Thread: Dogs in Boquete?

I'm currently researching Volcan and Boquete and would like to rent something under $400, so it might be a typical, small Panamanian house. I have a mini-schnauzer, so I'm wondering if most Panamaian homes have some kind of fenced yard, or interior courtyard?

Speaking of dogs, are there lots of unspayed/un neutered dogs roaming around? I'm thinking that spay/neuter is probably a 'first world' concept.

I would NOT like my male schnauzer, who gets along with about every canine citizen that he meets when he's on lead and on walks, to be endangered by a dog let loose who may or may not be tagged or up to date on shots.

Can anyone describe a typical Panamanian attitude towards dogs in rural towns?

Cheers!
Jabkeau in Louisville

Hi,
I have looked into this question, because I am planning on moving with my 2 dogs. I have spoken to others who have rented a place and built there own fence if it does not already have one. There are a lot of strays walking around, but most seem to be pretty timid. My dogs need a daily walking, so I would suggest just always taking a walking stick along with you. If a dog comes close, just raise the stick, they all seem to understand that language.

PS I wanted to add that I have never walked with dogs in
Panama. The strays seem timid around me, but maybe that would be different if I had the dogs with me.

There is a large spay and neuter program here in Boquete and Volcan. The number of strays is very low compared to other areas. Dogs are tools here, like horses. Not all though, some Panamanians really love their pets, some of the indigenous people eat them....The most aggression you will see is the dog protecting it's territory. Stay off of other people's property and you should be fine.

You do and will see a lot of fencing around homes and bars on the windows.

Every time we go back and visit my wife's family, all the dogs that are running around look like they all come from the same litter. They are all pretty much the same size and they all need a good meal!

My wife has two brothers and two sisters that live in the interior and each family has at least four or five dogs at any given time. Most of them are very well mannered (outside of their territory) but they get a little defensive if you come into their yard. I suppose that is one of the reasons they have so many. They also help with "disposing" of any uneaten food items, and helping to control the pests (rats, snakes, etc...) around the yard.

Originally Posted by TennVol

Every time we go back and visit my wife's family, all the dogs that are running around look like they all come from the same litter. They are all pretty much the same size and they all need a good meal!

My wife has two brothers and two sisters that live in the interior and each family has at least four or five dogs at any given time. Most of them are very well mannered (outside of their territory) but they get a little defensive if you come into their yard. I suppose that is one of the reasons they have so many. They also help with "disposing" of any uneaten food items, and helping to control the pests (rats, snakes, etc...) around the yard.

Are pests (snakes!!!) really that bad in a yard? I would expect it in the jungle, woods, or high grass, but in a yard too? Yuck.

Originally Posted by wk36

Are pests (snakes!!!) really that bad in a yard? I would expect it in the jungle, woods, or high grass, but in a yard too? Yuck.

In Panama the Fer De Lance is fairly common.
fer de lance - Google Search

Fer de lance in Boquete and Volcan? Euwwww. Aren't they like the most poisonous snake on earth?

Has anyone seen one?

Jackie in Louisville

I know most snakes don't attack unless stepped on, but I was hoping that it would be very unlikely to see one in a populated area. I think I could brush off a pistol whipping home invasion, but finding a poisonous snake in my closet might just send me packin'.

Originally Posted by wk36

Are pests (snakes!!!) really that bad in a yard? I would expect it in the jungle, woods, or high grass, but in a yard too? Yuck.

In all honesty, where all of my in-laws live, each of their properties are surrounded on three sides by jungle, woods and/or high grass. They don't live in a city........

When I lived on Albrook AFS, we routinely encountered snakes, iguanas, coatimundis, sloths, deer, iguanas, and other assorted mammals, reptiles, birds and amphibians in our backyard. It was like a zoo without the cages - my kids loved it!

Originally Posted by TennVol

In all honesty, where all of my in-laws live, each of their properties are surrounded on three sides by jungle, woods and/or high grass. They don't live in a city........

When I lived on Albrook AFS, we routinely encountered snakes, iguanas, coatimundis, sloths, deer, iguanas, and other assorted mammals, reptiles, birds and amphibians in our backyard. It was like a zoo without the cages - my kids loved it!

All the animals you mention are animals I wouldn't mind seeing on my walks with my schnauzer, Asher. However, the fer de lance is an entirely different story. Did you see, or have you seen, any of these in Boquete?

Originally Posted by jakbeau

All the animals you mention are animals I wouldn't mind seeing on my walks with my schnauzer, Asher. However, the fer de lance is an entirely different story. Did you see, or have you seen, any of these in Boquete?

I've lived at Albrook AFS, Howard AFB and Altos de Bethania (Panama City). Albrook is on the PC side of the bridge and Howard is just on the interior side of the bridge. In total I've lived in Panama for six years and I only saw one poisonous snake in the wild the entire time. Our house on Albrook was bordered by the jungle on two sides, so we had a lot of "visitors". We had several boa constrictors in the yard, but only one very small Fer-de-Lance which I immediately killed.

My in-laws live near Anton/Penonome and I only recall a couple of stories that involved poisonous snakes.

I have no experience with Boquete/Volcan or anything in the Chiriqui province. I'm sure someone else will chime in.