Dogs

Italians love dogs. The dog culture here is bigger than in the US. If I had to guess I would say roughly 100% of people here own dogs. People bring their dogs into the metro, restaurants, and bars. I think I saw one in a club once but I'm not entirely sure. It could have been a big rat.

Coincidentally Italians do not love to clean up their dogs' shit. These two factors combine to make life in Milan really exciting. The streets and sidewalks are peppered with turds just waiting to be stepped on by unsuspecting tourists. For some reason locals are immune to stepping in shit...or just really good at avoiding it. At any rate, I spend the good majority of my time walking the streets trying not to step in a big piles of dog gelato.

I think the sidewalk shit crisis could have something to do with the undertone of shit in the air of Milan and of greater northern Italy as well. I'm currently investigating this matter.

In a related topic: Instead of using the term "doggy style" for everyone's favorite sexual position, Italians say "sheep style." Learn this line if you ever come to Italy: "Voua trobarte como una peccola" - literally translated it means I'm going to fuck you like a sheep. Hilarious and true.