Our protagonist today did not have an easy childhood. Unfortunately, her early years were marked by animal abuse. It is not necessary to be a staunch defender and carry signs in favor of animals to recognize that what has been done, and still is done, with many of them, constitutes a real crime.
Despite everything, Nana (Andalusia, 2010), a beautiful podenca, overcame adversity and became a very affectionate and adventurous dog. She is now part of the family of Verónica Blume (Waldshut, Germany, 1977).
Can I tell you something about Veronica?
Good. She is a world-known model, she has appeared on countless magazine covers, she has published a book, she is a vegan by conviction, she practices yoga and her life is infused with spirituality. Right now, I present them to you...
Nana, Veronica...
How are you?
Well, very good. Nana is here, taking her nap, and we are very calm. It's an afternoon when it looks like, if you're lucky, it's going to rain.
How did Nana come into your life?
Initially, I had in mind that my dog was going to be called Mila and that she would also be a greyhound. Although when I was little, I dreamed of having a Golden when I grew up, a Mr. Golden who would be there watching over me and accompanying me in everything I did. As the years went by, I began to learn about the greyhound cause, and I became very excited. A friend had a wonderful greyhound, so I decided to start the adoption process through Galgos 112. Of course, it was not easy because, having two cats at home, they had to find a greyhound that they would accept.
At that moment, a photo of a very tiny podenca suddenly appeared, when I barely knew what podencos were. I fell in love with her immediately and I was like, "That's my bitch."
Nana came to your family from Galgos 112, at 6 months old, recovering her health little by little...
Yes. Luckily, she had just been in a foster home where they named her Nana. A name that was derived from "Dwarf" because, really, as people who have seen her on Instagram know, she is very tiny. The association does a very good job of giving you the dogs when they are ready. Of course, Nana was a little skinny, she had her fears, she was still very much a puppy, but she was quite well, to be honest.
The first time you saw her in person... What was going through your head?
She entered the house with the girl who had fostered her. I was actually waiting for her as if she had adopted a child or something. She knew that bitch was here to stay, and she also knew that it was a very special moment, you know? They are those moments that have a very, very special flavor. I remember sitting on the floor and saying "she's here," and they hadn't given me the OK yet because they had to see if the cats would accept her. But, well, everything turned out well.
What do you know about its history?
The only thing I know is that it comes from a town in Andalusia. Interestingly, when I started sharing some photos of Nana on Instagram, she texted me a girl and told me that she had picked her up. It was incredible; She even sent me photos in which it was clear that she was Nana. She told me that she was walking alone on the road and that she was covered in bugs. I guess her story is like that of so many hounds, right? Abandoned by some hunter. "Sometimes, I would love to know what she was like as a child and how she got here."
Verónica, it is horrible to see the number of Podencos and Greyhounds mistreated… Do you see a change in this regard possible at some point?
At this point, Verónica's expression is extremely descriptive. It hurts to even look at her. She perfectly reveals the extent to which she knows, first-hand, the horror to which Galgos and Podencos are subjected, in this case.
What I see as impossible is that there is not a change. It's incredible that that level of abuse still exists. Now that the hunting season has ended, I cannot understand how these practices are still carried out, and especially, how animal abuse is used as another tool for hunting. Both greyhounds and hounds are noble and loving creatures, and that they can be treated that way is simply horrifying. The greyhounds are the ones who bear the brunt, but also the hounds, since they go hand in hand. Also, it seems surreal to me that they are excluded from animal protection laws. I can not understand it.
Has Nana's past marked her present?
Without a doubt! In fact, when I adopted her, I myself was going through a very important moment of personal transition. She lived in an apartment in Barcelona and, quickly, it became very clear to us that we had to leave the city, so we moved to a town on the outskirts. Now, in front of my house, there are forests, fields and every day when we go for a walk we breathe fresh air. I never regret taking a walk; I always feel like it and it changes my mood. Nana, like a good hound, has a highly developed hunter's instinct and, since the area is full of rabbits, she puts it into practice, although she never hunts anything, eh? There are also difficult days because when she hears or sees hunters in the area, she panics and runs away scared. That fear has marked her.
Taking those fears into account, what was the most difficult thing for you?
For me, what was most difficult for me, and at the same time perhaps it was my greatest learning, was learning to love exactly what she is and not the projection of what I thought she was going to be. It wasn't a stuffed animal that was going to be by my side in a certain way. Not at all, she totally ignored me! We were going for a walk and I was all bucolic in the countryside, while she disappeared and ran away for an hour! Of course, I sat on the road crying, thinking that I had lost my dog, wondering why he didn't pay attention to me... This, until I understood that we had to learn to share while respecting each other. That was the greatest learning: mutual love and respect.
Sometimes, when we talk about adoption, we think that we are the ones who do it, but... Who adopts who, us the dog or is it the other way around?
Smile thinking about the answer...
