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.

Why an Italian Greyhound?
I had been dreaming to have an iggy for a long time! I once saw one in a bookshop, sleeping next to its owner, the bookseller. So enchanting that I had to have one for myself. 

How did you two meet?
You wouldn’t believe that despite being called “Italian greyhound” it is not easy to find an iggy puppy in Italy! You “book” it before it is born which is bizarre because it doesn’t take into account the character of the dog itself. I saw Ninni on the puppy page of the french breeder and fell in love straight away. She was beautiful and above all the breeder told me she had an excellent temperament. We definitely didn’t want any more alpha dog or bitter spinster in the house!
So I took a flight and a train to Lyon to pick up my beautiful 50iest birthday gift. We spent our first night in a dog-friendly hotel, taking a shower (she definitely needed one) and then looking into each other’s eyes almost all night long. The day after, we left to go back to Italy by train, enjoying the trip like two old ladies… Ninni was sitting quietly next to me, I am sure she was studying me carefully. I was a bit worried: I already liked her a lot but would she like me? The memory I have of that trip is the stunning elegance of my puppy sitting on the train with her sharp and long front legs crossed as a beautiful woman who sits and lifts her skirt just above her knees… Her eyes were far away, God knows what she was thinking. I looked at her admiringly and incredulously. How could I have been so lucky?

Her name is Moon des Princes de Ronsard… What is Moon aka Ninni like?
Italian greyhounds are extremely elegant, sensitive, and obedient beings – but they need a lot of attention. Did you know they do not sit on the floor?
Too cold. And did you know they need to be wrapped in a soft blanket in order to make them sleep? They’ll also never sleep alone but exclusively on your bed and in constant physical contact with your body. They need it!
Do not take an Italian greyhound if you think of yourself watching tv on the sofa with your dog lying down next to you on your carpet. An iggy will be on the sofa with you, glued to your legs… When I am at home writing on my computer I know I have to wear a large hoodie because she loves to sleep on me under my sweater, like a little marsupial. It is like having a sweet heating pad with me all the time.
Then she is my best sleeping partner: When it’s time, she comes, stands in front of you, looks at the bedroom and you know, it’s bedtime. She is the last to wake up in the morning which is great because you don’t need to rush to take her out for the morning routine. When it’s raining, be sure she will stay at home until you don’t lift her in your arms and go out. On sunny days I love walking on the beach and watching her running up and down so happy and fast like a bullet. She will never go into the water though, it’s too cold for her even in midsummer. You can find her on the beach, on your towel of course, taking sun like a lizard. Ninni and I have a particularly close relationship, we understand each other so well and so quickly, and yes, she is the spoilt third kid in the family, the princess, the baby. We all love her fun attitude and her unconditional love.

If she was a person… Who would she be?
She would be a ballet dancer, full of grace and lightness.

Anything you weren’t expecting at all?
When you live with an Italian greyhound you have no privacy, not even in the bathroom! Even in the hottest southern Italian summer, they need to be held in your arms or be literally by your side all the time. Ninni likes when I whisper in her ears and I don’t know how but she can pick up what I mean, amazing isn’t it?

Any advice for people who would like to get a dog but cannot make up their minds?
A dog in your life means a huge amount of love you can not even imagine. Any dog care requires commitment, however, you will soon realize that you receive much more than you give.