SHANGHAI — In some parts of China, dogs have the unenviable reputation of being mean and unclean. They might spend much of their lives watching front doors, waiting for their humans to come home, all the while at risk of being dognapped, sold, butchered, and eaten. So when Liang Xiaojun saw a Chinese dog about to come onstage at the 2019 World Dog Show, she … Continue reading World Dog Show Features Chinese Breeds, Aims to Turn Hearts
SHANDONG, East China — Ever since she was bitten on the leg at age 5, Zhang Qiaoling has been afraid of dogs. Years later, as a teenager, the sight of an unleashed dog still scared her so much she’d freeze on the spot. “I hate it when owners tell me their dogs don’t bite,” Zhang, now 25, tells Sixth Tone. “In my eyes, even a … Continue reading Credit Score for Canines Keeps Dog Owners on a Short Leash
HUBEI, Central China — With her bushy beard, expressive eyes, and wavy coat, Feifei enters the ring and walks a lap. Set up outside a shopping mall in downtown Wuhan, the show makes some shoppers stop in their tracks to snap photos of Feifei. “What’s going on here?” one asks. “It’s a dog beauty pageant,” a middle-aged woman responds, carrying a toy poodle in her … Continue reading The New Breed of Handlers Preening China’s Prize
SICHUAN, Southwest China — When Li Xiaolu adopted two puppies last summer, she worried about how to train them, where to buy them the right food, and whether the two would get along. What she didn’t worry about was how badly they would be affected by smog. Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, is often described as the home not only of giant pandas, but also … Continue reading Caring for China’s Smog Dogs
Gray-furred Gongzi has lost most of his teeth, but he still loves running after a ball. At 12 years old, the venerable German shepherd is the canine equivalent of an 89-year-old human. He’s living out his golden years at Bai Yan’s nursing home for retired police dogs in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province in eastern China. On a rainy afternoon in December, eight dogs … Continue reading Old Cop Dogs Find a Happy Home in Hangzhou
When East Meets West 