I admit that initially I wanted to adopt a greyhound thinking about how bad things were for them, but, in reality, the one who adopted me, and the one who takes me for a walk every day, is Nana. Of course, we support each other, but what she has given me, and people who know me say this, is that she has made me change a lot in the last few years. I'm sure it's because of the constant, loving, tender, and fun presence I have with this dog. That look in her eyes is like a dialogue. Nana knows when I feel one way or another, she knows it perfectly. If she notices that I'm sad, boom! She stands next to me, and her look is everything. Look! Now she's looking up at me all the time.
She knows that we are interviewing her… (Laughs)
Let's see? Yes Yes!
Is everyone ready to adopt?
No, you have to have your feet very much on the ground because we fall into the “Oh, I want a puppy” thing... but it is a commitment. For me, Nana comes before many other things. It is a question of priorities. She never left her alone at home for more than five hours and I live an hour from Barcelona. I always calculate the time I have to do things outside of it based on it. But, practical issues aside, she is not a toy; It is a life that you are going to accompany and that it is going to accompany you. It requires practical care, but also great emotional respect.
What does Nana teach you?
Nana teaches me to play, to trust, she teaches me to be very present. Many times, I am scattered and, suddenly, she brings me back to the present moment. She has an enormous ability to bring me back to the present. At first, when we went out for a walk, she used to wear headphones, listening to music or a podcast. But she herself, in a subtle way, reminded me of that present. You have to get into that frequency to communicate with her, because you could keep walking around with your headphones on and talking on the phone while she walks, but if that's the case, everyone is in her own world.
The moment I connect to that frequency, I realize that every ten steps, she stops and looks at me, that she runs but stops and looks back again, that she is coming towards me. It's just about being there, walking with her.
Does it remind you of that part of you, as a child, surely forgotten?
Completely. When my son was born, I was 25 years old and I played with him a lot. I was the mother who went on the slide, I was the mother who played soccer... I was into all those things, but then, suddenly, he grew older and I realized that I had become more serious. Nana came into my life at a difficult time, after a breakup that cost me a lot, misplaced in many things, and she managed to return my smile. I laugh with her every day and she has taught me to play and jump again.
Nana is adventurous… Your next joint adventure?
We are planning to do, at some point this year, a section of the Camino de Santiago. I have been told that taking the dog can be complicated, but it is feasible and there are people who have achieved it. In addition, there are web pages that tell you how to do it, even with videos. I'm soaking up all this information because I want to have an adventure of this type shared with her. These are the adventures I most like to have with Nana.
To what extent do you depend on each other?
Good question. Who depends more?... Is there a dependency or has a situation of dependency been created? Completely! Surely, for my part, it is quite large. Yes Yes.
You have been following a spiritual life for years far from the most superficial aspects of everyday life... How does Nana accompany you?
For me, personal or spiritual practice has a lot to do with everything that is beyond the image and the words themselves. It relates to the way I relate to myself, to my own nature and to the nature that surrounds me. It is the way of being present from energy. No matter how much I tell Nana, “Oh, my baby is so pretty,” if I'm worried or stressed, she'll know. For me, every spiritual practice is also a way to connect with what is authentic. In that sense, Nana connects me with the truth and, in the end, everything we do when I place the mat and sit down to meditate is an encounter with the truth, an encounter with what distracts me and with what brings me back to me. same.
Are there a need for more people with the values of animals?
Completely. When she was little, my father used to tell me: “Don't trust people who don't like animals.” This is a phrase I grew up with. Of course it cannot be generalized, since there are people who have their reasons for not liking animals, but I believe that those of us who share our lives with animals share certain values. It is also true that there are people who have not had good experiences. For example, when I was four years old, a Cocker bit me on the face and chest. It was a significant attack, but two days later, I was playing with him again. It could have caused trauma to someone else, and that is perfectly understandable and respectable.
Regarding food... Does someone give you something they shouldn't?
I have always been very strict when it comes to food. I don't like dogs eating at the table. I don't like that thing about eating and having the dog next to you, giving it from time to time. I'm very meticulous about it, and fortunately, my son has learned that from me.
At home... Who is Nana's accomplice?
My son, without a doubt.
How do you position yourself at home to watch TV when you are all there? Who goes next to whom?
Normally, Nana curls up into a ball and stands next to me. The cats will be close, but not too close, unless Tao, the big one, stands on top of my son. But normally, I will be there, in the middle, with my son on one side and Nana on the other.
Seen from the outside, when you adopted her, it seems that you gave Nana a chance but…. What opportunity did she give you?
How beautiful! What opportunity did Nana give me? On the one hand, I feel like she gave me the opportunity to be a child again and learn to trust in life. Also, to overcome fears such as the fear of losing her or the fear that she might be run over... Above all, she gave me the opportunity to be a mother and be a girl at the same time.
Veronica… Tell me a secret of yours.
We have secrets that we keep silent. Of course. One of them is that we sleep together… Close together! She sleeps in a ball on my belly. Like this (making the gesture), we sleep on a spoon. (laughs)
After laughing for a while as we visualized the situation, we talked about our respective attics and what it means, for many people, to live outside the city. Do you know what is the most curious thing? We found out that Veronica and I were neighbors! We shared childhood years on the same block, but well... That's another story.
