Presenting Mr. Valentino

My little guy has been a bit miffed that he has not had the opportunity to make your acquaintance, and he is right, an introduction is long overdue.  

"Hello, my name is Valentino.  Pleased to meet you."

Valentino came into my life just over four years ago, and I cannot imagine it without him.  

After a few trips to the Marin County Humane Society looking for a canine companion, there he was, looking at me with those big brown eyes through the glass. 

He is most happy resting in a patch of sunlight while having his tummy rubbed. 

For those days when the sun is hiding behind a cloud or the weather turns a bit chilly, he slips into one of his favorite sweaters and prances proudly down the avenue.

And while I am the first to admit that I have quite a few clothes, you should see Tino’s wardrobe.  

He has sweaters to keep him warm on cold evenings, polo shirts for a slight chill, raincoats to keep him dry, and costumes to keep him cute.

Valentino as Happy the Dwarf, Halloween 2008

One of my favorite creative pastimes is knitting with my little dude snuggled up next to me.  However, it can take quite a bit of time to complete an adult sized sweater and I sometimes get impatient with the process, yet it takes no time at all to make the pupster a sweater.  And since making his acquaintance, I have made my Tino quite a few doggie sweaters.

Some of those sweaters are currently entered in the Pet Challenge over at instructables.com.  (Voting ends tomorrow at midnight!)  If you are not already familiar with the site, you should stop on by.  There is truly something for everyone, from cuisine to crafting.  

And remember we can always learn from our canine friends - it is extremely important to take some time out to relax and enjoy the good life!

Say goodnight, Tino