Jan Price & Merci, Sam, and Buddy

Who is in the photo at right?

I'm Jan Price and I'm the one holding the leashes in the photo at right. Merci is a small red mixed breed, Sam is a liver and white English Pointer mix, and Buddy is pure hound. I'm a pet blogger who enjoys writing and taking photographs.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

This is our usual morning walk. I try to take them on two a day since walking is good for all of us.

What's brewing?

I don't like strong coffee so I always prefer to brew my own. It's just regular Maxwell House without any additives – no milk substitute or sugar.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

I only have two hands, one for the leashes and one for the coffee, so there are no goodies with the coffee.

Any treat for your dogs on this occasion?

No, no treats for the dogs on this walk. They don't get treats before breakfast.

How were you and your dogs united?

All the dogs were throwaways. Merci was adopted from the local animal shelter. Buddy was dumped in mid December – at only 3 or 4 weeks of age. And Sam was abandoned when he was 4 months old.

How did your dogs get their names? Do they have any nicknames?

I really wanted a dog that would get along with my cats and not hurt them. Merci has definitely lived up to her name. Buddy – well, he's my buddy. He can't stand for me to even take out the trash without him. He howls. And he's taught the others to join him. I'm not big on nicknames for animals, so Sam is the only dog with one. His name is actually Samaritan but Sam is easier to type.

Squirrel, cat, postman...?

If you are asking which they would like to chase, no squirrel is safe on our walks, but they would chase a cat too. Sam was very disappointed when I brought him home because he would jump at one of the cats and bark, trying to make it run so he could chase it. But they were used to Merci and Buddy and just ignored him. On our walks, they will argue over which one gets to chase the squirrel, even though they're each restrained by a leash.

Tennis ball, Frisbee, squeaky-toy...?

None of them like a Frisbee. Buddy likes a tennis ball. Sam prefers a soccer ball. And they all like a squeaky-toy.

Where is your dogs' favorite place for an outing?

They love our walks. They will refuse to go out the back door into a pen when it's raining, snowing, the wind is blowing, or it's sweltering. But they will run directly from the back door to the front door to get hooked up to go for a walk. They did this during a recent sleet/snow storm. The weather was too bad to go out the back door but not too bad to go out the front door so I could get pelted with ice while they peed. Had I been daft and tried to walk them in that storm, they would have enjoyed it.

Who are your dogs' best pet-pals?

They don't get to socialize much any more. But when Merci first came, she loved the cats and was a cat magnet on our walks. She rescued Percy when he was very young and Cameron, a neighbor's kitten, loved Merci so much he came in one day and wouldn't leave. He was the last kitten from a litter so the neighbors were glad he found himself a home.

What is each dog's most endearing quality?

Merci is a gentle dog. Buddy was the inspiration for Jan's Funny Farm blog. He was always into something and you could almost see the wheels spinning in his mind as he plotted. Sam has no fear of the camera. When it comes out, the other animals stop what they are doing or leave the room. But not Sam. When the camera appears, Sam is front and center, all excited he's going to get attention.

What is each dog's proudest moment? Most embarrassing?

Merci's proudest moment had to be coming home with Percy. She didn't give up telling me the “bird” was a cat. And finally he crawled out from under a bush. I notified the office we were walking by since he was inside locked gates and rushed home to grab a carrier. We got back just as maintenance appeared. Merci was so happy she appeared to be prancing on air all the way home.

When Buddy was small, he liked his toys and bedding spread out and messy. Merci would pick up all the toys – cat and dog – and put them in a neat pile in “her den.” Buddy would spread out their bedding, rumple it up, stomp it good, and spread everything around again. And then he would pose as proud as a peacock with the end result.

Sam's proudest moment has to be when he finally mastered “roll over.” He's a big dog and he had a real problem getting the momentum to roll over all the way. He was terribly frustrated. And then one day he did it. He was so excited he kept running around knocking things over with his wagging tail.

I can't think of any embarrassing moments for them, though I'm sure there have been some.

If your dogs could change one thing about you, what would it be?

I think they would most like for me to spend less time on the computer and more time on walking adventures with them.

Visit Jan's Funny Farm blog.

--Marshal Zeringue