’s favorite food?

Dalton is very French and loves baguettes, cheese, and croissants. Like everyone else, he indulged a little extra during the first lockdown in Normandy, but now he’s back on track and only has small bites of treats on the weekend. You can get an idea for of some of his favorites here.

Is there anything Dalton doesn’t eat?

He refuses to eat carrots and spits out lettuce. That’s it all that I’ve seen.

Did Dalton get some steak with his sauce béarnaise?

Dalton did have a little bit of steak with his béarnaise. Next time I need to do a better job with the presentation and give him a bite together.

What’s Dalton’s favorite spot in Paris?

Dalton loves rolling around and exploring the Bois de Boulogne. It’s not far from where he lives and he has lots of friends who walk at the same time as he does. When he’s in Paris he always loves stopping at a boulangerie or a café because he knows there’s a 100% chance he’s going to get a bite of something. One of his signature moves when we’re at a café is to go table to table and sit and wait until someone gives him a bite of their food. It’s a little game he plays and it has a very high success rate.

Questions about Having a Dog in Paris

Tips for dog owners considering a move to Paris?

For me, having and caring for a dog in Paris was immediately different from what I was used to. At home in Dallas it’s pretty easy – I can open the back door and let the dogs outside to play or go to the bathroom not really worry about a thing. I’m used to the walks in Paris now, but I’ll never forget the week Dalton had an upset stomach and needed to go out every few hours in the cold and rain.

The next thing is thinking about where you live. Ideally you’d want somewhere near a park or green space where dogs can play or run off-leash, within walking distance of a veterinarian, and with an elevator if you’re on an upper floor for when the dog gets older. Another thing to think about is if your dog barks a lot. Luckily Dalton doesn’t, but there’s another dog in the building that goes crazy any time he hears a noise.

If you’re moving to Paris and don’t know a bunch of people, having a dog is a great way to be social and meet people. In my experience Parisians tend to keep to themselves, but it’s easy to start a conversation with a fellow dog owner.

Normally restaurants and cafés tend to accept dogs, especially when the dog is small or stays on the terrasse. Dogs can’t go inside food shops for sanitary reasons, but a lot of them have hooks outside for leashes so they can wait while you shop.

From a dog mom: Do you think living in the 16th is worth the proximity to the Bois de Boulogne?

I think if you have a bigger dog like Dalton or a dog with lots of energy it would be a great option to live near the Bois de Boulogne or Bois de Vincennes. It’s fun to bring them along for walks or bike rides on the weekend and there are so many other dogs out and about.

Best dog parks in central Paris?

There are specified areas in both the Jardin du Luxembourg and the Jardin des Tuileries for dogs. I’ve admittedly never been to the dog friendly area of the Jardin du Luxembourg, but Dalton and I both really like the Tuileries. Dogs can be on the elevated parts along the perimeter. It’s not completely fenced in but there’s plenty of room for them to really run and play.

Anything different about going to the vet in Paris?

The biggest difference for me was not having a car. Some taxis will allow dogs if you ask but it just depends. There are also Pet Taxi services but I’ve never used one before. So living within walking distance to a veterinarian is something to think about.

Dalton was sick last fall and felt so bad that he didn’t even want to move. It was hard because he’s too big to carry anywhere and needed to be seen at night. His veterinarian sent an on-call doctor to the apartment which was more expensive, but ended up being our best option. You can look at a similar service here to get an idea on the pricing.

Are leashes optional for dogs in Paris?

Leashes are required for dogs in Paris. Dalton is a rule breaker and you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. The only time we’ve ever been stopped is in the Jardin du Palais-Royal. 😊

I hope you enjoyed this Q&A “with” Dalton and about having a dog in Paris. If you have any other questions feel free to leave a comment below or send me an email!