The Agila Theme Weeks 2020 I A round of walks with… Alex Popp

Hello everyone, I'm Franziska Obert from Angela Pet Insurance and I would like to introduce you today to our new video format A walk with a presentation. In these videos, we take walks with well-known personalities and their dogs. and talk about living together with four-legged companions and of course also on the topic of health and prevention. And I am very excited today as the first guest in our series Having the opportunity to welcome Alex Pop. She is the captain of the German women's national football team. and player at VfL Wolfsburg, with which they have also just won the championship title and the DFB Cup. And today we're going for a walk together with her dog Fetsch. Here near Wolfsburg, and I'm really looking forward to it. Yes, maybe we should just start from the very beginning. So how did that happen, and exactly when did a dog actually enter your life? Is Fetsch the first one, or were there others before? Also, my own dog Fetsch is actually the first one. He is now two, so accordingly, about two years ago he virtually came to me. I have always grown up with dogs. We always had family dogs. Therefore, at some point the time came when we said, So now it's finally time, now we want one of our own as well. And how did exactly that race come about? The Australian Shepherd is also very athletic, after all. perhaps a bit more demanding than some other dog breeds. Were there specific reasons for that? Sure, they certainly look good visually. and then spent about two years dealing with the breed. Athletically, that suits me well, that fits quite nicely. And they can also simply be good family dogs. Of course, he must learn to be very calm. That was top priority number one. I think we've managed that quite well. even if he now just sees how stupid it is. And how did the name come about? Where does that come from, or was it just a spontaneous idea? I love Disney, and Patch is by Einholat and Einstein Martina. I was just thinking about that little dragon, but no, then it must be something else. No, that's the puppy that also has a completely black eye. His name is Patch, and he has that too, not just a single spot, but also in the eye, and accordingly, it worked out excellently with the name and fit perfectly. How on earth are you going to manage that with the dog under one roof? with the sport itself, with the profession itself, simply? Actually quite good, except when I'm away for a longer period, of course. Then it usually hurts me in my soul. It's been so long since I've seen you, but luckily I still have a partner by my side, who then takes care of him during that time. And otherwise, it's a perfect balance for me, then also go into nature and simply let your soul hang loose and above all, in his communication with me, both between the two of us I also enjoy observing them with other dogs; I like that very much. What would you say "patch" or "dogs" mean to you in everyday life? Is he a true family member, or above all a playmate, a sports companion? He is definitely a real family member, and that's exactly how we wanted him to be. And so we wanted to raise him that way too. I'm going to mention this sporting effect briefly, incidentally, that one can go for a run with him occasionally. We're just starting to practice running alongside him on the bicycle. Those are just side effects, I'll just say that outright, which then additionally make fun and where he also has his enjoyment. Otherwise, yes, a purebred family dog. So that means a sporty little lady, sporty dog, Do you also play sports together sometimes? Yes, yes, although in truth I'm the trickster. Also, my partner tends to go running with him because I hate running otherwise. Very practical. I just really enjoy running on the football field, but not just any paths or along here and there. That's why I'm generally the one responsible for a bit of trickery. That actually lends itself quite well to the breed, I believe. Totally, yes, he is very curious. In elite sports, of course, health prevention is certainly the top priority. Besides nutrition, probably also exercise itself, of course. What about Patch—what precautionary measures are they taking there? Feeling everything. We also have extremely serious problems with ticks, which we simply can't find on him quickly due to the long fur. We're currently relying solely on natural means. I still don't really like switching to chemistry. Right now, it's black bucket oil, and we're actually doing quite well with that at the moment. Otherwise, I personally find vaccinations absolutely very, very important. I mean, I also got vaccinated earlier against mumps, measles, and rubella. I believe that with dogs, this is also very, very important. Because, as you can see, they always take everything along when they're on the go. And furthermore, I have an allergy-friendly dog. For that reason, I simply need to handle all these topics a bit more sensitively. And when it comes to nutrition, of course, it's a bit more complicated as well, But it is what it is. Many, many thanks for this wonderful and exciting walk with Patch. And I already wish you all the best for next season, and also continued great joy with Patch. Thank you.