Would you please present yourself briefly?
My name is Ilana, I’m 63 years old, I’m an interior designer, with a passion for design, art and fashion. And I absolutely adore dogs (and cats). I was born and raised in Geneva, Switzerland, lived in New York City for 6 years where I studied Interior Design at the Parsons School of Design, before returning to Switzerland to start my own business. Seven years ago I moved to Tel Aviv with two dogs and a cat.

Tell me about your dog!
Her name is Noisette, she is a standard dachshund, long haired, chocolate and tan. She just turned 3 years.

Where did you meet and how did you connect?
It was during the Covid confinement. My last dachshund Punky had just passed away at the age of 14  (Noisette is my fourth of the same breed) and I was scrolling through Facebook when I saw a post from a breeder in France showing a litter of puppies. I immediately fell in love with one of them, the chocolate one, and shared the photos with my brother Sam who is also a great dog lover. To my surprise, he offered to buy the puppy as an early birthday gift for me. There was just one problem: How to pick her up?  The whole world was in lockdown, the airport in Israel was closed and no date for the reopening had been announced. Luckily, everything went well. A friend of mine picked Noisette up and took care of her until I could finally fly to Geneva to pick her up. 

What’s so amazing about your dog?
She is the sweetest yet the most stubborn dog, typical of the dachshund breed. She’s playful and loves cuddles and can even be arrogant when I scold her.
I once was fostering kittens who needed to be bottle fed. Noisette knew instinctively how to care of them, how to clean them to stimulate their needs etc. She’s a natural!

How would you describe your relationship?
I would say that we complete each other. She is extremely attached to me, follows me everywhere, even to the bathroom, which is also typical of dachshunds. She simply needs to be close to me, always, maybe also due to the fact that during the confinement in Israel she became used to me being around all the time.

Do you know about her secret passions?
I don’t think she has any secret passion! She is the happiest when we go out and walk the streets of Tel Aviv. I try to take her at least twice a month to the dogs’ beach, where she gets off the leash and runs free. She enjoys swimming in the sea as well!

How do you “understand” each other? 
A certain expressionof mine is enough for her to understand she didn’t behave well. 

If Noisette was a person – who would she be?
My best friend! 

Why do you love her?
For the joy, comfort and company she shares with me. The unconditional love dogs bring to your life has no limits and only dog owners can understand it.

Did your dog ever bring you closer to other people?
Dachshunds have become quite popular in Israel, in my neighborhood only there are 20 of them! We organize meet-ups at the beach or in dog parks which is lovely for everyone.

Is there anything that annoys you about her?
She is quite stubborn. Dachshunds have a strong character and do as they please. 

Any advice you’d like to share?
Dogs are lifesavers. But when you get a dog you have to commit and understand what your responsibilities are. You might not be able to travel as often as you would like to, or make sacrifices because they are home waiting for you. What you get in return is their unconditional love.  That is all that matters.

Tell us about yourself, Annalaura. You just came back from an early Summer holiday in Puglia, right?
That’s true. Of course my trusted travel companion Biagio was with me. Time to go wild, after many winter months inside, week after week in the office. Finally time to to wander and travel, being in nature! We’re both very active, love the outdoors. I never sit still, I play tennis and work out with a personal trainer, I do yoga to dedicate time to myself.

Where did you meet? How did you connect? 
I had my last dog about 20 years ago, an Irish Setter, Jack. Work and various commitments made it impossible to have another one for a long time, let alone a puppy. During Covid, smart-working in my home office, I started to get used to the idea again, also thanks to a company that has a pet policy and allows you to bring your dog to the office as long as you have a conduct license. So I actually started to look for a suitable one, doing some research about breeds, availability etc. Then, surprisingly, a breeder I had contacted some time ago had a tiny newborn available. All he did was send me a picture of Biagio as a baby, asking nothing but: “Are you ready?” So to me it seemed as if Biagio had chosen me instead of the other way round. It seemed a perfect gift to myself for my 40iest birthday.

What’s so amazing about Biagio?
He is absolutely unique and irreplaceable, the best choice I’ve made in years! Biagio has a great personality and a face with a thousand expressions. He is extremely affectionate and as sharp as a razor.

How would you describe your relationship? 
We are there for one another, in all sort of ways. I try to give him the best dog life possible. Of course he likes cuddles and kisses a lot, but I’m not the “dog in the purse” kind of person. What I do instead is make his personality shine, indulge him in his passions and attitudes and help him overcome his insecurities and fears.
We trust each other, we go for walks in the meadows every day and Biagio is free to run – which is a show for itself! But he’d always check on me after a bit.
I take him out soft hunting: single sessions in which he can run after the lure, having fun like crazy. Running to catch a frisbee is another great passion of his. Then in the evening, after playing a bit with his stuffed animals and bones (he’s tireless) he asks my permission to get on the sofa and falls asleep on my lap. That’s one of my favorite moments. Not to mention his guilty pleasure, a spoonful of coconut oil for “dessert” in the evening. As soon as I say “Cocco” he licks his mustache. Makes me smile every time!

How does Biagio cope with Milan city life?
Perfectly. I take Biagio wherever I go because I can. He’d get into the car without any fuss, sits down in his car seat like a human being. In the office he would say Hi to everyone, being a real gentleman.

How do you “understand” each other? Do you have a secret code? 
We talk to each other a lot in verses, but even more with our eyes.

What makes him listen no matter what? 
No need. Biagio is very obedient. He’s not very confident so he’s the one who follows me.

Why do you love him?
There is no reason, he simply stole my heart!

Is there anything that annoys you about him? 
Only when he barks every now and then while he’s alone. They say “crisis of abandonment”. Abandonment of what? Little rascal!

What are your favourite things to do with him?
Being outdoors and running during the day, and on the sofa under the covers at night.