One of my favourite things about building Pet Pro Booking is connecting with people who share my values and love for animals. And that's exactly how I met Vanessa.

What started as conversations about our pets and experiences with pet professionals turned into a genuine connection. Vanessa has been incredibly supportive of our project, sharing honest feedback, recommending us to professionals, and always looking for ways to help. It's people like her who make this journey so worthwhile.

But what I particularly love about her story is the life wisdom hidden in the simplest moments with our animals. They remind us to slow down, observe, live in the present, and appreciate the little things. Lessons we all know, yet so often forget.

I also connected with her experience of welcoming a second pet into the family, something that comes with plenty of questions and uncertainties.

And with her belief that choosing the right pet professional means asking questions, listening to your intuition, and finding someone who genuinely understands your animal.

So today, meet Vanessa, Miwa and Soba: two corgis with very different personalities, and a story about love, trust, unexpected connections, and everything our animals teach us along the way.

I hope you enjoy their story as much as I did!

Meet Vanessa & Miwa

1. Can you tell us how Miwa came into your life?

Dogs have always been part of my life, ever since I was little.

When my partner and I moved in together, we really missed having a dog. But since we were both working at least eight hours a day, leaving a dog home alone for that long was out of the question.

Then COVID happened, and the world of work changed with the introduction of remote working. That's when we realised it was finally time to welcome our little love into the family!

We don't have children, so we decided to have a furry baby!

We chose a corgi because we wanted a breed that was lively, energetic, intelligent, funny, small enough to manage easily, but also capable of joining us on trail adventures.

And that's how our little Miwa came into our lives!

2. How did you choose her name?

During a trip to Japan, we had a beautiful encounter with a woman who really touched our hearts.

We were staying at a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, and this lady was responsible for welcoming us and looking after us during our stay.

Unfortunately, she didn't speak English, and she felt she hadn't been able to welcome us as well as she would have liked.

On the day of our departure, she gave us a handwritten letter in English, apologising for the quality of her hospitality.

We were so moved by her kindness, thoughtfulness, and attention to detail.

Her name was Miwa.

My partner immediately said, "If we ever have our little one, we'll call her Miwa in memory of this lady."

Apparently, it's quite an old-fashioned name in Japan, a bit like naming your dog "Germaine" in French! ;)

3. How would you describe Miwa in three words?

As my mother would say, "This dog went to university!"

Intelligent
Foodie
Funny

4. What's the funniest thing Miwa does?

She sleeps in the most unbelievable positions!

And she talks! She makes these funny sounds that almost sound like she's speaking Mandarin. It's hilarious!

5. What's the craziest or most "extra" thing you do for her?

We cook her meals ourselves!

It takes quite a lot of time because we cook each ingredient separately to preserve its individual flavour.

Then we chop everything up and divide it into freezer bags.

The whole preparation takes several hours!

Life Together in Luxembourg

6. What's Miwa's favourite place or park in Luxembourg?

She absolutely loves swimming at the dog beach in Remerschen!

With her little life jacket on, she jumps straight off the small pontoon into the water.

She's so happy when she swims. You can really see her eyes light up!

7. Any dog-friendly cafés, restaurants, or places you love?

Without hesitation, the Grand Café / Red Beef in Luxembourg City, on Place d'Armes!

What I particularly love is that it's not a restaurant specifically designed for dogs, yet they genuinely include them in the experience.

They even have a little menu with chicken or beef for dogs!

To me, that's real progress for families with four-legged members in Luxembourg.

And congratulations to Café Villa for launching a dog café, with themed brunches like Dogoween (Halloween for dogs). That's fantastic!

8. Do you bring Miwa on vacation or weekend trips? How did you get her used to travelling?

Of course! We even organise trips to the Belgian coast just for her!

We also plan our future holidays around dog-friendly destinations so we can enjoy our time away together as a family.

Miwa got used to travelling quite quickly. In fact, her very first journey with us was a four-hour car ride when we brought her home!

9. How do you see the pet community in Luxembourg?

Miwa has completely transformed our neighbourhood life!

Before she arrived, we were practically anonymous. We barely knew anyone in our neighbourhood.

Since she joined our family, an entire community has opened up to us, made up of fellow dog parents!

Now we can't leave the house without running into someone we know.

It's honestly incredible. We never expected such a big change!

Miwa even received drawings from children for her birthday!

Beyond that, Luxembourg still works a lot through word of mouth.

That's how we found our dog trainer, who organises monthly group walks for her clients and their dogs. It's a wonderful opportunity to exchange experiences, share tips, and meet other pet owners.

That's actually how I discovered Pawshake!

10. What would you like to see more of in Luxembourg and its pet community?

I'd love to see more places welcoming dogs because, for many of us, they're part of the family.

For example, allowing dogs into grocery stores with a designated space in shopping carts, as is already the case in Italy.

I also hope that one day Luxair will make it easier for us to travel with our dogs in the cabin. There are already airlines developing travel experiences specifically for owners and their dogs!

A platform like Pet Pro Booking was also something we had been waiting for. It's exactly what was missing in Luxembourg! It all looks very promising and positive for these little lives that mean so much to us.

Another thing I'd really like Luxembourg to improve is the use of fireworks.

They're terrifying for pets, but also for wildlife, including birds.

We usually leave and find somewhere quiet in a village near the border so our animals don't have to suffer through the noise.

11. What message would you like to share with pet owners and pet professionals in Luxembourg?

We need to understand that no living being is superior to another.

We're all part of a bigger whole, and we cannot live independently of one another.

Animals have become such an important part of our lives because, with them, there's no lying, no judgment, no manipulation. Just love.

And that's something our societies are desperately missing today.

