About

I’m Erica.

This blog is dedicated to celebrating dogs and noting all the ways they enrich our lives and put smiles on our faces every day, because dogs truly do make everything better. They seem to love nothing more than being included in whatever is happening at that moment, stealing the show and making friends out of strangers along the way. I’m convinced there’s a universal language between people of all cultures and kinds when it comes to dogs, and that impact is an incredible gift. So when I can capture that, it’ll be up here.

I’ll try and avoid dwelling on the tragic topics of overpopulation, abuse, breed specific legislation and puppy mills but since my last seven dogs have been society’s outcasts it’s obviously very close to my heart. So I’m sure there will be posts that inform or touch on these things from time to time—because I’m amazed there are still good-hearted folks out there who don’t know about these things—but hopefully it will be good news on those fronts.

As for myself, I’m a designer and I own a company called Pantofola that combines my passion for dogs, design and Italian leather goods craftsmanship. The goal is to create beautiful products made only in Italy for dogs of all sizes—including the often ignored large dogs—that people will love. The bigger picture is two-fold: raise awareness and broaden public acceptance of adopting from shelters to save lives, and to donate a portion of profits to rescue organizations worldwide. My work takes me to Italy pretty often, so I can usually be found in Milan’s Corso Como or some piazza doing a lot of dog-watching. And an awful lot of smiling.

26 thoughts on “About”

  1. I love the sentiments that inform your blog. And the title is spot on!

    Looking forward to reading more! Especially interested in your Italy adventures. It is the only European country that I have ever traveled to… for now, anyway.

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    • Thanks MC! I very much enjoyed reading your blog today also, and what beautiful dogs! I think I found it by searching for Japanese Dogs, hoping to sell my products in Japan someday soon. We have something else in common, I also lived in the bay area for many years!

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  2. Your dogs look like the friendliest group ever! They’re so happy and alert, and it looks like you’re all having fun. All this and you get to spend time in Italy, too – wonderful :)

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  5. A fellow rottie lover. I used to have a wonderful Rottie named Trek. Cancer took him at age nine and I can’t tell you how much I loved that dog. My family called him the Gentle Giant. It’s been several years, but I still miss him so much.

    Loved the picture of your dogs. Just made me smile.

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  6. Browsing my stats, I clicked on your blog and instantly had a huge smile on my face. Dogs definitely do make everything better and my best friend, a wired haired dachshund called Stanley, was adopted after having lived in a garage for his first nine months and just after my beloved Kiri, aka Sausage passed away suddenly (she stars in ‘beware the ride on). I shall be following yours and your four-legged friends’ adventures.
    Jen & Stanley

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    • Thanks so much, Jen! If your first reaction was a huge smile, then you’re definitely my favorite kind of person! I’m going to follow you as well, and read the story of little Kiri as soon as I can! Hello to Stanley!

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  7. Thanks for finding my blog – I’m glad to find yours! You are never alone when you have dogs, and everyday is an adventure. Your dogs are beautiful, looking forward to reading more about them.

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    • Thanks so much, and so very true about dogs. Your blog has so many lovely things, and I really appreciate your sensibility and selection. I traded the city for the country a few years ago and so I don’t stumble across things as easily as before, so I’m happy to see what you’re finding!

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    • Hi Tony, nice to meet you also. I look forward to absorbing as much as I can from your posts! Yes, George is mostly Rotty, but the cows across the street seem to think he’s one of their calves. Nice dogs, though, they get a bad rap.

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  9. Hi Erica. Your dogs are gorgeous. The rottie reminds me of Maggie. The first time we met Maggie, my girlfriend was actually a little afraid of her. Why? She was impressive. But you know what? Out of all the dogs that have stayed with us, she was the best behaved dog. She only looked ferocius, but she was so sweet, playful, docile and obedient. I miss her dearly.

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    • Thanks Marcela! And boy I agree with you, George is the sweetest dog, a big baby really. But I can tell that a lot of people are intimidated by him. He thinks he’s small, he will sit on your lap! I’m sure you miss your Maggie, I lost two of mine this year that I haven’t featured on the blog yet. It’s just been too difficult for me.

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      • Yes, a lot of people are intimidated, but its hard not to be for they are truly beautiful, huge and impressive:) I am sorry for your loss. When my first dog died, I actually wrote him a letter which until today I cannot find. I don’t think they realize how huge they are because Maggie wanted to do the same, but I could not allow her to do that for she weighed 105lbs:) It is always difficult letting our dogs go, and I try my best to remember all their crazy antics and how much they made me laugh. I hope the pain of losing them lessens as time goes by.

  10. Your dogs are beautiful

    As I sit on the floor with my laptop writing this – unable to sit on the sofa because my 3 dogs are stretched out fast asleep on it – and reflect on how the many dogs I have shared my home with over the years have enriched my life, the title of your blog sums it all up !

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  11. Greetings and Merry Christmas from Australia Marney. I also have a deep love for dogs. I value their amazing loyalty, protective instinct and unconditional love for their owners. We could learn so much from them, simply by loving them as much as they in turn love us.

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  12. Hi there Erica, I too am a dog person, they are like my children to me, a big part of my life. I’m so pleased to have found your blog and will follow with eagerness, your posts about them. I’ll take a look at your company, I’m interested to see what products you have designed for them. My best wishes, James :-)

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    • Hello James: Thank you for the kind comments, and happy you’re a dog person also! Still working on getting products posted to the site, a holding page is there now, but hopefully soon. Best wishes to you as well, lovely blog you have!

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