Why does walking your dog in South Sacramento seem foreign to people? (Folsom: lease, houses)

[MichaelDante]

I just moved to CA from WA and just got into a 6-month lease in South Sacramento (around the Franklin and Brookfield area) and from day one of taking my friends' dogs for a walk before or after work around the neighborhood (residential 100% houses) the looks I get from people either sitting in front of their house or driving is "what is this madness?!" I get looks from obvious disbelief to some smiles like "how cute" to even one woman doing a double take riding her bike. You can just guess they're thinking... why is this guy walking his dogs?! Doesn't he have a backyard! Who walks a dog?! This is a diverse neighborhood and I'm well groomed so it's not like I have a chicken suit on or something.

It seems every homeowner out here has a dog with almost all of those dogs going crazy barking but I've NEVER seen anyone else walk their dogs and notice this and wanted to know is this Sacramento thing or maybe area specific? Every place I lived before in WA I would always see others walk their dogs and drivers never cared as I walked but here... people act like it's just the craziest thing they seen and expect to be on someones youtube believe it or not channel. I'm not some animal nut where I joined ASPCA or PETA but I see the value in getting my friends' dogs some exercise. This is not a rant, more curious to see if anyone else gets this vibe out this way or around Sac in general.

[caligirlz]

no one walks their dog in the ghetto!!!

Lol....sorry, couldn't help myself. I don't know why, perhaps one of the south sac "experts" can answer your question. You do live pretty close to Meadowview.

[MichaelDante]

Originally Posted by caligirlz

no one walks their dog in the ghetto!!!

Lol....sorry, couldn't help myself. I don't know why, perhaps one of the south sac "experts" can answer your question. You do live pretty close to Meadowview.

I got your joke since I see a lot of people who mention anywhere close to Meadowview being the "ghetto" but while I cannot speak for all of the area I wouldn't call my neighborhood a ghetto by any means as there are nice houses and people in my Ct and even the surrounding streets seem to take pride in their lawns. In WA I met various people of different background and social status who walked their dogs so maybe it's just a random thing in my mind who knows.

[CeJeH]

It's a lot better now but a decade ago Franklin Blvd and Brookfield Dr was the most dangerous neighborhood in the region. Franklin Villa was mostly boarded up and burned out fourplexes before the city went in and rehabilitated the complex.

[wburg]

Maybe it's a neighborhood thing...in Midtown you see people walking their dogs all the time, although maybe that's because there aren't many single-family homes with yards.

[caligirlz]

What kind of dog do you have?

I see dog walkers everywhere, so I don't really understand why you are getting weird looks. Maybe they are just curious about their new neighbor.

[MichaelDante]

Originally Posted by caligirlz

What kind of dog do you have?

I see dog walkers everywhere, so I don't really understand why you are getting weird looks. Maybe they are just curious about their new neighbor.

She has a hyper jack russell terrier and a rat terrier/ chihuahua mix. I'm 6' and about 260 so I'm sure they're curious who the shaved head big dude walking non intimidating dogs is but the looks are more at the action of walking dogs not who is doing the walking. My friend came by this afternoon and walked with me and laughed since she felt the same way, she's an optimist though and thinks maybe it will "catch on" and I'm a neighborhood trendsetter, I told her don't count on it.

You say you see dog walkers everywhere but what area do you live? Someone just PM me and said they think it's a culture thing more than anything else since she posted on citydata her black neighbor told her blacks and latinos don't walk dogs since that's why dogs have backyards for. Once again, someone points a incorrect broad general brush stroke since I'm black and know others also who walk their dogs, socialize them at dog parks, etc. Besides non of us on my court have big yards so a 20x20 yard space is small for any dog exercise... plus the shortest game of catch ever for any of our dogs.

No big deal... not making a issue out of it I just thought it was funny and was curious. From now on I will just think to myself they're wondering... man Charles Barkley looks smaller in real life, why would he move to South Sac?

[caligirlz]

Lol. Maybe it is your size vs the size of the dogs.

I think you may be the neighborhood trendsetter!!

I actually live in Folsom now, but lived in East Sac when I first came to town. I sometimes go out walking with the Sacramento Walking Sticks or running with Sac Fit. When I said everywhere, I suppose I mean East Sac/McKinley Park area, American River Parkway, Land Park, Carmichael (mostly in Carmichael Park), EDH and Folsom. My neighbors are a white/black couple and they take their dogs for drives, I'm assuming to a park or the river, all the time. They play with the dogs in their front yard, but I don't see them walking, ever. I know one of them is a gym rat. Hmm..just thinking about other friends with dogs...I'm not sure if they walk them around the neighborhood, but I hear stories about going to the dog park or the river....sounds like a big event to me. I prefer the daily routine with dogs. When I had them (pit bull and shepherds), we walked in the neighorhood. I loved it and so did they! People always moved to the other side of the street when I walked my pit.

[NinaN]

We walk our dogs a lot and see lots of other people walking theirs in our neighborhood. Yesterday I saw two of my neighbors a few blocks away. Maybe just the area? We all have big dogs and they need to get out and about.

[ryuns]

Hmmm. It's either striking the difference between dog and owner or something else going on. It seems that even if dog walking wasn't that common in your area, someone who actually did walk their dog wouldn't be stare-worthy!