Kari Ryerson & Baily, Mesa, and Big Carl

Who is in the photo at right?

Kari Ryerson, IT Consultant, Dog Rescuer

Baily, F, almost 4, Pit Bull/Boxer/?

Mesa, F, 4, Pit Bull/Am Bulldog

Big Carl, M, 3, Chihuahua

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

It's my weekly work from home day. I travel 4 days a week (sometimes more) for work but on 90% of Fridays I get to work from home so I take advantage and work from the sofa (and sneak in a nap or two).

What's brewing?

Any variety of Peet's Tea. The hubs used to work there so we stocked up with his discount. Current fave is Black Currant.

Any goodies to go with the tea?

Cookies, Cakes, Pies or whatever else I recently baked. I am an avid cook/baker.

Any treat for your dogs on this occasion?

Yummy Chummies, a staple since we adopted the girls in Alaska.

How were you and your dogs united?

All three of the monsters are adopted. Baily came into our lives at just over 7 weeks old from an adoption event for a local rescue in Anchorage, AK. Mesa came from Anchorage Animal Control three months later when we decided to get a friend for Baily before she got too spoiled. Big Carl has been with us for less than a year. We got him when we went to a rescue group BBQ fundraiser. It was love at first sight when the hubs set eyes on him.

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

Mesa came with her name from animal control. We thought it was unique and suited her so we kept it.

Baily was a name that I had stuck in my head for some reason and it wasn't until we went to pick up furniture the next day that I realized it was because we had been shopping at Bailey's Furniture (but our Baily has a better spelling.

Big Carl is named after a cheeseburger, seriously. The hubs and I were watching TV talking about getting a small dog someday when a Carl's Junior commercial came on talking about their new Big Carl burger. We laughed about how that would be an awesome name for a small dog. The next weekend we met Big Carl.

Nicknames, they have lots. Mesa is also known as: Moose, Moose Goose, Goose, Dip Dunk, Dozer, Moo Goo Gai Pan, Poop Foot. Baily is: Bug, Bug a boo, Boo, Snuggle-up-against, Baily Roo, Baily Sue. Big Carl is: BC, Carlos (his evil alter ego), Escape, Senor Chaos.

Squirrel, cat, postman...?

Squirrels drive the dogs insane!

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

Mesa and Big Carl love balls. Baily is a fan of ropes or any kind of tug toy.

Where is your dogs' favorite place for an outing?

The dog beach. Mesa gets to swim, Baily gets to meet little kids, Big Carl gets to bark at lots of stuff.

Who are your dogs' best pet-pals?

Each other. They used to be super social and go to daycare and have friends over when we lived in Alaska and Northern California but since we moved to LA they haven't made nearly as many friends since my hubs works from home and can watch them all day.

What is each dog's most endearing quality?

Baily loves to snuggle. She is such a lover she passed her therapy dog certification on her first try.

Mesa is driven. If she wants something she will go for it (in most cases, It being a ball).

Big Carl can always find a way to make me laugh. No matter what, he is such a character it brings a smile to my face.

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

They would love if I didn't travel as much. I work as a consultant so I fly out for 3-4 nights each week while they stay home with the hubs.

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

Baily - proudest: passing her therapy dog exam; embarrassing: walking into a glass door.

Mesa - proudest: conquering dock diving; embarrassing: falling into the pool while chasing after a squirrel.

Big Carl - proudest: stealing food from Mesa any change he gets; embarrassing: falling out of bed in the middle of the night.

Visit the Dog is God in Reverse- My Life With Dogs blog and Facebook page.

--Marshal Zeringue