The original topic was posted on the Italian-speaking Community Center by @Maria-Rossella0 and we have translated it below.
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Good morning everyone! I've been a host (or rather... I'm showing off now, a Super Host) for a long time and, unlike most hosts, I host in the house I've lived in for decades with my husband and dog.
I am the daughter of a veterinarian/trainer and, at my birth, my future dog, Frida, a wolf, was at the foot of the bed. I therefore grew up with dogs and cats at home (psychology states and teaches that those who grow up with animals always have "an extra
gear") and they complete my character, my life, my being as I am.
The experience I offer you is much discussed in the forums and, for many, it is very important: hosting despite having animals.
I have always had dogs and I would absolutely not give them up; I pointed out this need and passion of mine to my husband before we got married and he gladly accepted and I would NEVER, for any reason, giv
e up my dog and that NEVER... says everything !!!
In 1969, I got my first dog (super breed, super farm... present from my father), then the recovery of only "small dogs" began... and then **bleep**, a 50-kg wolf abandoned near a barn (a super dog... two nights after arriving, he "saved" our daughter from an attack by climbing on the attacker's shoulders).
Then Dylan, a brown and white spinning top (in a box on the bank of a stream) absolutely independent and called, in the neighbourhood, the "Duke" for his attitude: the only dog who travelled on scooters and motorbikes/enduros, the only one who "made faces" according to our behaviour, went fishing in the city wherever there was some probable "girlfriend".
Then it was the turn of a splendid orange half-breed, Cookie, who arrived from Campania... a joy, a crazy love... gone too soon, and now, for four years, Rex, an Alsatian shepherd rescued in the province of Lecce, brought here in terrible conditions, a fortune spent on him and now a marvel!!!
Rex… is a Host par excellence, welcomes everyone happily, smells them, smells their luggage, offers them the ball and, after that work is done, retires to bed with dignity. Rex is very named and photographed on our account, with a warning that we cannot and do not want to host any allergic or fearful person; above all he is our priority, nothing is done that cannot be done with him, but our rooms are always "full", almost everyone who loves animals or, at least, can "tolerate them"; but I have written everywhere that our animals (even Tata, our tortoise found one night on the sidewalk, reported to the Prefecture and who now roams around the house like a dog, sniffing the feet of guests to get to know them.... she is short after all!) they are NOT to be touched, they are to be respected, and that we will pay special attention so that they do not bother the guests.
But NEVER, I say NEVER, touch an animal badly... I could become much worse and much more ferocious than an animal itself, but it has never been necessary.
To the very rare guests who ask me to lock up the dog when they arrive, I still reply that there are many hosts who do not have animals and, to those who ask me to bring their dogs, I always say yes, as long as they are very obedient... and, yes, it is true, cleaning is more tiring and requires much more attention and time, but there is no better friend or relative than a four-legged animal and cleaning their droppings is much easier than cleaning human passage.
I'll tell you a lot more... come here and let's have a chat!
Maria Rossella
I had a recent guest myself @Clara116 @Maria-Rossella0
He followed Peter around waiting for food to drop!
