Portrait Of A Dog – Dolce (& Gabbana)

Dolce means “sweet” in Italian but it is also a reference to the fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana. Our dog was named Dolce both for her sweetness (she is truly the sweetest dog around) and her stylish aspect; she is probably a Dalmatian or English Setter mix and one can guess this just by looking at her paws, which are covered in black spots (almost like polka dots).

My father’s partner adopted her a few years ago; she was found in the region of Umbria, Central Italy, when she was just a little puppy. Once she arrived home, she was basically raised by Grace, our older Irish setter, along with Jolie, our Pomeranian mix, who was a newborn too.

Dolce is a very independent dog. She likes spending time in the front garden of the house, watching people and cars go by, same as our Pekingese George, the dog she gets along with the most.

She loves being cuddled and she has such a sweet face that you can’t help but give her all the attention she deserves.

Dolce has a good relationship with the other dogs, even though she usually prefers the company of humans and is also very quiet (except with the dogs she meets on her daily walks, since she barks at them a lot!).

Like our Maremma Sheepdog mix Ambra, she loves “sunbathing”; we let her stand in the sun for a maximum of 30 minutes because she is one of the dogs that suffer heat the most.

Dolce hates when male dogs try to hit on her (she is fierce and a feminist like Jolie, but she is less playful) and is a dog that generally makes you feel relaxed; she provides a peaceful atmosphere just with her presence.

When we took her to the dog grooming salon, she was a little bit intimidated at first and didn’t want to go into the room so I literally had to drag her by the leash; she quickly got used to the washing process, also thanks to Giulia, who is great at her job. The video where Giulia is washing Dolce in the bathtub went viral and has now about 10.000 viewings on TikTok.

This dog loves hiding; she always finds new places to hide and we sometimes have to search for her all around the house, especially at dinner time. A few months ago, when the veterinarian came for seasonal vaccinations, she vanished for almost an hour and we had to fight to convince her that she was safe, she was so terrified! Nonetheless, she is a good-natured, reliable dog that is also well-mannered and will balance the atmosphere when the other dogs get too hyperactive!