{"id":9787,"date":"2020-10-12T12:17:49","date_gmt":"2020-10-12T16:17:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.aupairusa.org\/au-pairs\/?p=9787"},"modified":"2020-10-19T16:58:01","modified_gmt":"2020-10-19T20:58:01","slug":"dogs-in-american-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.aupairusa.org\/au-pairs\/cultural-exchange-stories\/dogs-in-american-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"Dogs in American Culture"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

\ud83c\udfb6 “You Ain’t Nothin’ But A Hound Dog\u2026” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Who Let The Dogs Out?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Hey Bulldog!” \ud83c\udfb6<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These songs – made famous by Elvis, Baha Men, and the Beatles respectively – are just a few examples of dogs in American culture. In addition to dogs in song lyrics, you’ll see them in movies – Disney’s 101 Dalmatians<\/em> is a kid favorite – and filling up prideful owners’ Instagram feeds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to social media feeds, dogs fill homes and hearts as well. South African au pair Shant\u00e9 was surprised to meet her host family’s six<\/em> Chihuahuas! Almost half<\/a> of U.S. households own a dog, so you’ll have a fifty percent chance of living with one during your time as an au pair. Americans love<\/em> dogs – that’s why we’ve put together this guide to help you learn more about dogs in the USA!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Your host child might have a strong bond with their dog!
Image courtesy of Pexels<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Breeds<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Since dogs are often considered part of a family, Americans can be passionate about their preferred breeds. Some like big dogs, such as this Siberian Husky:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Image courtesy of Pexels<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Believe it or not, the biggest dogs can be the calmest breeds and best with children<\/a>. (Among pet lovers, animals that are big, yet calm, may be called \u201cgentle giants<\/a>.\u201d) For this reason, you might see young host kids playing with dogs bigger than they are!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, big dogs need a lot of outdoor space to run around and burn energy. This is sometimes lacking in suburban and urban homes, so many families opt for smaller dogs. If you\u2019ve seen any American reality television shows, you might have observed celebrities with tiny, purse-sized dogs. (Think Paris Hilton<\/a> or Lisa Vanderpump<\/a>.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are plenty of breeds in between big and small. Here are the ten most popular in the USA<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n