Meet the super stylish dog who has become a viral sensation thanks to his epic outfits.
Lino, two, lives with owner Carla Gea Perales, 29, in Elche, southeast Spain.
Carla, a photographer and former fashion design student, started dressing her Italian Greyhound up in adorable outfits at a young age – mainly to stop him from getting cold.
But thanks to his swag and natural modelling skills, Lino now has 16,700 followers on Instagram (@linotheiggy), where he regularly showcases his sophisticated wardrobe.
But the fashion doesn’t come cheap, with Carla having spent hundreds of pounds on her pup’s clothes over the years.
“I like to be well-dressed and I also like Lino to be well-dressed,” Carla told Jam Press.
“But the truth is that I didn’t expect to find such beautiful, stylish and quality clothes and accessories for dogs.
“I started dressing Lino from a very young age, I think it’s the best way for a dog to get used to wearing clothes but I mainly did it because this breed of dog gets very cold.”
Lino’s transition into a full-on fashion model began slowly – with the Greyhound first wearing a set of pyjamas around the house and later donning fancier looks on daily walks.
Thanks to his viral success however, the pampered pooch now gets plenty of fashion sent to him – and has a bigger wardrobe than his owner.
And fans can’t seem to get enough, with the fashion icon receiving praise on a daily basis.
“Lino, are you for real?” wrote one person on a photo of the pup showing off a glamorous collar.
“You look super handsome!,” wrote a fellow dog owner on another photo of Lino dressed in a burnt orange top pulled up to his ears, paired with a leather collar.
“So vogue,” added a third fan under an image of the pet wearing a fluffy jacket and a pair of sunglasses.
“Love the turtleneck,” someone else wrote under a photo of Lino alongside his friend (@imbluethepoodle), posing like a pro outside a front door.
“Fashion killa,” added another fan under an image of the pup in his signature look – which is his owner’s favourite – of a black jumpsuit, trench coat and collar. [sic]
Carla said: “The most expensive piece of clothing Lino owns is a coat from Grig Paris [Italian dog fashion brand] and cost £124.
“His jumpsuits and coats cost anywhere from £34 to £51 and some of his most expensive collars cost from £58 to £73.
“But my favourite item of clothing he has is the outfit he wore for Christmas – a black jumpsuit, trench coat and a collar – and his Instagram followers seem to agree.
“I always try to look for colours that match his skin colour or are neutral and classic tones as I’m a fan of them.”
But while Lino may have become something of an icon, he actually prefers to go sans clothing on most occasions.
Carla said: “Lino doesn’t mind being perfectly dressed, it doesn’t bother him and he looks comfortable, but his favourite outfit is to be naked with a good bed and blanket so that he can spend hours and hours sleeping.
“The truth is that Lino shakes, hides and runs away every time he sees me with his clothes or collar in my hand.
“This is because he thinks that getting dressed means going out and something very particular of this breed is that they prefer to stay at home warm than to go out for a walk and to be cold.
“But then he is very comfortable with his clothes on – he is used to it and I always try to find comfortable clothes that allow him to move and run perfectly.”
Lino is a natural in front of the camera and has even perfected one of his favourite poses – sitting with his neck stretched out and looking straight into the lens.
In fact, he’s such a pro that he can even model on demand and has worked with a number of doggy brands on collaborations.
Carla said: “When we go for walks down the street, I say ‘Lino, photo’ and he will immediately stop and pose.
“People are always surprised when they see him do it and many stop in amazement and say, ‘he’s a real model, how do you do it?’
“So I think he enjoys it in a way and obviously it’s super natural, although there are of course days when he doesn’t want to look at the camera and I don’t like to force him, so on that day, no photos are taken.”
Aside from his burgeoning wardrobe and growing reputation, Lino hasn’t let the fame get to his head and is just like every other dog – albeit with a very special character.
Carla said: “After knowing lots of different Italian Greyhounds, I consider that I have been very lucky with him.
“He is very good, affectionate, calm and loves to travel by car, go to the dog park, mountains or to the beach but I think that what he loves most in this world is to sleep.
“Lino could sleep anywhere and in any way – but always near me.
“I think he has a lot of style but not only in the way that he dresses but in his character in general.
“He is a very expressive dog and I think that’s why people like him and he inspires others.”
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