Stoli is a small 3.5-year-old poodle, named after the vodka, "Because we wanted a cute Russian name, we have Russian in our blood," explained his owner Maria Johnson.

Johnson works with children as a choir director for the Northwest Boy Choir, as well as the Endolyne Children's Choir. Johnson said Stoli is very calm and likes to socialize with kids.

"He comes to the rehearsals he likes to sit on top of the piano as I'm directing, it's quite cute," said Johnson.

They now rehearse at St. John's Church where Johnson has an office. He likes to sit on her desk.

"He's called a desk mat or a paper weight and he sits as I type away at the desk and he's known by everyone," said Johnson.

He recently got his canine good citizen certificate.

"We took some classes and he likes obedience training so we did the test and he got his little medal for that," said his owner.

He's a smart dog, as are most poodles, and does some tricks, too.

"He can turn around in circles if you hold a piece of food up and does other tricks," said Johnson. When he's really excited about seeing someone he "Does a cute little howl."

How to nominate your pet for Pet of the Week:

Want to nominate your pet for Pet of the Week? Stop by the VCA West Seattle Veterinary Hospital at 5261 California Ave. S.W. and just ask for a form. A nomination is not a guarantee of appearance and your name and photo may appear in our newspaper and online.

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