I’m not really a dog person, 
nope, I am actually a cat person. Always have been. Dogs I consider a rather uncouth and filthy lot. They greet one another by sniffing each others bottoms. Which other species does that? Yuck! Certainly not cats, they greet each other and their human by presenting their faces, like any other civilised species. Oh, and have you ever seen a cat peel a dead frog from the tarmac to eat it? I haven’t, but I have seen lots of dogs eat all kinds of shit. Again: Yuck!

So, here I was with my cat Gigi and my opinions about canines and then my husband succumbed to a heart attack at age 54. Following that, Gigi’s was the only other heart beat in the house and we grew even closer, if that’s possible. Then I met Anna Marie, a painter, a poet, a gardener, a retired galley owner and curator. We became close friends and a few years down the road we decided to move in and grow old together.

Only problem: This fabulous person came in a package with two dogs, Sally the spaniel and Arthur the schnauzer. I call them “the stinkers”, and hence one condition of moving in was that the pooches have to go to the groomers every 6 weeks to have a bath and a haircut. 

And then the magic began. Those two dogs embraced me with their overwhelming love, no questions asked. To this day, they follow me wherever I go, they lie on the carpet behind me in my office when I work, they support me when I am down and they celebrate life with me when I am happy. They don’t have a mean streak in their hairy bodies, but if someone ever had the foolish idea to try and harm me when they are around, they would rip the attacker into little ribbons. They would.

But the best thing is: They are fabulous teachers. They show me every day how to be in the moment, how to be present, how to enjoy life. They don’t contemplate the past, nor do they worry about the future, they are always in the present, in the NOW. Their ability to be happy is endless and graciously they take me with them on this path to joy.

They still go to the groomers every six weeks, though, and they still stink. Partly, that has to do with our lifestyle. We live on the West Coast of Ireland in County Sligo and our walks take us not only to the beaches, but also through woods and bogland. Sally is now 15 and getting deaf, but out there in the countryside, she is still a pup, snuffling her way through the reeds, the grass and yes, the puddles and bog. When we come back home, the white in her fur is often almost invisible under the mud. Arthur, at age 7, is at the top of his physical powers and runs through the fields and forests like a demon on steroids. Same result: He gets filthy.

Mostly, we do not use leads. Anna Marie grew up in a rather grandiose setting with a family that had their own hunt and hence plenty of dogs in a kennel. She has known dogs since she could walk or talk and understands them instinctively. She has trained our stinkers to obey her commands so reliably that we can let them run free on the beaches and country lanes. Arthur occasionally challenges her status as the Alpha in our pack, but Anna sorts him out pretty quickly. And at the end of the day dogs are happiest, when the rules are clear and followed and everybody in the pack has their role and their status. 

I still love cats and I never allow a dog to lick my face, knowing where they have been with that tongue and what they have eaten. But now I am part of a dog pack, too, and am incredibly grateful for it.

Curious to read more of Barbara Bierach? www.bierach.com

How did you guys meet?
We have been living together since Ray was one year old. He came as a kind gift from a dear friend.

What did you like most about him?
What won us over immediately were his shyness and his innate sweetness and docility.

What kind of relationship do you have with your dog?
We simply cannot live without one another.

What’s his favourite thing to do?
His greatest passion is running in the countryside and hunting lizards.

How do you understand each other?
We understand each other with our eyes and with a few firm verbal commands. However, he can be a bit stubborn and, when he insists on not wanting to do something, it is not easy to convince him. He doesn’t give in even with the classic promise of a sweet reward. In these cases the only choice is to wait until he changes his mind.

Is there anything that always works with him? No matter what?
The only “trick” is not to consider him or pretend to leave him alone, that works fairly well. The whistle works, too.

Who would he be if not a dog?
If he were a person he would be shy, cuddly and fearful – but also very good and very sweet.

Why do you love him?
We love him because he is a part of us and we couldn’t live without him.

What’s the funniest thing he ever does?
He sometimes freezes sitting and remains immobile thinking about who knows what for a long time, even 20-30 seconds! Therefore our niece calls him the “thinking dog”.

