Barbara & Trixie and Minnie

Who is in the photo at right?

That’s Minnie and Trixie. Since I’m single, we don’t have any pictures of us all together!

I’m Barbara, a bookkeeper by day, a writer by night and a caretaker for my mom and my brother with Alzheimer’s. Trixie is believed to be a greyhound/spaniel mix and is seven and Minnie is probably a Rottweiler/Boxer and she’s a little over a year old.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

I couldn’t start my day without coffee. If you cut me, I bleed coffee.

What's brewing?

Plain old Folger’s, although I make it in a 1966 Sunbeam percolator. I use a heavy sprinkling of non-dairy creamer.

Any treat for you and your dogs on this occasion?

All my treats are shared with the pups. They are quite spoiled. We all like sweets. They are fond of Kleenex, however…something I just can’t get into.

How were you and Trixie and Minnie united?

I got Trix from a rescue in Lakeport, CA – she was “mis-aged”. They told me she was about 10 weeks old, but she was only seven weeks. She has always been a neurotic Diva dog. I found Minnie on the lawn across the street from my house, abandoned and very sick with worms. No one came for her, so I kept her. Of course I treated her worms while waiting. She’s always been the affectionate “I wanna be by you” dog.

How did your dogs get their names? Any aliases?

Dad and I named Trixie after trying to come up with truck stop waitress names. My neighbor started calling Minnie “Mousy” when I found her – I didn’t like Mousy, but she responded to “M”, so I came up with Minnie.

Cat, rabbit, postman...?

We don’t have rabbits, but if you substituted “squirrel”, I’d answer “all of the above”.

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

Surprisingly, neither cares much for toys. Minnie is into cardboard boxes, dog food bags and digging.

Where is your dogs' favorite place for an outing?

Both hate the car, but Minnie is learning that the dog park is a cool ending to a car ride.

If Trixie and Minnie could change one thing about you, what would it be?

I’m not home all day and that I’m really lazy.

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

Proudest: Minnie caught a rat.

Trixie can get any toy by name. She just won’t play with them.

Embarrassing? Trixie always poops when there is someone in the backyard.

Minnie jerked me from the front door, across a flower bed and onto the lawn when I had contractors here. It wasn’t embarrassing for her, but for me…well, it wasn’t my finest moment.

Visit Barbara's "If I Didn't Have a Sense of Humor" blog.

--Marshal Zeringue