Ciao Giovanna, what do you do when you don’t take your doggies out for walkies?
Well, I was born in Turin, grew up in Rome and after 10 years in London my family and I moved to Milan. Part of the family are certainly our French Bulldogs, Cosmo and Luna. I used to work in finance. Currently I’m dedicating myself to a great passion, art, with a special focus on the support of young and emerging artists.

Where did you and your doggies meet? How did you connect?
Cosmo entered in our lives in January 2021 from a breeder in Alba (Piedmont, Italy), while Luna arrived one year later from Pavia (Lombardy, Italy) but they are related via Luna’s dad (Alex) who is also Cosmo’s great-grandfather.

What’s so amazing about your dogs?
They are both sweet, cheerful and well behaved but while Cosmo is very calm and lazy, Luna is curious and super energetic!
Cosmo loves to stay at home all day just lying on the sofa, Luna enjoys going out and meeting other dogs to play with.

How would you describe your relationship?
They are both very attached to me, we spend most of our time together and they follow me everywhere. They always want to be close to me as to other members of the family.

Do you know about their secret passions?
Cosmo’s secret passion (not even so secret to be fair) are cuddles and massages.
Luna loves to play “catch” with toys like balls, bones or puppies and to watch the neighbours from the terrace. As I said she is super curious!

How do you “understand” each other? Do you have a secret code?
There is no special code we use to communicate. It simply happens. They don’t speak but they always find a way to let us know their needs and feelings and, on the other hand, they understand every situation without the necessity to explain anything. They are very sensitive but, in case we need to introduce rules, we do it gently.

Do you have a “trick” that always works? That makes him listen no matter what?
There is a trick that definitely works for both of them: cuddles, cuddles and cuddles!

If your dogs were people – who would they be?
If they were human, Luna would be an explorer and Cosmo a member of the royal family!

Why do you love them?
I love them for their loyalty, for the love they always demonstrate without asking anything back, for the way they look at us and for every little thing they do. I simply love them!

Did your dog ever bring you closer to another person/other people?
Sure! Every time we go out for a walk in Milan but also wherever we go on holidays.

Where do you leave them when you go away for a couple of days?
We always take them with us, if possible. If we ever have to leave them behind we take them to this “dogs hotel” close to our house where they are kept in very big spaces, with comfortable beds and classic music on. We know they’re fine because we monitor them through an app that allows us to be close all the time.

What are your favourite things to do with them?
Reading books with the two of them snoring gently next to me.

Any advice you would like to share?
Dogs aren’t puppies. They have needs and feelings. Be sure to be commited enough for the responsibilities involved with getting a dog.

Where did you meet Luna?
Basically, our daughters had always wanted a dog, and that was fine with us, since my wife and I grew up with dogs. However, we wanted to wait until our daughters were old enough to actually look after it. At first, I was looking for a Lagotto, since I heard they were good in truffle hunting (a man has to have his stupid dreams). But the closest Lagotto breeder was just too far away. A friend told us about a Jack Russell breeder not far from Trieste. We went there, and Luna, only a few weeks old, came running towards us and basically chose us, not the other way round.

What is she like?
She is very lively and incredibly friendly with everyone. It is almost embarrassing how easily she would walk away with basically anyone, as if we would treat her badly. Which we certainly don’t!

How would you describe your relationship?
She is some sort of entertainer, cheering everybody up. That’s the good thing: You come home in a bad mood, but she is always there, wagging her tail, ready to party.

Why do you love her?
Oh, I have no idea, but you don’t have a choice, do you? 

What did she teach you that nobody else would?
A dog helps you socialize with other people in a way I would never have imagined. People that had never noticed me before, out of a sudden get closer, want to talk and say Hi to the dog. As I said, she is very friendly with everyone. Not like me, when I haven’t had my morning coffee yet.

Is there anything that annoys you about her? 
Well, she just doesn’t get tired. I am an avid walker, and even when I take her on a real long walk, she seems to be more awake after than before. Also, she grew up in Grado, an island in the Adriatic Sea. But she hates water! She wouldn’t touch it, while all the other dogs enjoy running into the waves, jumping around, trying to catch seagulls. Also, Luna refuses to go out in the rain. Unbelievable.

Is your dog part of the family 100 percent?
Yes, she is an important part of the family. We even plan our holidays according to her needs. She gets incredibly scared in a car, for instance, we can’t do anything about it. So we learned to avoid weekend trips to not stress her out. It is only worth the hassle when we stay longer, so she can recover. Ecologically, that is probably a good thing! She likes to sleep on our sofa. She is not allowed in bed, though. I wouldn’t mind, but my wife is very strict about it. And since she is smarter than me, she is definitely right.

Any advice you would like to give to someone who wants to get a dog but can’t decide?
No matter how small: A dog will change your life. Remember that you need to invest time for long walks. And that’s a good thing. You will fall in love, and that’s a good thing, too. But please remember: It is still an animal, and you have to be the boss. Easier said than done with a Jack Russell, though.

PS: Want to learn more about the German writer living in Italy? Follow Stefan Maiwald’s instagram account @buch_und_wein or read one of his books, e.g. “Das Italien Prinzip”

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.