Want to talk about your pet subject?*If you would like to feature (with your pet) in a forthcoming edition of this regular column, please contact Colleen Morgan at Colleen@MoodieDavittReport.com |
The Moodie Davitt Report is delighted to bring you the latest edition in our Pet-sonality Profile column, in association with Tito’s Handmade Vodka.
In this regular fun feature, we discover more about travel retail pet-sonalities, their back stories, traits and habits, as well as offering some insights into their owners. Each pet-sonality is also painted digitally by pets and equine artist Sami Moodie.
In this edition, we meet Pepina, a former Hungarian street dog who was earmarked for euthanisation. A true survivor, she has won the heart of Düsseldorf Airport Media Manager Tankred Stachelhaus.
Name + nickname: Pepina but she is also known as Peppi.
Breed: Pepina is a mixed breed, with a strong showing of Norwegian Buhund.
How old is Pepina? She is six years old.
How did you meet? Pepina spent her first years of life in Hungary as a street dog before she was taken into an animal shelter there. We were told she was supposed to be euthanised because she could not be placed.
However, a German animal welfare organisation rescued her and brought her to an animal shelter in Herne, in the Ruhr area. That’s where we met Pepina.
Love at first sight? To be honest, I didn’t really want a dog. But my family – and Pepina – convinced me. Pepina showed her character on our first walks, and we bonded immediately. She’s cheeky, impetuous and sweet, all at the same time.
The shelter checked very carefully whether we were a good match, and we were very happy when we were given the go-ahead.
Does Pepina have any quirky habits? She thinks she has to protect us from other dogs and, even though she is quite small, then messes with much bigger dogs, even fighting dogs.
This is something we are still working on with an animal trainer.
Funniest and/or nicest moment? When I come home from my office at Düsseldorf Airport, Pepina goes crazy. She not only jumps at seeing me, but she also performs a choreography all over our apartment. That can include a crazy rushed run through the hallway, a slide across the tiles, jumping over the sofas, rolling across the carpet and more. Completely nuts.
Favourite trick? And treat? Pepina can sit down in front of you, with such a sweet look in her eyes, that you melt immediately; it’s very hard not to grant her every wish. And that can be for attention, sometimes the food I am eating or letting her sleep where she is not allowed to. Our pet trainer says we have to be strong and consistent and set clear boundaries about what she can and can’t do. Otherwise, she thinks she’s the boss.
A treat? Well, as a former street dog, she basically eats everything, even the high-quality organic quality canned food that we give her due to various allergies.
Social media account? Not yet, but you never know with Pepina.
If Pepina could talk what would her first words be? Pepina chases everything that moves. That is probably a result of her years of street fighting to survive. So she would probably say her absolute dream prey: Squirrels.
Favourite airport/airline: We’ve only had Pepina for two months and so far, she has not flown anywhere. But I’m taking her to Düsseldorf Airport to buy her a nice identification tag in the new MyFamily* pet accessories shop.
Anything else we should know? I have to admit that pre-Pepina, I never really understood what a dog is good for. It seemed to me that a pet meant extra work and limited time.
Now I know better. A pet like Pepina is good for the family. Since she joined us, we do more things together, talk more and are more relaxed overall. I need to thank Peppi for that.
* As reported, a MyFamily store has opened at Düsseldorf Airport. The store is the Italian company’s first in Germany, offering a wide array of pet accessories, including identification tags that can be personalised by engraving, as well as exclusive collars, leashes and harnesses.
MyFamily, launched by Alessandro Borgese in Valenza, Piedmont in 2010, creates individual fashion for pets designed to fit into the lifestyle of their human co-habitants. Around 160 specialised craftsmen and designers work for MyFamily at the Valenza production centre, carrying out every detail by hand.
Click here for our introductory story on the Duty Free Unleashed partnership with Tito’s Handmade Vodka. The independent vodka brand from Austin, Texas has had a close connection with the welfare of dogs since its founding by Bert ‘Tito’ Beveridge in 1997.
The company has always been committed to rescuing and protecting the animals that have come into the lives of its people, and has even created a programme, Vodka for Dog People, to help that come to life.
Note: Through this new column, Tito’s Handmade Vodka and The Moodie Davitt Report are partnering to promote the work of brokenbiscuits.org, a disabled animal charity. As the world’s first disabled animal centre, its work includes:
- Providing equipment to families
- Offering homes to paraplegic, deaf, blind and disabled animals
- An education programme of visiting schools and universities
- Working alongside rescue centre, rehabbers and veterinary professionals
- Caring for stray and surrendered disabled animals
To support the work of Broken Biscuits, you can donate via this link or find out more via the youtube channel.
Previously on Pet-sonality Profile
Meet Duke and Lindsay Hitzeroth
Meet Barry Geoghegan, Milly and Jess
Meet Julio Cesar Magaña Ortiz and Hope
Meet Pauline Prescott’s Daisy and Digger
Meet Jeff Bond and his four-legged friends
Meet Bronwyn Clementson and Harvey
Meet Sinéad El Sibai and Guinness
Meet Alex Thompson and Chester
Meet Jilly Brocklebank and Sadie
Maitreyi Karanth’s Shaggy (and Demi) dog story
