Ciao Matteo, would you like to tell us about you and your labrador Buddy?
We definitely have a special relationship, I would almost describe it as love and hate. Hate because he obviously doesn’t understand that when I leave for London for university, I’m not leaving him on purpose but I’m going away to study. It’s nothing personal! Yet, he is sad every time I go. Love because when I come back, after a day or two, we go back to where we were before I left.

What are your favourite things to do together?
I love taking him in the car, he loves coming with me, we’d put music on along the way and we would find a beach somewhere. We enjoy the journey almost as much as our walk by the sea. Along the way we both find our peace of mind.

How do you understand each other?
Our language is made of both gestures and looks. We don’t need to talk, we just look into each other’s eyes and we know what we want from each other. Small gestures, maybe a finger up when needed, nothing else. Buddy would obviously do anything for a piece of sausage. But it’s not always necessary. If we have to go, I just say “Buddy one, Buddy, two, Buddy…? – and he always comes running.

If Buddy were a person? Who would he be?
If he were a person he would definitely be my best friend. Maybe even more: a brother. I never had one, but Buddy has always been a part of our family, he has always made me feel loved. And he is someone who has always appreciated me for who I was, with all my defects and strengths.

Anything he did that was really funny?
Well, once he ate the birthday cake that my parents had made me for my 15th birthday. It was placed on the kitchen table, we had left the room for a moment and when we came back the cake was gone. Eaten, slice by slice… We looked into each others eyes and started laughing helplessly, but there was nothing left to do. The cake was gone. I will never forget that moment! So funny.

How would you describe Buddy’s life?
Buddy is 100% part of the family. 110%! He sleeps on the bed, sleeps on the couch, sleeps everywhere. And he is always with us. He even eats sushi at the restaurant, just to make you understand…

Any suggestions for future dog lovers?
I would say a dog changes your life. We can love many different dogs in our lives. But a dog will give you 100% of its love because it will be with you for its entire life. We ARE their entire life. No person will ever be able to give you the affection that a dog gives you.

@300mila_ , Lecce

How did you meet?
Mela had been given away by friends who couldn’t keep her for family reasons. I instantly felt she was a good dog, even though wild and impetuous, and decided to give it a go. I knew she would appreciate the space in the masseria, life without a leash and hardly any rules. She was my first labrador and I learned quickly that they’re big eaters. Mela seemed to me like a mix between a lab and a vacuum cleaner for how much she ate during the day! She never changed much, even though she became a bit quieter over the years. 

What’s so amazing about her? 
She has a built-in watch, so she always knows exactly when it’s time for lunch and dinner. But, more than that, she knows how to make you smile when you’re sad.

What’s your relationship like?
We’re basically pals who love to play and have fun together.

What are her biggest passions?
After food? Just kidding. She loves to be cuddled, by me, by our cats and by my friends. She’s such a loving creature.

How do you two understand each other? 
I think she took Italian lessons without telling me anything. No kidding. She seems to understand every word I say. 

How do you get across what you want from her?
With food, no doubt about that. It can be anything from wurstel to mozzarella cheese, as long as you can chew it.  

Who would she be if not a dog? 
I generally prefer her to many human beings because she is so much nicer and behaved than many humans. But that’s another story. If I had to compare her to someone I’d say Anna Maria Barbera, an Italian comedian from Calabria. 

Why do you love her?
Because she loves me without asking anything in return. I truly think we should all be a little more “animals”. They are sincere, many humans aren’t.

The funniest thing Mela ever did?
She breastfed the two kittens that arrived at my place some time ago. Without having been pregnant ever. Without any experience. She just did. And it was marvellous.   

What do like most about her?
That she knows how to make friends wherever she shows up. People just love her. So having her closeby, people see me in a different way too. 

What activities are you enjoying together the most? 
We like to play in the grass, rolling around and chasing each other like kids, sometimes with sometimes without a ball. 

