13 COOL FACTS YOU PROBABLY DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT PRAGUE.
Whenever people ask why I chose UConn as an out-of-stater, I immediately say because of its mascot. I wait for them to laugh, and then I say something about how I love the school (which I do). That being said, the initial answer isn’t 100 percent wrong. I love dogs. I’m happy to say that Prague is one of the best dog cities I’ve ever been to. This column isn’t going to have a central point like others will; instead, it’ll be a medley of various canine-centered anecdotes that have been bouncing around in my head the three and a half weeks since I’ve been here.
Two Mondays ago, I saw my first Prague husky. I was in a rush to get on the tram and didn’t have time to pet it and ask for its name, but it looked an awful lot like our Jonathan XIV. I guess most huskies look the same. Well, except for XIII, my beautiful snowy boy.
A couple weeks ago, some of my friends and I were walking around Letna, a hipster-y neighborhood immediately north of the city center. We came across a dog named Olivia, who ran up to us looking to be nuzzled. I asked what type of dog she was, and I was stunned – a dachshund-German shepherd mix. I didn’t even think that was possible.
My favorite place for a fun night out is called the Dogg Bar. It’s a strange combination of a bar, pub and performance center, and it’s something else. It’s located about a 15 minute walk south of the Charles Bridge, and consists of a collection of 10 underground rooms connected by narrow doorways. On top of all of that, the name isn’t clickbait – not only are dogs permitted, but there is a dog named Adam who roams around the floor and the area immediately outside of the bar named after him (I assume). Adam is a huge Irish wolfhound that floats through the inebriated populace of the bar like a spirit. I love Adam so much.
For whatever reason, Prague-rs love to dress their dogs up. I’m not talking about three-piece suits or anything like that, although that would make my day. I’m just talking about a stylish coat for the chillier days. I see that from time-to-time in the U.S., particularly in cities where posh dogs frequent, but I swear I’ve seen more dogs here sporting an outfit than not. The MVP fashion icon thus far has to go to the Mexican hairless dog wearing a camo “shirt” and sweatpants. If I saw a human wearing that combo I would think they were just having a chill day, but for a dog that’s practically a tuxedo. It made my day.
I made an Instagram account to catalog the furry friends I come across over here, so if you want to follow along with my ongoings shoot me a follow @praguedogblog (sorry).
See you next week, and if any of you see the Jonathans doing their daily walk, give them head rubs for me!
Daniel Cohn is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at daniel.cohn@uconn.edu.