Lauren O'Neil & Simon

Who is in the photo at right?

That's me, Lauren O'Neil, I do radio and TV, and my man Simon. Simon is my heart. He is half husky and half keeshond, a year and a seven months old, and full of energy! He has a beautiful silver and dark grey coat and a big fluffy curlicue tail. He absolutely loves to play (especially tug-of-war), go to the puppy parks and beaches, long walks and runs, swimming, play catch (sometimes when he wants to bring it back) and get lots of lovins from his mommy and daddy. He can be mischievous, and the refrigerator must be duct-taped shut when he is puppysitting himself, but he is a very loved boy.

How did Simon come to be united with you?

A friend of my mother's had a litter. I went to visit and Simon picked me out! My best friend Amy ended up in love with his sister Starr and they love to play and go to the beach together.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Simon snuggles with me every morning while I enjoy my cup of coffee and watch SportsCenter, but this morning we hopped in the car to hit the puppy beach!

What's brewing?

Home-brewed organic coffee with amaretto creamer and whipped cream on top.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

Grapefruit and a hard boiled egg with ketchup before we hit the road.

Any treat for the dog on this occasion?

Simon enjoys salt-water infused air in his face.

How did Simon get his name?

Simon actually picked his own name. I did a whole campaign to get suggestions from my listeners, and came up with nothing for a month! Finally, my boyfriend Jay and I sat across from each other and starting running down the list of potentials. Simon was the only one he liked so it stuck!

Is Simon's bark worse than his bite?

Simon is turning into quite the little watchdog. He has his moments when he will bark for no reason, but we are very proud of him becoming the ruler of his domain. He never bites, but he may sneak a nibble of dad’s beard.

Tennis ball, Frisbee, stick, ...?

All of the above. Also, but not limited to: footballs, baseballs, soccer balls, ropes, dad’s shoes, etc.

Would Simon rather chase a squirrel, a cat, a car, his tail, the mailman, ...?

Simon's nickname is "The Lizard King." And our porch seems to be some sort of lizard swinger's joint, so it can get pretty tumultuous out there!

Would Simon rather catch a squirrel, a cat, a car, his tail, the mailman, ...?

He would like to catch anything he can get his paws on; and mommy tries to save the object of his affection before he loves it too much. He learned the hard way that he plays a little too rough for the local frogs.

Listen to Lauren O'Neil from 9 AM to 2 PM at 104.1, The Rock of New Orleans, in Oklahoma City from 10 AM - 2 PM at 94.7 The Buzz, on the Kage Kult show on 98 Rock, 3-7 PM in Tampa, and weekends on Radio 104.5 in Philly.

Check out a couple dozen photos of Simon as a puppy.

Visit Lauren O'Neil's MySpace page and follow her on Twitter.

--Marshal Zeringue