Anything you’d like to share?
The love a dog can give is difficult to find in another person. I am immensely grateful to the oppurtunity I was given when Mela knocked at my door. I would adopt her again and again forever and ever.  

Would you like to present yourself?
I am Paola Vernetti, certainly older than I think but as my Grandma used to say “Women and poets are ageless”. I’ve worked in all sorts of businesses: I used to be a model, then worked in a  showroom in Milan for some time, until I ended up in the village of Cascina Pellegrina, Novi Ligure (AL), where I started to work in my husband Gabriele’s company related to air conditioning. Lola is our fourth labrador (two of them sadly died far too early) and we’re really fond of her. Actually she’s like a daughter to us.  

Whats so special about Lola?  
A thousand things! Lola has the biggest room in both our hearts. She is very good, extremely behaved and shows absolutely no trace of aggression. Getting older we  got closer obviously, that turned into some sort of symbiosis now that she’s more mature. We share and enjoy certain habits and rituals that no one else would understand. And none of us, especially her!, can stand being apart for too long. So in case one of us moves she won’t settle as long as he or she returns to the “pack”.

What are Lola’s greatest passions?
Cuddles, food, jumping into the water and saving “dad”, who’s perfectly capable to swim alone but enjoys the fun. Whoever approaches her, pronouncing kind and gentle words, will be rewarded with little Lola, belly up and waving her tail, asking for cuddles. When she was a puppy she used to “chew” on pebbles which wasn’t funny at all! Fortunately she learned not to, growing up.

Anything you say or do to understand each other more easily?
We understand each other through looks and simple gestures. There’s mutual respect for each other’s moods, no need to say anything, she would understand or vice versa. If nothing “works” which rarely happens, “cookies” is her magic word that makes everything possible. 

Who would she be if not a dog? 
My best friend who understands me without words. 

Why exactly do you love her?
I love her because she is good with cats and all sort of animals, always obedient and cheerful. I love her because she’s funny when she walks. I love her because when she doesn’t want to do something she pretends not to hear – and certainly gets away with it! I love her too much. She is unique to both of us, like a daughter.

The cutest things she does, what are they? 
Well, she has this funny way of relaxing with her belly on the floor and the legs behind her, spread out like a frog. Too cute! To ask for our attention she’d go and grab a piece of our stuff, preferably a shoe. And it works! One of us would jump up and chase after her. The always gets it her way. After dinner and some TV she decides it’s bedtime: She would grab her bone and her favourite stuffed dog and make us understand that it’s time to go to sleep. One more, less funny but remarkable thing: She uses the stairs only if she feels like it. If she doesn’t, we have to pick her up and carry her wherever she needs to go. 

Do you ever leave her alone? 
Until a few years ago, pre Covid, we regularly went on holiday overseas or went to see places where they wouldn’t accept dogs. My dad used to look after Lola in the meantime. Last time we left her was for a winter holiday in the mountains. When we got back after ten days she was super anxious for too long, maybe because she is getting old? That’s when we decided we wouldn’t leave her behind any more.

What are your favourite things to do together? 
I love taking her for her evening walk around the farmhouse before dinner which is part of one of our daily rituals. And I love to caress her gently when she lies next to me. And I love doing gymnastics with her by my side! 

Any thoughts or suggestions that come to your mind? 
Needless to say, my perfect world would be with Lola by my side for the rest of our lives. Since that’s very unlikely, unfortunately, we enjoy every moment as if it was the greatest adventure, the most precious time we’ve ever had. So my advice for those who are thinking about taking an animal in: Don’t decide lightheartedly, since it’s a commitment that lasts a long time. But if you’re certain about what you’re doing be sure they’ll pay back with the purest joy you can possibly imagine.