As the saying goes, there are no bad dogs, only bad owners.

Animals reconnect us with our deepest humanity and have so much to teach us.

There's even a recently published book whose title says it all: Nos animaux nous réparent – Ils donnent du sens à nos vies (Our Animals Heal Us – They Give Meaning to Our Lives).

Another essential point is respect.

When walking our dogs, unless we have absolutely reliable recall, we should keep them on a leash.

I often see owners letting their dogs run freely because "he's friendly."

But what if my dog is frightened? What if my dog is reactive?

To me, that's the foundation of respect between pet owners.

Always ask permission before approaching another dog or trying to pet them.

Your Pet Journey & Experience

12. How has your relationship with animals evolved over the years?

My mother taught me to respect animals and nature from a very young age.

But the older I get, the more meaningful it becomes.

I think that to truly develop that awareness, you have to take the time to observe and understand.

Unfortunately, nowadays, we take less and less time to do that. We no longer stop and observe.

Yet I believe that's one of the secrets to growing and evolving as a person.

Animals have so much to teach us.

13. How does Miwa improve your life?

Miwa is a rainbow in our lives.

She completely transformed our social life, pushing us out of our little bubble and encouraging us to meet people or welcome them into our world.

She gives rhythm to our days and fills them with joy.

Even when life gets difficult, she always manages to make us smile.

And she teaches us to take our time.

14. What's the biggest lesson Miwa has taught you?

To slow down, take my time, and live in the present moment.

And Then Came Soba...

15. What made you decide to welcome a second dog?

We actually made a mistake when Miwa was little: we never really taught her how to stay home alone.

One day, we finally decided to go out for a bike ride without her.

We turned on our cameras, and while we were out, I checked the footage.

There she was, sitting behind the door, howling like a little wolf.

It broke my heart.

Even when we were working from home, she sometimes looked so sad in her bed because she wanted to play, but we couldn't always give her the attention she wanted.

All of this made us decide that perhaps it was time to welcome a second corgi into our family.

16. Why did you choose another corgi?

Corgis have very particular personalities!

They also have a way of playing that doesn't necessarily suit every other dog. For example, they love playfully biting each other's faces.

We wanted to make sure Miwa would have a companion who understood her and shared her way of playing.

Choosing another corgi felt like a way to minimise the risks and give them the best chance of getting along.

17. Were you worried about introducing a second dog?

Of course!

You always worry that things might not work out, especially when your first dog has a strong personality.

And Miwa certainly does! She can be quite impulsive and isn't afraid to show her teeth when something bothers her.

Due to personal circumstances, we chose a different breeder who had puppies available quite quickly.

And something happened that really reassured me.

After we described Miwa's personality, the breeder immediately advised us against adopting a female puppy.

She explained that although corgis are adorable, fights between them can become very serious. She had experienced it herself and didn't want us to go through the same thing.

Instead, she recommended a male puppy.

What I particularly appreciated was her approach to matching puppies with families.

She doesn't let people choose a puppy based on appearance.

Instead, she asks about your home, lifestyle, and existing pets, then recommends the puppy whose personality would be the best fit.

It might sound a little radical, but I actually think it's a wonderful approach.

And she was right!

Our little Soba is absolutely perfect for Miwa.

He's very chill, calm, and adaptable, which balances Miwa's sometimes impulsive personality beautifully.

We also have to remember that raising a dog is a little like raising a child, only in fast-forward!

There's the puppy stage, which requires a lot of attention and education, followed by adolescence, when they start testing boundaries.

And when you have two dogs, that can become particularly challenging. Conflicts can sometimes escalate into serious fights.

So we're really happy that things have started on such a positive note with such a calm and easygoing little companion.

18. How did Miwa welcome Soba? Did you need to make any adjustments at home?

As the only child of our household until then, Miwa was naturally a little jealous at first!

But she welcomed him surprisingly quickly and was genuinely happy to have a companion to play with.

There are still occasional moments of jealousy, especially when they have to share a toy.

But she's completely accepted him and has even become protective of him.

They make a beautiful duo and keep each other company when we're away.

Miwa no longer howls behind the door. Instead, she sleeps peacefully.

Well, peacefully for a corgi means always keeping one ear alert!

As for adjustments at home, Soba needed three meals a day as a puppy.

So Miwa now gets an extra little meal too, just a small portion so she doesn't feel left out!

Apart from that, they found their places in the family very quickly.

Finding Trustworthy Pet Services

19. When choosing a pet professional, what matters most to you?

Someone who doesn't approach the relationship with an attitude of "I know everything, and you know nothing!"

I value open-mindedness, curiosity, and above all, the ability to listen.

I also want someone who shows genuine interest in my animal and makes an effort to build a connection with them.

20. How do you see Pet Pro Booking fitting into pet owners' daily lives in Luxembourg?

We really needed a platform that brings together all the different care and health services available for our animals, especially one with genuine, reliable reviews, just like we have for human healthcare.

It can be difficult to navigate all the options when you're looking for a good veterinary ophthalmologist, someone who can trim your dog's nails, a physiotherapist, or another specialist.

Having everything in one place makes the search much easier.

PET PROFILES

Meet Miwa

Name: Miwa
Birthday: August 20, 2024
Breed: Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Instagram/Facebook: Miwa Corgi
Favourite treat: A piece of fresh mango
Favourite toy: A sock!
Fun fact: [Add Vanessa's fun fact/photo]

[PHOTO — SOBA]

Meet Soba

Name: Soba
Birthday: [To confirm]
Breed: Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Instagram/Facebook: [To confirm]
Favourite treat: [To confirm]
Favourite toy: [To confirm]
Fun fact: [To confirm]