Took my dogs to Wakra Beach this am reasoning correctly that it would not be very crowded. Stopped about half a mile from the water and walked down to the sea and back, no problem. Police car pulled up about 20 meters in front of me and opened the window. Driver leaned over and said "here Lassie" to my alsatian. No problem there.

Have been warned off beach area near airport and at Lusail by someone driving a Natural Reserves car in the past but haven't seen anyone since then.

The problem here is non Muslims, it is a generalised fear among people in this area and India and elsewhere of dogs, who could carry rabies. This is almost an inborn reaction and hard to see what to do about it.

I took my dogs out past my Qatari neighbour's house some years ago, he was standing with his infant son at his gate; pointing to the dogs he spoke to the boy in Arabic and bent down, picked up a stone and showed the two year old how to throw it at the animals.

Obviously keep away from crowded areas where you may cause offence, keep the dog on a lead and you will have few problems. We all find our own spots where we can walk a dog safely, near the Khalifa stadium, between the Khalifa Tennis complex and the civil defence and the beach between Ras Abu Fontas power station and the new Airport are good as there are usually few people to object.

In the latter oplace Qataris used to exercise their salukis by getting them to follow their Cruisers and my dogs could join in (the saluki's anyway the others were more sensible again no offence was taken.

TRY SOME OF THESE PLACES