Hi dog lovers! I’m Marika, from Italy, and I’ve been living in Berlin for two years. Since moving away from home, I’ve also had to leave my dogs behind — two Golden Retrievers and a lovely little old boy — who are now living their best lives with my mum.

I love animals in general, but dogs have always had a special place in my heart. I really enjoy taking care of them and paying attention to their needs and wellbeing. With my own dogs, I’m used to taking them for walks of around 1–1.15 hours every day, usually in nature, where they can explore, run around and have fun. They have quite a strong hunting instinct, so our walks have definitely taught me to stay alert and keep a close eye on what they are doing!

I’m also very attentive to their everyday care. I feed them twice a day and try to give them a balanced diet that provides all the nutrients and macronutrients they need. One of my dogs is prone to ear problems caused by Malassezia, so I’m used to regularly checking and cleaning her ears and noticing early signs that something might be wrong.

After walks, I often have to clean or wash them as well, because they absolutely love jumping into small rivers, streams and irrigation channels whenever they get the chance! I’m therefore very comfortable with all the less glamorous parts of taking care of dogs too.

In general, I like to observe dogs carefully so I can quickly notice if something is wrong — for example, if they get injured during a walk, eat something they shouldn’t, or simply behave differently from usual. Most of all, I love seeing a dog happy, relaxed and enjoying itself.

I would be very happy to spend time with some lovely dogs here in Berlin and take care of them with the same attention and affection I give to my own.