PS: Paola’s second life is her agency for locations to rent for photo productions in Cascina Pellegrina. Check this (and many other fabulous things she does) out on @cascinapellegrina

Please tell us about yourself and your dogs!
We are Carsten and Carlotta Teubel, both in our 50s, entrepreneurs, currently living in Berlin. I, Carlotta, used to work in the fashion Industry, Carsten was in finance. Together we created the brand Worldpearlslove, now we’re looking for new challenges. Our dogs are Noosa, a Labrador Retriever, 6yrs old, and Bali, a Miniature Dachshund, 3yrs.  Noosa comes from a breeder in Germany (Hessen) and was the only chocolate lab in the litter. His two black brothers got adopted, his mother and four sisters died after birth. So Noosa was “raised” by a foster dog-mom for his first few weeks! Bali got adopted from a family in Berlin when he was nine weeks old. We thought he would be an “ordinary”, normal sized dachshund but he grew into a big miniature one. 

What’s so amazing about your dogs? 
Noosa is our CCO (Chief Cuddling Officer) and will do everything for cheese. Bali has the heart of a lion in a sausage costume and is the little big “security guy”. 

How would you describe your relationship? 
Noosa loves his freedom. But when it comes down to it, he’s very close and affectionate. Bali is always by our side, to an extent that he loves to sleep under the sheets (with us) at night. 

Do you know about their secret passions? 
Noosa loves swimming and rescuing everything and everyone in the water. The most passionate lifeguard! Bali loves to sleep in the sun, no matter how hot.

How do you “understand” each other?
We talk like we would talk to other fellow humans: Gentle conversation instead of commands.

Do you have a “trick” that always works?
Both of them are easy to handle, very smart and understanding. But since we’re together ALL the time really, they think they don’t always HAVE TO obey. But there’s one very powerful “code” that always works and it is HAPPIHAPPI (german slang for EAT EAT). They’d come immediately from wherever they are.  

If your dogs were persons – who would they be? 
Noosa is such a cool guy. He could be Steve McQueen or Denzel Washington. Bali has something of Clint Eastwood about him, but also of Hugh Grant, the womanizer. 

Why do you love them?
Because they are our furry sons. We are family. 

What was the most memorable thing your dogs ever did? 
Noosa once brought home a little bird. All we noticed was a very tiny bird’s foot hanging out of its mouth… He must have picked up the little one off the ground, maybe he had fallen out of his nest. And he definitely wanted to save him! Noosa would never have done him any harm. 
Bali amazed us right from the beginning. We remember very well that he slept through the first night. We had already prepared ourselves to go out at least three or four times, as we used to when Noosa was little. But we  woke up the next morning, everything dry and the little one still fast asleep. He should actually be called “easy and dry”.

Did your dog ever bring you closer to another person/other people? 
Of course they do. We’ve got in touch with the whole neighborhood. With people we didn’t know before and then became friends and with people we never actually wanted to know. That’s life.

Where do you leave them when you have to go away for a couple of days? 
We did it only a couple of times when we travelled far during the winter. The dogs were in a dog hotel outside of Berlin. The last two years we’ve lived in Ibiza where we’ve got the lovliest dog sitter. She lives near San Carlos and both the dogs just adore her and her hippie attitude.  

Is there anything that annoys you about them? 
Oh yes: Noosa loves to sniff each square centimeter in the street. A normal walk can take hours And Bali loves to bark: outside, when he sees other dogs and inside, when the door bell rings. But then again, that makes him an alarm system on four paws, doesn’t it?

What are your favourite things to do with them? 
They love to walk in the forest which they do three times a week with their dog walker. And they love nice restaurants, because they know they’ll get to try delicious pieces falling off the table. We all love playing in and out of the water, catching balls, cuddling and scratching, stroking and swimming. 

Any dreams you’d like to come true with your dogs? 
Living with them close to the sea and beach. 

Any advice you would like to share? 
Think about one thing before getting a dog: You do need time for them. They only want to be with you. How much space you have is not so important. It is your time that they need and deserve. 

Alberta, you organize events, your future husband Disonysos organizes photoshoots. There’s also your toddler son Fabrizio.
When do you ever have time for Ettore?
Alberta: I don’t need to make time for him. Ettore is my shadow, he has always been. I take him everywhere, even to the beautician!

