Ciao Mina, may I ask how you and Toto met?
It was love at the first sight. I followed my heart and chose him from a photo, I had no doubt he would be the right one. And he actually became the dog for my heart and soul.

In a few words only: What’s so amazing about him?
His love is unconditional without any demands or claims. He is just there, but he would never overdo:  He’s clever enough to leave me enough space.

So your relationship is kind of like…?
Toto is my little cutie pie and partner in crime. He is always with me, knows all my secrets and understands me.

May I ask his favourite treat?
Cheese! He’d do anything for a piece of yummy cheese.

Who would Toto be if not a dog?
My boyfriend.

And where does he sleep?
In my bed. Where else would he sleep?

Anything exciting to tell about his character?
Well, Toto is very passionate about everything he does. While we were playing by the sea last time we were in Puglia, he got so excited that he accidentally bit me in my hand. Just a little bit, nothing too serious, those things happen I guess. We went to the hospital and after medication everything was fine. Just to make you understand his unlimited passion.

Anything about him that really stresses you out sometimes?
He is so happy, all the time, that it can actually be annoying.

Any plans for the future – together?
Toto and I are working on making our biggest dream come true: moving to Puglia and living/working from there most of the time. 

A piece of dog advice you’d like to share?
Taking in a dog is a decision that comes from the heart. If you have to think about it, it’s not the right thing to do.

PS: Sabine Vatter is the head behind the slow fashion brand Mina Vatter. She designs and produces unique fashion pieces using vintage cotton, linen or vintage silk.

Where did you meet? How did you connect?
I was keen to have a toy poodle delivered on my youngest daughter’s birthday. Since the date was important, yet specific, I went through desperate measures to purchase him online, eventually to discover it was a scam. Tsunami arrived by train, there was a charge of 300 Dollars to have him delivered, in addition to the fortune that I had paid in advance. The man who delivered Tsunami didn’t look very healthy, he carried adult dog food with this puppy that was not even the size of my hand. I made several attempts to track down the person who sold it to me, but he had disappeared. The person who had brought me the puppy had no contact either. A mystery.
With all the birthday hype, I didn’t realize something was wrong until I had alone time with Tsunami, the next morning. Soon I discovered the puppy that I bought online that was supposed to have pedigree papers, had instead arrived with fleas, cardia, almost lifeless. I worried he wouldn’t make it. The real problem was that I had no information on what he had been eating. It took a good week to nurse him to better health, I had to do all the vaccines and of course he was without a microchip. Eventually I did find the scammer, but I highly suspect he smuggles hundreds of dogs from who knows where, Romania or Albania, and I didn’t want to take the time or energy to pursue it in court. Meanwhile, we had all fallen in love with Tsunami. 

What’s so amazing/special about your dog?
Tsunami is very, very particular. Once I got him back to health, he wouldn’t play as a puppy or chew on anything in the house, rather he would sit and stare at my every move, never taking his eyes off of me as I moved around the house. He was memorizing my every move. He still has that serial killer persona to this day. Obviously I’m teasing. Tsunami is a joy to have in our family, he loves us very much. He is a wonderful swimmer and loves sailing. He acts like a sailor himself, a pirate defending his ship. He is working when he is sailing, it’s his happy place. 
Tsunami understands both English and Italian. He can be very protective and possessive, there are certain aspects of his character that root from his early abandonment from the mother. He does bite, but it’s a work in progress, he knows how to be a good boy, too. 
Tsunami has an excellent nose. Before conducting the DNA test, I would’ve bet that he was a truffle dog. Early on I would hide white truffles in the house and he would find them, eventually we go outdoors and look for truffles with success. He loves those kind of mind games, challenging his nose. 

What’s your dog’s role in the family?
He’s the baby boy in a family of three girls.

If your dog was a person – who would he be?
Albert Einstein 

Why do you love him?
He’s perfect in every single way, I love Tsunami for his loyalty to our family. His trust. He has been there for me during some hard times –
I will always be in debt to Tsunami. 

What did he teach you that nobody else would?
He taught me telepathic communication. He doesn’t talk, but we communicate all the time. 

Is there anything that annoys you about him?
If I leave for 10 minutes, he goes nuts when I come back as if I left him for 10 days. 

