What’s so amazing about Ulisse?
The thing I love most about him is the enormous love he gives us every day. He is an affectionate little dog and is very playful.

Who would he be if he were a person? 
He would certainly be another brother!

Do you know about his secret passions? 
Ulisse loves to spend his time playing with us and taking long walks. He loves going out with us and every time he sees us going out he places his pet carrier in front of him, thus communicating his intention to come with us.

How do you understand each other? 
Our language is based on a few simple words and gestures.

Did your dog ever bring you closer to other people?
Ulisse makes me feel part of a group. Meeting other dogs and their owners during the walk offers moments of discussion and light-heartedness… It’s wonderful to see Ulisse play with the other dogs and having fun!

Where do you leave him when you have to go away for a couple of days? 
He has never been alone so far. When we are out of town the other family members are there to look after him.

Is there anything that annoys you about him? 
Whatever he does, he always makes me laugh! A bit less when he nibbles on my designer bags, yet never enough to get angry. Or when he wakes me up at dawn – I still find him adorable.

What are your favourite things to do with him?
Playing, going for long walks and sleeping in each other’s arms.

Any dreams you’d like to come true with your dog?
I’d love to take him travelling one day!

Is your dog allowed on the bed?
He is. After carefully cleaning his paws, which we do every time we come back from a walk.

Any dog /advice you would like to share?
Well, getting a dog is a commitment, most probably you’ll be forced to let go of something else. But that’s nothing against the unconditional love they have for you, without asking for anything in return. It is a pure and disinterested love, inexplicable I would say.

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.

Where did you meet?
I met Pepito at Brindisi Airport where he was delivered by his breeders: He seemed to be the  sweetest dog in the world. I would find out later that there was something quite unsettling  about him. Didn’t want to admit it to myself though – so intense had been the idea of getting the same dog that I had adored when I was a little girl.
Laculona however was the one to find me: One day I saw her sitting on my trullo neighbors doorsteps. She has been with me ever since.

What are they like?
One is the opposite of the other: Size, colour, short hair vs. curly/silky hair, short vs. long, city dog ​​vs. country dog, good dog vs. bad dog, one always barking, the other one keeps quiet. Pepito is the most stubborn, arrogant and mean dog I’ve ever had. And I’ve had  many!
Laculona however is tender and sweet, both with his fellow dogs and with humans, especially children.

Who would they be if not animals?
Pepito: Napoleon, Laculona: Snow White

Why do you love them?
I love them because I love animals. These two in particular are very funny, each in their own way and together even more. Watching them and spending time with them lightens my heart.

What do you enjoy most doing together?
We like to go for walks in the countryside and cuddle in front of the fireplace in the evenings.

How would you describe your relationship?
They hired me as their housekeeper: I have a soft dog bed and two meals a day at my disposal. The salary is good: kibbles and bone-shaped biscuits, I can’t complain.

PS: 100% animal and children friendly are Serena’s trullos in the Itria Valley that you can rent for your summer holiday. For enquiries check out her homepage lecasediserena.com