Tell me about your particular relationship.
Alberta: Our relationship? Ettore understands me in everything. We don’t have a “language”, commands don’t exist. I talk to him as if he were a human, a person. And I feel he talks to me, too. He “asks” me when he wants to go to the bar, or if he can eat. He shows me where he wants to drink etc. We got to be quite symbiotic over the years! When I’m sad he is sad, if I get angry he gets scared. He’s my mirror in everything. Ettore really and truly is like a son to me, he is unique.
Dionysos: We take him with us everywhere we go, unless we have to fly. A couple of days ago we took him to one our most special events ever: We tried all the dishes of our wedding this summer. Ettore simply had to share the moment with us!

What do you enjoy doing together the most?
Dionysos: I love when we’re at the beach and he saves us. Every time you swim out a bit he comes and grabs you with his mouth and pulls you to the shore. He will scratch you all over but that’s a Labrador!
Alberta: We used to go for endless walks, seaside, countryside, everywhere. We still do, but getting older his paws started to hurt. But Ettore never gives up, he makes the extra effort. He’s always there for me, with me. He is even allowed in bed, but usually he jumps down at some point, looking for a cooler place to rest.

Any advice you’d like to share?
Alberta: Well, taking in a dog is quite a decision. You must be ready for it, because it ‘s going to be a lot more than a hobby. A dog is not a toy, it needs attention and care. For the sake of the dog you must be ready to step back.. But to those who are ready I can only suggest to get one! I don’t know what my life would be without a dog. I’ve had one since I was 11, went out in my pijama to take the dog for a run early in the morning, then took him with me to university. A dog adds rhythm to your life, it establishes rules and while it helps you feel good it also teaches you responsibility. You can’t get distracted while you’re driving, for example, because your dog is always there. A child, your pet. That’s what it is: Having a dog is like having a child.
Dionysos: Alberta is right. Don’t get a dog to show off! A dog is like a child. You need to give him the same attention you’d give to a family member. Too many people get dogs and then leave them locked away in the house or behind a fence. But they are animals that need not only care but also a lot of affection. You want a dog to make “bella figura” every friday night, walk him for two hours and then leave him with your 70-year-old mother all week? Forget it and get yourself a motorbike.

How did you meet Luna?
It was a gift from my wife’s gynecologist and friend. Her sister is a vet – our vet

What’s so amazing about Luna?
I think she is literally the sweetest and most tender being we have ever known.

What kind of relationship did you establish with her?
She is basically like a sister to Luce. Sometimes I think she unterstands us all way better than we understand each other. As Luce’s dad I am the leader of the pack, after me it’s either my wife Silvia or my daughter Luce she’d listen to.

If she were a person who would she be?
Maybe a young Franciscan Monk?

Why do you love her?
Because she is family!

Did Luna teach you anything no one else could?
How to be patient.

Anything that annoys you about her sometimes?
Literally nothing.

What are your favourite shared activities?
I love watching her when she runs free. She gets so happy, it’s contagious.

Any advice for someone who thinks about getting a dog and cannot quite make up his mind?
Don’t know if this helps but an American friend of mine who heard about my wife being pregnant said that having a child is a bit like having a dog – only a little easier. So we’re working on it I guess.

Why did you call your Gelateria Baldo Gelato? I hear Baldo the Bracco was kind of famous in Lecce…
It’s coincidence, actually. My ex partner Alberto and I were planning to open an icecream bar. Baldo, the Bracco, was our loved and appreciated companion, aristoctratic, superior, a phantastic dog. When we started to exchange emails with our architect in Milan, planning details etc., he himself started to put in “Baldo” as a reference to every note concerning the bar. We never changed it, also because the bar became Baldo’s favourite spot. He used to lie down in front of the staircase, often without a leash because there was no need, his nose in the warm Salento wind. Imagine that clients from Texas loved him so much that they found a breeder in the States, got the exact same dog and called him Baldo, like ours who sadly passed away a couple of years ago. But they wrote me telling that I’d sure be happy that there was another Bracco Baldo in this world.

