I tend to make my dog my entire personality, not in a Disney adult type of way, but any chance that someone asks if I have a pet, I know that it is my time to shine. This is my dog:

Clifford Martinez. Yes, he has a last name. And, yes, we can all equally acknowledge he is very cute. Occasionally, he goes by Papas (potato in Spanish), Cliffino (Clifford but with a Spanish accent), Gordo (Fatty – if you know you know), or some random name my strictly Spanish-speaking parents come up with on the spot.

For a bit of background, during the dark and scary times of the pandemic, my brother and I were in a sticky mindset. We were both equally exhausted with online school and found ourselves needing something. Therefore, the only prime solution was getting a dog. After four days of looking at our local shelter, on a hot July night, there he was. Newly on the market, Clifford appeared. Back then he was merely 40 pounds at 4 months and still cute as a button.

Long story short, after seeing him for the first time, I knew I had a new best friend. Clifford is currently a big dog weighing in at 120 pounds. He has big paws, smelly ears, and a chipped tooth. Now that we know the basics of Cliff, here are fun facts!

Clifford’s name was given to him at the shelter; somehow it just perfectly matched.

Growing up in a Mexican family, his favorite treats are tortillas and mangos

He is a big napper and can sleep anywhere, anytime, in any position. Don’t get fooled, this dog is very athletic. He needs at least three walks and an hour of play per day!

He hates water, especially the rain, and bathtimes.

Freshly woken up, Clifford has Dobby’s ears.

Clifford is a dawg of literature; every time I read to him he looks at me with great interest and eventually always falls asleep.

He is a long-neck boy: 17 inches!

One time when we were playing outside, he played a little too rough and tackled me to the ground. I had bruises for days.

Well, this is the end of my first dog series episode. Stay tuned for episode two where we will cover the time Clifford almost took off with our table at a barbeque – Marley style! Goodbye and Cliff sends his appreciation for reading.