And Oskar Goes to... The Chedi Andermatt

This could well be Oskar’s brother. The back is filled with a list of exquisite meals prepared without seasoning or spice especially for dogs. We’re talking fried rice with chicken and vegetables, couscous with poached fish and eggs, and game bird with vegetables. You can also order raw treats (minced beef, lamb and chicken with vegetable flakes) and even dessert (banana ice cream and fruit salad). If you can talk and dial the number, that is. Oskar starts by bounding over to the bowl that has been left in our room for him. A few welcome snacks await him. They are demolished in one mouthful. Wagging his tail, he proceeds to explore our room, a Junior Deluxe Suite at The Chedi in Andermatt. A comfy dog bed has been set up in front of the fireplace. There is plenty of space to run around and several soft fluffy rugs. When I open the sliding door onto the hotel’s courtyard garden, Oskar can smell the fresh mountain air.

Our room on the ground floor is ideal for walkies, as the side exit takes us straight outside. From there, we can take a stroll along the Unteralpreuss, the mountain stream running through the village. On our way back to the hotel, Oskar pulls hard on his lead until it is taut. He must be keen to return to the relaxed luxury on offer at The Chedi. «We are more leisure than business here,» says Melanie Horn, who works for the Sales & Marketing department at the five-star hotel. Oskar seems to have grasped this laid-back approach and spends the interview lying on the floor like a good boy. Every so often, he will stare longingly at the caramel biscuit on my saucer. When a yappy little chihuahua comes into reception and starts making a scene, Oskar stays cool and his eyebrow just twitches. No young whippersnapper is going to ruin his mellow mood.

The hotel welcomes dogs with open arms, with everything set up to make life comfortable for four-legged guests. Here, lavish luxury is on the cards for people and animals alike. Faux leather dog beds in all shapes and sizes await in one of the back rooms, with something to suit Pugs, Great Danes and every breed in between. Past canine guests even include dogfluencers like Mumford, a doggy star of the screen known in Switzerland for his appearance in a Coop advert. Did you know that Mumford can do a handstand (a pawstand?), hide in a suitcase and balance a stick on his nose? Oskar can’t do any of those tricks. But that doesn’t stop the staff fussing over him. The doorman greets him with a smile and gives him a friendly pat on the back when we leave the hotel in the afternoon armed with a rucksack full of bottled water, treats and poo bags. The area surrounding the hotel is a dream for dogs and their owners. Meadows, streams, mountain lakes and sprawling pastures provide the ultimate backdrop for long walkies.

From the hotel, we make our way up to the Gotthard Pass. The view here is a little disappointing at the moment thanks to a huge construction site. Once you get past all the cranes and diggers working at Lago di Lucendro, though, things quieten down and you are left alone with your thoughts. A narrow, rocky path takes you to Lago d’Orsino and three other lakes at an altitude of 2,500 metres. Oskar listens to the whistling marmots and would love to be let loose to catch himself a juicy little snack. But nature conservation and a healthy diet stand in his way. Dogs have to be kept on their leads and make do with admiring the view and sniffing the bluebells and cyclamens. The highlight of our whistle-stop tour is a dip in the ice-cold Lago d’Orsirora.