Make a paws in your daily routine and think of the best companion. If your choice is a catbassador, please check our September issue. That’s what Liudmila Vorobiova, a Ukrainian refugee living in Galicia, Spain, did. She had fun with the feline list, but she couldn’t hide her canine-oriented passion.

“Why don’t you set up a list with dogs?” she asked. We’re all about our readers, so here it is. We’re bringing wagging tails and obsessive attention to details together.

Don’t think dealing with such a dedicated coworker is easy. She may just feel like it’s time to stop working and demand a walk on the wild side at the most crucial moment of a key-client meeting.

They may turn the office into a hellish battlefield or a dogs’ heaven, depending on their mood. A simple doorbell has a electric-shock effect on them. Look for ways to have your MultiLingual print issue delivered in a safe way. Otherwise, no mail person will ever dare to get close to your door.

They can be a handful, but hey, they’re loyal and beloved. That’s how they take over our hearts and minds.

They turn into family members in their own right. They’ll help you localize forever.

Oh, how missed they are when they go.

They leave us with precious memories.

Seize the day with them!

Full name

Izzy Marsi.

Pronouns:

She/her.

Human:

Liz Dunn Marsi, senior enterprise growth at Translated.

Position in your life/company:

Izzy is a 1-year-old West Highland White Terrier (Westie) who lives with me and my two children. It’s clear that she is the CEO of the family — and quite a demanding one, at that! Her primary job responsibilities include requesting many hours of fetch, multiple walks per day, lots of snuggles, and the occasional car ride to smoosh her nose all over the passenger window.

Localization canine skills:

When it comes to food on the floor or tennis balls under furniture, Izzy is top notch at ensuring that each and every item is noticed and corrected (by barking until a human comes to assist). This attention to detail is one that QA managers across the localization industry would surely admire and revere. Her language skills, however, need a bit of work.

Is the office a dog’s place? Why/why not?

Because I work from home, Izzy is both a wonderful companion and colleague, while simultaneously being a rather demanding distraction at times! She provides stress relief on our daily walks, which is good to clear one’s head. But she also decides that she must go outside at the very moment I often begin important client meetings. She’s a complicated little coworker, but I love having her in my “office” with me.

Fun facts:

Izzy’s take on a fun fact: “My mom sometimes speaks to me in French. At least I think so. Mostly I just listen for my own name and hope she’s saying we can go for a walk!”

Full name (of each one of your girls):

Jag and Snow. Bet you can’t guess who is who!

Pronouns:

She and she.

Human:

Stefan Huyghe, VP of localization at Communicaid Language Solutions. They have me trained very well, indeed, demanding a potty break every couple of hours with a dog cookie reward on the way back in. If I run out of treats, it’s a full day of guilt tripping.

Position in your life/company:

They’re my protection detail. Nobody can even approach my window. The mere sighting of Mr. Squirrel takes my canine bodyguards to DEFCON 3. I pray each day the mailman does not have to get out of his truck to deliver a package. Pandemonium!

Localization canine skills:

They are keeping my emotions even keel. Neither likes it when I raise my voice. They keep their owner in kind spirits that way.

Is the office a dog’s place? Why/why not?

The office is a dog’s heaven. Everyone gets to lounge except the owner. Jag and Snow mix it up all day: from the dog beds by my feet, to the chair under the window and the bean bag in the corner of the room to the cold floor if things get too hot. It’s a true dog’s life. I am committed to localize forever just because of them.

Fun facts:

Jaggy started out as a lone sister, but I felt that she would do better with a companion by her side. My instincts were right. Even when I have to leave the office, these two are now a pack.

Full name:

Tommy Romera.

Pronouns:

He/him/his.

Human:

Enrique (Quique) Romera, freelance conference interpreter.

Position in your life/company:

Self-employed/freelance conference interpreter in the following languages: English, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese. Member of SINTRA, Sindicato Nacional dos Tradutores – Brazilian Translators Union.

Localization canine skills:

As an interpreter and linguist, I guess I have learned Tommy’s canine language, and Tommy, a very alert and intelligent Yorkshire Terrier, has learned many Portuguese words spontaneously. He seems to understand everything we say!

Is the office a dog’s place? Why/why not?

When translating texts, Tommy’s presence in my home office is great company. Sometimes he demands my attention by rubbing my leg with his paws, or by “speaking” to me, uttering different expressive sounds. However, when interpreting remotely, I keep him out of the office, as he may start barking when hearing the doorbell, for example, and you don’t want your audience to hear Tommy barking.

Fun facts:

He hates to be left alone at home. He usually finds out that we are going out even if we don’t tell him anything about it. Then he hides under the sofa disappointed and won’t come out to say goodbye. When I’m sitting on the sofa and he wants something, he will climb to the backrest and put his front legs on my shoulder while “talking” to me close to my ear. He is a lovely companion, and my wife and I regard him as our canine son.

Full name (dog):

Poppy Barlow.

Pronouns (dog):

She/prima donna/queen.

Human:

Paul Barlow (he who feeds, walks and cleans up after her), director of enterprise growth at Acolad Group.

Position of your dog in your life/company:

Chief fun officer.

Localization canine skills: I’m not sure she makes me a better professional, but she definitely helps me balance my workload by having to take breaks and bring her for walks on the beach. She helps me clear my head and gather my thoughts — I would otherwise probably not be taking those breaks.

Is the office a dog’s place? Why/why not?

Definitely not, because she is only 5 months old and has already chewed through a laptop cable, multiple pens/pencils, and my favorite coffee/sippy cup that I brought to the US from Ireland with me over 10 years ago.

Fun facts:

Poppy is a Havanese, the national dog of Cuba. They are active, smart, enjoy learning tricks and were widely used as circus dogs in the past. They have great personalities and crave human attention, and if you have ever been on a Zoom or Teams call with me, you probably understand my point about craving attention. She usually tries to interrupt or get my attention me when I am speaking!