Do you get closer to other people thanks to him?
Sure, we’re quite enjoying that Ray gives us the opportunity to meet other people – as it happened with you too

Who are his favourite people when you’re not around?
We leave him with my sister who is also madly in love with him. He knows he will be pampered and spoiled by her and my brother-in-law just the same.

Your favourite thing to do with him?
Long walks and and nice nap afterwards, where we’re hugging each other on the sofa until he falls asleep on top of me.

Any dreams you’d like to come true?
I’d love to have a nice house with a beautiful garden, just for him.

Last but not least: Any suggestions for potential dog owners?
Don’t waste time: ⁠Ray teaches us to love unconditionally, gives us a world of beautiful emotions every day and improves the quality of our lives.

Ciao Michaela, why don’t you tell us about you and your dogs?
Sure! My husband and I are lawyers, living in Berlin. Daudi, a 5-year-old German shepherd with long curly hair, came into my life on our 24th wedding anniversary. My husband Jörg, who was travelling a lot at the time, thought I could use some company while he was gone. He was right, 
I immediately fell madly in love with this cute little boy, who was hardly bigger than his food bowl. His name was chosen carefully: Daudi means  “the beloved” in Swahili. Just 3 months old, Daudi was hit by a car and had to get surgery. Thank God he survived! That tied us together even more, nothing can come between us.
In November 2022 another dog joined the family, Clyde, 11, a blonde shepherd mix. Clyde was my brother´s dog, originally. He had lived with my brother´s family in the south of France. After a separation my brother accepted an assignment on a cruise ship and couldn’t take Clyde with him. We offered to take him and Daudi and Clyde are now inseparable: the best buddies you can imagine! They sleep together and share food, even pass bones between each other. 

What´s so amazing about Daudi?
Daudi is incredibly energetic. He never gets tired and needs to be constantly challenged. He is super punctual and precise, a “little policeman”. He barks at everything which isn´t in order, especially at parking offenders. And he hates to be left alone. Clyde on the other hand imitates everything Daudi does. And Daudi is a great teacher! Clyde knew barely anything when he came into our house. Treats make things easier of course, they both love them!  

How would you describe your relationship?
Daudi is my personal bodyguard. He looks after me and my husband, wants to protect us from any harm. He would give his life for us, no doubt about that.

What do you know about his secret passions?
Daudi loves running free, swimming, retrieving, and digging big holes. He also loves his dog training and wants to be the best in class. He goes crazy when he sees a squirrel and tries to climb the tree on all fours. But I think the best thing ever for him is to sit between us on the couch, watch TV with us and be cuddled. Not to forget: He is a gourmet dog that loves likes asparagus, mussels, shrimps and cheese.

How do you understand each other? Do you have a secret code?
I think Daudi knows and understands everything. And he communicates just as easily what he wants or doesn’t want.

What makes him obey no matter what?
Put your shoes on and go to the entrance door.

If your dog was a person: Who would he be?
A policeman who keeps everything in order.

Why do you love him?
Because Daudi is a very special character. Not easy, very demanding, but with the purest soul.

What was the loveliest thing your dog ever did?
Some time ago my husband was sick and had to stay in bed for a while. Daudi sat next to him most of the time and tried to convince him to get up again. 

Did your dog change your relationship to other people?
Well, our friends love Daudi and he thinks that our guests only come to visit him. Other people are either afraid or admire him. 

Where do you leave him when you have to go away for a couple of days?
We have a good friend, not just a sitter, who comes to our appartement and looks after the dogs. They love him.

Is there anything that annoys you about him?
He is a hooligan when he´s on a leash.

What are your favourite things to do with him?
Go for a walk, throw his Kong into the water, cuddle him. Work and train with him on new things.

Any dreams you´d like to come true with your dog?
To live in the south of Italy near the beach because he loves swimming so much.

Is he allowed on your bed?
Yes he is, and he loves it. So does Clyde. So we have very little space left for ourselves.

Any suggestions for future dog lovers?
A dog changes your life completely. It is a great responsibility, not just for a couple of days or weeks. No, it´s for the lifetime of the dog. Sometimes 14 or 16 years! You have to be prepared to invest a lot of time, nerves and money. Your daily routine will change, holidays have to be planned differently as does the free time. But … Your dog will pay you back with his unconditional love.