Reyanna Klein & Ruby and Amber

Who is in the photo at right?

Well, that's me, Reyanna Klein. I'm a simple gal who loves to scrapbook, organize (I work in Sales at The Container Store), write, cook, stand on my hands, and hang out with my super-fun hubby and our two cutie-puppies, Ruby-Monday and Amber-Lamb. Ruby (left) and Amber (right) are Shih-Tzus from the same litter. They'll be seven years old this coming May.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

It's been really rainy lately, so we thought we'd get out of the house! We love Starbucks.

What's brewing?

When I'm not ordering tea, I usually get a Pumpkin Latte... skim milk, no cinnamon or whip.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

Oh, Starbucks has this really yummy Orange-Almond Gluten-Free cake! SO delicious!

Any treat for your dogs on this occasion?

Well, they don't get any human food, but I bring along some ZuZu's treats, so they don't feel left out.

How were you & your dogs united?

We got them from a breeder in Missouri (Glory Ridge). We were only planning on getting Ruby, and we named her the day she was born. Then, two weeks later, one little pup was still available. Hubby thought it would be a good idea if we each got a puppy (so we each had one to cuddle), and then Ruby would have a playmate.

How did Ruby and Amber get their names?

I've always loved the name Ruby, and she ended up being red and white, so it was perfect! She was born on a Monday, so instead of Ruby-Tuesday (like the Rolling Stones song), I thought Ruby-Monday would be cute. I let my hubby name the other puppy, since she was deemed "his." We decided to choose another jewel name, so we'd have a theme, and since she was a golden color, he came up with Amber. When Amber came home to us, she was SO sweet and timid... just like a little lamb. So she was named Amber-Lamb... still is.

Cat, squirrel, postman...?

All three! We have a cat (Kissa), whom they love to chase around in the house. (They all sleep together too!) They'll chase the squirrels out in the backyard. And as for the postman... well, they pretty much just want to lick his face off.

Frisbee, squeaky-toy, stick...?

They are VERY picky about toys. Ruby ONLY likes rope toys (ANYthing with a rope!) and Nylabones. She'll play fetch for all of five minutes before she goes back to napping. LOL. And Amber is not really into playing. But on the rare occasion, she'll chase your hand or a sock that we tied to a wire clothes hanger. She will NOT fetch. EVER. If you throw the sock for her, she looks at it, and then looks back at you like, "Now look what you did! Go and get it, so I can keep playing!" LOL.

Where's Ruby and Amber's favorite place for an outing?

Ruby loves anywhere with people... especially if there are children there. She freaks out when she sees (or hears) a child. She loves licking their hands and faces. She loves car rides. I'll bring Ruby to The Container Store with me, and she loves it. Amber LOVES the backyard and walks in the park, but she's very timid, so she doesn't like it if there are lots of other dogs or people.

Who are your your dogs' best pet-pals?

Each other. They also love our cat, Kissa (who adopted us... she was abandoned by her family and used to follow us on our walks each day, and one day, she came home with us). Kissa loves them a bit more than they love her though. LOL. She wants to snuggle, and they just want to chase her... until they're tired... then they'll go cuddle up with her on the couch.

What's each dog's best quality?

Amber is such a cuddler... the epitome of a lap dog. She'll sit on your lap for HOURS. She'll give you kisses... or just sleep. And she's just perfectly content to be loved on. Ruby is just the sweetest. She LOVES to be held by adults and kids alike, and she'll just lie her head on your shoulder. She has a knack for knowing when something is wrong... she's always ready to kiss it all away.

What's each dog's proudest moment?

Ruby is my kitchen helper. If the oven timer goes off or the pasta is boiling over, she'll run in the other room to get me. She gets all excited and seems pretty proud to keep me on my toes when it comes to cooking!

A few years ago, we were babysitting for a kitten, and it was the kitten's first night away from its mom. It took right to Amber. Even though the kitten wasn't getting anything, she was perfectly fine to suckle on Amber [photo above left]. And Amber was perfectly happy to oblige. It was her one day of being a "mother."

Her most embarrassing?

A friend of mine left chewed gum on the floor, and Ruby found it. Poor thing... it was stuck to her mouth, so she really didn't know what to do. My mom taught me that peanut butter gets gum out of hair, so that's what I used. And she had peanut butter AND gum stuck all over her face [photo right]. I laughed SO hard!

And Amber?

Well, she had a tumor removed a couple years ago, and they bandaged up one whole leg. She wouldn't put any weight on it, so we didn't think she'd walk much. We were wrong. We took them to the beach, and Amber felt so good to be free and out of the house. She just picked up that front leg, stuck it straight out to the side and took off running... on only three legs! It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen!

Visit Reyanna Klein's blog, Sunshine and Wonder.

--Marshal Zeringue