Coach Signe Ventsel: "Of course Jasper gets away with more than my two children"

Coach and mentor Signe Ventsel talks about her eight-year-old Welsh springer spaniel Jasper, who brought joy back to the family after the unexpected death of their previous dog. Signe admits with a smile that she is more forgiving of her four-legged pet than of her own children.

Coach, mentor, and entrepreneur Signe Ventsel always arrives at the photo studio with her Welsh springer spaniel Jasper, and the dog immediately steals the show. The room fills with excitement, people run over to pet the dog and ask for permission to touch him.

Jasper is eight years old and playful like a puppy. While sitting in the makeup chair, he contentedly crunched a carrot on the floor, but his desire to be alone soon ended-he barked demandingly and tried to climb onto his owner's lap. "Jas, please wait a bit longer, you'll get there soon," Signe comforted him. The moment Signe stood up from the chair, the dog rushed straight into her embrace.

Love replaced grief

Jasper became a family member following a painful loss. The previous dog died suddenly of a heart attack one early morning when going outside. "I cried for two weeks straight, every day from morning to evening, and I was in inconsolable grief for months," Signe recalls. She adds that losing a pet can sometimes be even harder to bear than losing a person-the guilt is tremendous because the animal cannot tell you if it was in pain.

Taking on the project of a new dog was her older daughter's idea. One day she announced that they would visit a kennel in Jõgevamaal over the weekend. The decision was made in an instant when Signe saw Jasper's father-the puppy snuggled right up to her side and wanted to climb onto her lap. "I said, that's the dog we're taking," Signe recalls.

Sofa dog as therapy

Signe says she deliberately chose a dog like this, one she could cuddle and who would lift her spirits. "Jasper immediately replaced our sadness with his love." And when asked if Jasper gets away with more than her children, Signe smiles and gives an affirmative answer: "Of course he does."