Amy & Kool and Swift

Who is in the photo at right?

I'm Amy, and I work for a winery near Seattle, WA. I am owned by two dachshunds, both boys. Kool, the long-haired, is 8 years old. Swift, the chocolate smooth, turns 6 in November.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

After the FidoFest in Seattle's University Village, we stopped for a bit. UVillage is very dog-friendly, so it was a perfect time to hang out with my boys.

What's brewing?

I got my favorite drink at Starbucks: grande mocha with no whip.

Any treats for you or your dogs on this occasion?

The boys got lucky and got some treats that I picked up at the FidoFest. Normally, they don't get many treats at home, but this was a special occasion.

How were you and Swift and Kool united?

I adopted Swift and Kool together, when they were 1 and 4. A family was getting divorced and needed to give their dogs to a new home. I got lucky and found my soulmates!

How did your dogs get their names? Any aliases?

Both boys came with their names. They were named after hip-hop artists: Ken Swift and DJ Kool.

I often call them silly names, like Kooly and Swifty.

Do your dogs have a favorite place to go for walk?

We live right across a trailhead, so we're pretty lucky to have a built-in walking area. The boys love any off-leash park - they love to run free!

Squeaky-toy, tennis ball, Frisbee?

Swift is obsessed with his orange squeaky! It's his best friend, and he rarely goes anywhere without it. He often sleeps with it and sometimes tries to carry it outside on potty breaks. I have several backups in case he loses one or it gets old and breaks.

Squirrel, postman, cat...?

The boys hate cats! Dachshunds were bred to hunt badgers, so they have a hunting instinct. I tried to watch a friend's cat once, and the poor thing hid under the couch the entire time to get away from the boys.

What is each dog's best quality?

Swift is a great snuggler. He loves to sleep under the blankets with me.

Kool loves to give kisses! I can tell how much he missed me by how many times he kisses me when I come home.

If Swift and Kool could change one thing about you, what would it be?

I think they wish I would leave them out of their kennels while I'm gone.

What's each dog's proudest moment so far? The most embarrassing?

Kool's proudest moment was when he won a kissing contest on Valentine's Day.

His most embarrassing would probably be when he pulled his leash out of my hand and chased after a senior dog. Poor Koda was just minding his own business when Kool just came at him and starting barking his head off.

Swift's proudest moment is the fact that he knows the cutest trick - he stands on his hind legs like a prairie dog.

Swift's most embarrassing moment is when he jumped on a picnic table at a dog park and grabbed treats right out of a stranger's bag. He's so rude!

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--Marshal Zeringue