A Changing Dog Culture in Egypt
A personal journey into Egypt’s evolving relationship with dogs
The young dog barked anxiously as I entered his space—a small, shaded patch of concrete where he was chained to a gate outside a villa in a quiet, affluent neighbourhood of Cairo.
“He’s definitely an outdoor dog,” the woman told me as I greeted the nervous creature she needed to rehome. “Indoors, he’s destructive and chews furniture and anything he can find.” Although he was in good physical condition—if not slightly overweight—his owners, who had bought him as a puppy, seemed uneasy around him. He flinched slightly when I moved closer, unsure whether to approach or retreat. It was clear he had had limited interaction with people for some time, and it had taken a toll. His anxiety was visible in every movement.
I had come to meet him after seeing a Facebook post advertising a young beagle in need of a new home, one of many such posts that appear regularly across social media in Cairo.
Situations like this are not uncommon in Egypt.
Despite a long history of reverence for animals—dogs once valued as hunters, protectors, and companions—modern attitudes are often more conflicted. Stray dogs are widely feared or avoided, and pedigree dogs are frequently bought without a full understanding of the responsibility involved. Many are later rehomed when their behaviour becomes difficult to manage.
The decision, for me, was immediate. A couple of days later, we brought him home and renamed him Frodo (yes, my husband and I are Lord of the Rings fans).
At home, Frodo now sprawls across the sofa, head resting on a cushion, fully embracing his life as an indoor-outdoor dog. He moves freely between the house and garden, alternating between sunbathing, dozing, following me from room to room, and demanding attention with unwavering persistence. My phone storage is almost full with photos of him in various states of comfort.
Learning to speak ‘dog’
I’ve always adored dogs, but my work and lifestyle made having one feel unrealistic for years. That changed when my husband and I moved to Cairo in 2022 and, for the first time, had the space and stability to consider adopting one.
Like many new dog owners, I naively assumed love would be enough. It wasn’t.
Frodo was affectionate and intelligent from the beginning, but also stubborn, independent, and entirely led by his nose. Walks quickly became a test of endurance as he pulled relentlessly in every direction, zigzagging across the pavement in pursuit of scents I couldn’t detect.
It didn’t take long to understand why his previous owners had struggled.
We needed help.
Eastwind: more than a training facility
We found much-needed support at Eastwind, a canine training and boarding facility on the outskirts of Cairo that is quietly contributing to a broader shift in how dogs are understood and cared for in Egypt.
Set within landscaped grounds on the edge of the city, the space feels calm and considered. Dogs move in supervised groups between training, play, and rest, with a clear sense of structure. There are areas for exercise, socialisation, and recovery, as well as facilities for grooming, physiotherapy, and daycare. There are even swimming pools for the dogs, and an air-conditioned room—complete with a TV—where smaller dogs can escape the heat and relax together.
But what stands out most is not just the range of services, but the philosophy behind them.
“Our priority is making sure dogs are healthy and happy,” says Captain Mohammed, a member of Eastwind’s training team. “What a dog needs most is a family. In the wild they live in packs, so when you adopt a dog, you become its family.”
Pet parenthood in Egypt is a relatively new phenomenon. Only in the past two decades has this way of relating to dogs started to emerge. “For many people, having pets as part of the family is a new culture,” says Mohammed.
Although dog companionship is still not as common as it is in other societies, Eastwind is working to encourage this shift, not only among current dog owners, but also among those considering adopting one.
Part of that effort focuses on the next generation. The ‘Kids & K9’ programme is designed to foster trust, compassion, and a deeper understanding of dogs among children as young as five. In a safe and relaxed environment, they are introduced to carefully selected dogs trained to be calm and responsive around children. Through guided interaction, they learn how to care for dogs, how to play with them, and how to understand their behaviour.
“We choose the dogs that love to play with the kids,” says Mohammed, “and we start to build good communication between the kids and the dogs.”
In addition to programmes for children, Eastwind has also begun training therapy dogs for neurodivergent children—an initiative that expands the role dogs can play beyond companionship and into care, offering new possibilities for how they are understood within Egyptian society.
