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

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.

Was it love at first sight, when you met Aida?
Well, not quite. My wife and I had decided to get a dog to fill the void that our two grownup children were leaving. It was our first experience, we did not know the differences between the various breeds and therefore we contacted a friend, Enrico, who a few years earlier had initiated the kennel “Legend of Crudy”, just outside Milan. I remember that the first impression we had was not exactly positive. We were in fact surrounded by 7 or 8 flat coated adults who simply wanted to get to know us and be caressed. Not knowing the affectionate nature of this breed we felt a certain unease, partly even fear, due to the presence of two adult males. Enrico explained the behavior of the breed and assured us that no one would bite but that everyone would lick us endlessly. We ended up deciding that in a few months time we would have taken the biggest female of the next litter. So when Aida was born together with 11 other little brothers, we received a call and I remember that Enrico put two girls in my arms. Both were hyperkinetic and wriggling like crazy, but Aida, I remember well, was the one who was looking at me intensely, curiously holding my gaze. It was at that moment that I realized Aida would be ours.

Why is Aida amazing?
Aida is very meek and obedient, but what characterizes her the most is that she is always looking for cuddles and not just from me. Generally when we cross other dogs’ ways, she’s interested not so much in her fellow dogs but their humans, immediately demanding their attention. At the same time she is sensitive enough to understand people who don’t like dogs or are afraid. She’d just ignore them to make them feel at ease.

How would you describe your relationship?
For me Aida is much more than just a dog, she is like a daughter. She is the living being with whom I have spent most of my time in recent years. We are always together, go out at least 4 times a day, we take long walks and I take her with me wherever I go – as long as there is the possibility to bring a dog.

Is she were a person – who would she be?
She would probably be my best friend! We have an empathetic relationship and support each other when we are tired or depressed.

Why do you love her?
I think I love her because that spark that immediately ignited between us at first glance was confirmed and transformed into love following all the activities we did together: I was her conductor in behavioral education courses and, later on, of agility. When we were both younger we went out running for several kilometers and she always remained by my side. I’m the one she always turns to when she is unwell or just needs to do her business. I’m her pack leader, she can’t be without me and I miss something when I don’t see her.

What did she teach you that nobody else would?
Aida shows me that a dog can be a man’s best friend, because it makes you feel its affection without being invasive and follows you without asking where or why.

Is there anything that annoys you about her?
Aida is very affectionate and shows her affection by licking your hand, legs and face. It is a very typical behavior of the flat coated Retriever and Aida is no different. This continuous being licked is not always pleasant, but I gladly accept it knowing that it is his way of saying “I love you dad”.

What are your favourite things to do with her?
Today we enjoy walking together. But until a couple of years ago agility was our favourite thing. When I realized that it was getting too exhausting for her we stopped.

Is your dog part of the family 100 %?
Aida is a member of the family to all intents and purposes and I almost consider her a daughter. She lives in the apartment with us and sleeps in our room. However, we taught her not to get on the sofa and even less get into our bed. I think she’s a little sorry, but for my wife and me it’s much better this way.

Any advice you would like to give to someone who wants to get a dog but can’t decide?
Living with a dog is a wonderful experience and I can only recommend it to everyone.