What are your favourite things to do with him?
Sailing 

Is your dog part of the household 100 %?
Absolutely, he sleeps in my bed, always next to me. 

Any advice you would like to give to someone who wants to get a dog but can’t decide?
Don’t buy a dog online.

Pictures: Kirstie McConnell for https://classicoportraits.com/expats, Calling Italy Home

Why do you love Puny?
It’s something you don’t really ask yourself: just the purest form of love! There is no trade between you and your dog, just mutual care and understanding. I used to think dogs are too demanding but I didn’t know how wonderful it can be to take care of them. We’re always together, share everything. Puny is my family, the one I’m closest to. I work from home, in Otranto, where I design boats. A perfect situation for the dog! Poodles easily suffer from separation anxiety. Imagine, we’re in a bar and I have to go to the restroom: If I won’t take him along he’ll start crying desperately! But, to be honest, I even learned to like his being possessive with me…

How did you know Puny was yours?
I saw something in his eyes. Puny can be very social with other dogs but he is usually very shy with humans. He doesn’t let anybody touch him except me and my ex girlfriend Maurizia. Even my parents don’t take part in his circle of trust. However, when I went to get him, he came straight onto my shoe and never left my side ever since. They say dogs become very much like their owners when they grow up. Puny was very similar to me from the beginning.

You and Puny became a ‘two men only’ household in the end?
That’s true. We sleep together, we eat and we play together. When I travel, Puny stays with Maurizia, my ex girlfriend. She is the only one he is attached to beside me and I’m very happy they get to spend time together every once in a while. There’s also Rupert, Maurizia’s 8 months old poodle. The two of them are like brothers, can play all day long, it’s amazing to see them together, how Puny teaches Rupert and how Rupert learns from Puny.

What’s extraordinary about Mia?
Extraordinary is an understatement. I’m a little biased, but Mia is really, really loving. She’s adorable, never annoying, super polite and as clean as a dog can be. She just lacks a voice to be exactly like the rest of us! If she was human she would definitely be my daughter, the little female after two sons.

She’s always by your side…?
Yes she is, most of the time. She and I live in symbiosis. She is my shadow, we do everything together. Even at the beautician, at the gym, at the grocery store, she’d be with me all the time, everywhere. I’m her point of reference, also because I’m the one who feeds her (laughs). And she is mine! When I have to go home and no one is there I know she’ll be waiting for me. And all she needs is my presence. The love that we share is genuine, she’s become a part of me, very naturally.

The rest of the family doesn’t get jealous?
Not really. Vito and Alessandro, my two boys, have a beautiful relationship with Mia, especially Vito. When I’m not around, Mia usually stays by his side. With Alessandro it’s more of a ‘love and hate’ kind of thing… That’s because Alessandro can be naughty, he would pull her moustache, pull her tail, tickle her. They play a lot, yes, and they love each other very much. But when Mia needs cuddles or wants to go to sleep next to someone, she prefers Vito.

Is she an outdoor type?
Not so much. When it rains outside we don’t even go out, Mia’s used to her “toilet” in the house anyway. And even if she never gets really dirty as many other dogs do and I usually clean her feet when we come home etc., I take her to the “hairdresser” every 15 days. I like to have her clean, so she can go everywhere, roam freely in the house, jump on the sofa or the bed without making a mess. We want to pamper her as much as possible, have her closeby all the time. When it’s sleeping hour she goes to her own bed anyway. I’ve actually gotten so used to her presence that I don’t even remember what life was like without her…

Any advice you’d like to share?
Take a dog if you’ve got the wish to have one! A relationship with a dog is something you cannot describe and you’ll never regret it if you find the right one for you and your needs. It makes you grow, it helps you to develop certain skills, a dog can be challenging, soothing, balancing things out. Sometimes they can even be the shoulder to cry on! Don’t underestimate the commitment though. Making them live well is your main task, learning and knowing what they need and being ready to give it to them. Making some kind of sacrifice even just to satisfy them. Becoming partners, for what it’s worth. Running together, throwing the ball, playing outdoors, even if in that very moment you’d feel more like sitting on the sofa and watching TV. My suggestion is: If you get a dog, take care of it.