Three Make a Family

Georgi, 4, is probably the luckiest little Bichon Frisé one earth. His two human moms, Lara, 11, and her Mommy Maggie, 52, are doing everything to make his life in Munich, Germany, as comfortable and enjoyable as possible, 24 hours every day. If they could, and maybe one day they will, they’d take him on a round-the-world trip. Because everything in life, even life itself, is better with than without him. Getting out and about is one of their favourite passions: Last time we saw each other was in Puglia. They had a stopover in Brindisi on their Mediterranean Cruise. Just enough time to catch up and ask a couple of questions about the one family member that was missing, this time: Georgi…

What’s so amazing about Georgi?
His heart is bigger than himself. He loves life, and he is such a funny guy!.

How would you describe your relationship? 
We are very close and respect each other.

What are his secret passions? 
Sleeping on my pillow when I’m not there. Luckily, Bichons don’t shed since they don’t have fur that would lose hair. So, he’s the perfect dog even for allergy sufferers.

How do you “understand” each other?
He observed me closely at the beginning, and I did the same with him. We each learned the other’s language; additionally, I attended dog school (with him), but mainly to understand him even better.

Do you have a “trick” that makes him listen no matter what? 
I do: crispy chicken skin! It’s magic

If your dog were a person: Who would he be? 
A understanding, calm, and loyal friend who always makes me laugh.

Why do you love him?
I love him for who he is, just the way he is.

What was the most memorable thing Georgi ever did?
One evening, I took out the trash and didn’t realize he followed me, nor did I notice he was still outside when I came back in and closed the door. It wasn’t until an hour later that I noticed he wasn’t with us. I opened the front door, and there he was, patiently waiting to come back in. He didn’t bark, he didn’t scratch, he just waited. What’s always funny is right before bedtime, he sneaks into my bed and hides under my blanket because he knows he’s not supposed to sleep in our bed. But we can never bring ourselves to throw him out. He just knows exactly how to get to me.

Did your dog ever bring you closer to another person or to other people?
Yes, to myself.

Where do you leave him when you have to go away for a couple of days? 
At my mother’s, who has known Georgi since he has been with us, as well as with our loving dog sitter, who also has a very strong bond with him.

Is there anything that annoys you about him, sometimes? 
Nope.

What are your favourite things to do with him?
In winter, we love to cuddle on the couch, take long walks in nature on nice days, and teach him tricks. Bichons are very eager to learn and love to have fun. Unfortunately, this trait often led them to be used as circus dogs.

Any dreams you’d like to come true with your dog?
Georgi loves travelling with us. He’s a patient car and train passenger and quickly adapts to new places and environments. I would love to travel around the world with him – by land and water, by train & ship, and on foot.

Is your dog part of the family and part of the household? Does he sleep in your bed etc?
Yes, he is 100% part of our family.

Any advice you would like to give to someone who wants to get a dog but can’t decide?
A dog means a lot of responsibility. Dogs are like a dependent child, they never really grow up. You’ll lose your freedom and have to take care of him for life. He depends on you. But he will give you all his love and undivided attention, comfort, and above all, a lot of joy. You’ll live healthier, move a lot, and spend more time in nature. And you’ll have a loyal friend constantly by your side. A dog can help children in a family to better understand all living beings and also overcome the fear of dogs. As a toddler, Lara was somewhat fearful of dogs, but since Georgi joined us, she knows how dogs are and sees them as lovable beings that need to be protected. Now she loves all dogs and engages in every dog encounter without prejudice or fear.