Ettore is now two 1/2 years old. A male teenage Labrador. How did you cope during the first few months that are supposed to be challenging?
Well every dog is different and Ettore is definitely different to Baldo. But we love him just as much. He is crazy, in a nice way of course, never gets tired, never fights with other dogs. All he wants to do is play and have fun. Just lately we noticed his distinctly protective side and at times he can even become a guard dog with quite an unexpected temper. He would like to lead, I guess, that’s why he definitely needs to be managed, also because he weighs almost 40 kilos. What we did is set up a very precise set of roles, rules and duties for everyone in the house, without ever neglecting the aspect of cuddles and games.
Ettore is and he always will be an alpha male, a handsome big boy. He’s always been like that, since he was as a puppy. But as a puppy it was easier. One because he was younger and two because my ex-partner lived in Lecce and therefore I had a lot of free time in managing the family. Now that Ettore has grown up and my ex-partner has returned to live in Milan, everything became a bit more difficult. Especially the walkies! But for what it seems we’ll move to a house with an outside space soon, so we’ll manage, as we always did. Because let’s face it: Life with an animal may be more complicated at times, more stressful in other moments, dirtier always. But it’s definitely more cheerful!

What did you learn from your Labrador?
That everyone in the family has their own needs and we need to find a reconciliation that suits everyone, more or less. And that in the end love is sacrifice, but in the sense of something sacred. Love is made of rituals and daily attentions. Those we kind of cultivate.

How did you find each other?
We picked Semola out of a Labrador litter in Gallipoli because he was sitting all alone in a corner, distant from his little brothers and sisters. He seemed to have a frown on his face, too cute to be true. We we showed up, he turned around, looked at us and came running into our arms. No wonder we fell in love instantly.

What makes Semola so special?
He has two big green eyes that are much sweeter than his character actually is! And he looks like a cartoon in everything he does. That makes me smile and feel like a little girl again. In fact, if Semola were a person he would be my funny little brother. A naughty boy… but adorable!

You love him for…?
I love him because his gaze disarms me. I know that we are his family and his well-being depends on our love. And because when he rests his muzzle on my legs to fall asleep in the evening, he repays me for all the little disasters! What can get annoying is his habit of barking and jumping on me while I’m trying to have breakfast at the bar and he sees other dogs. I know he’s still a puppy and wants/ needs to play, but he embarrasses me a big deal with all the people around. We try to work with a dog trainer hoping that his exuberant character will eventually balance itself out with the environment. I guess it’s just a matter of time and he’ll calm down. That said, the positive aspects outweigh the negative ones by far!

Just recently you discovered something about Semola that changed everything from one day to another …
Sadly, right. We noticed some anomalies on the hind legs when Semola got up to walk after beeing seated for a while. His first steps were slightly limpy, especially noticeable on his left hind leg. Also, after every run, even short ones, he had to lie down, tired, exhausted. Listening into it we found out that his problem also and above all concerned his front legs. Semola, for what it seems now, has fairly significant dysplasia affecting all four limbs.
I had asked the vet who followed him several times to do routine x-rays to check if everything was fine but he reassured me that there were no symptoms.
What shall I say, I trusted him. Which is a shame: Hey we discovered his problem earlier, we could have helped him better, could have done more for his wellbeing than we can do now. 

Anything you would like to suggest to people in a similar situation?
What I can recommend to anyone who decides to adopt a puppy, Labrador or any other breed, is to immediately check that he is well, as you would with a child, without trusting the doctor’s reassurances a hundred percent. Symptoms of a malaise aren’t always evident and, above all, not everyone is able to recognize them with certainty. I also suggest asking any kind of information on the puppy’s parents. I myself only learned a few days ago that Semola’s mother, as a puppy, had had dysplasia problems – which had been identified and resolved in time.