While Eastwind is working to shape broader attitudes, my own experience with them began in a much more personal way.
Shortly after adopting Frodo, I travelled to Ukraine on assignment. While I was away, Frodo stayed at Eastwind, where he began training and socialisation.
From Ukraine, I received regular video updates. Frodo, who had been difficult for me to manage, was suddenly calm, attentive, and responsive. In the middle of one of the most intense assignments of my career, seeing him safe, settled, and adapting to his new life brought a sense of relief I hadn’t expected.
When I later visited Eastwind myself, I began to understand what had made the difference.
Eastwind is not simply training dogs—it is training people. Through its work, it is helping reshape expectations around what it means to live with a dog in Egypt.
A shift in attitude
While perceptions of pet ownership are changing in Egypt, dogs are not yet widely integrated into domestic life in the way they are in other parts of the world. Even among those who do bring dogs into their homes, there is often a gap between expectation and reality.
The number of stray dogs remains high, and animal welfare organisations continue to work to improve conditions, provide veterinary care, and encourage adoption.
Within this context, centres like Eastwind play an important role—not only as training facilities, but as part of a broader cultural shift, helping dog owners better understand behaviour, communication, and responsibility, and encouraging a move away from ownership towards something closer to parenthood.
Learning alongside Frodo
When Frodo returned home, the difference was immediate. He was more confident, more responsive, and easier to manage. But it quickly became clear that the training had only just begun.
The following day, one of Eastwind’s trainers arrived at our home in Cairo to continue working with us. From then on, the student was mostly me.
Learning to communicate with Frodo—to recognise his signals, anticipate his behaviour, and respond appropriately—required patience, consistency, and a willingness to rethink what I thought I knew.
Over time, something shifted. We began to understand one another. What had once felt chaotic became intuitive, and I found myself trusting him in a way I hadn’t before. It was, in many ways, transformative.
It wasn’t long before we started to feel that something was missing—that Frodo might benefit from a companion. And so, we began to think about finding him a brother or sister.
Bilbo
In July 2023, I came across another beagle, again via a social media post—but this time it was a series of photos of a severely malnourished pup confined to a small cage in a pet shop. A kind woman had rescued him but was unable to keep him long-term.
We went to meet him, bringing Frodo along. The two dogs connected instantly. We named him Bilbo and took him home the same day.
Introducing a second dog brought a new set of challenges. Frodo’s energy quickly overwhelmed Bilbo, who was still physically weak. Once again, we turned to Eastwind, allowing the two dogs to be introduced and integrated in a controlled environment.
Over time, Bilbo regained his strength. The two dogs learned to live alongside one another, gradually finding a rhythm that worked for both of them.
And again, we learned alongside them.
What stands out most now is the bond between them. It’s something I hadn’t expected. They are inseparable—whether racing around the garden, playing endlessly, or simply lying together in the quiet moments in between. Bilbo, still the smaller of the two, often rests his head on Frodo’s body, as if he has found both comfort and safety in his big brother.
He follows Frodo’s lead in almost everything. Despite his difficult start in life, Bilbo is a characteristically easy-going, content dog, while Frodo has a more layered personality, full of expression and quiet demands. As Captain Mohammed once observed, “Frodo has more questions about the world.”
Watching them now, it’s hard to imagine that either of them began their lives in such different—and difficult—circumstances.
Shaping the future of dog culture
As dog culture continues to evolve in Cairo, centres like Eastwind are helping to redefine expectations around pet ownership.
They may not be accessible to everyone, but their influence extends beyond those who use their services, helping to establish new norms around training, care, and the role of dogs within the family.
For me, it began with one anxious dog chained to a gate, and a decision that felt instinctive at the time.
What followed was not just about training a dog, but about learning how to live with one—how to understand him, communicate with him, and take responsibility for his world as much as my own.
Now, watching Frodo and Bilbo together—so at ease with one another, and with us—it’s clear how much that decision has shaped our lives.
In hindsight, it was part of something much larger: a small reflection of a wider change in how dogs—and the relationships we build with them—are being redefined in Egypt.
Follow Frodo and Bilbo on Instagram @frodo.and.bilbo