Glen Tickle & Elvis Costello

Who is in the photo at right?

I’m Glen Tickle, the one with the beard. I’m a comedian and host of Pretending to be on TV with Glen Tickle. With me is my lovely wife Stephanie and our five year old English Pointer Elvis Costello.

What’s the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

We took Elvis to a new dog park that opened in Easton, PA which happened to be nearby The Quadrant Book Mart and Coffee House. He was really pumped for the dog park and Steph was really pumped for the book store. We went there because they had outdoor tables, but we didn’t stay long because it was freezing that day.

What’s brewing?

I had a cappuccino. Steph had something pumpkin flavored.

Any treats for you or Elvis on this occasion?

We brought along a doggie biscotti for Elvis from home. That dude loves biscotti. Steph and I each had a bagel.

How were you and Elvis united?

Elvis used to live with a woman my mother worked with who had to give him up. She didn’t want to take him to a shelter and tried very hard to find a good home for him. Steph and I had just bought a house and I really wanted a dog, so I went to meet Elvis and the first thing he did was shake my hand. He’s very polite. When I came back with Steph so she could meet him, the woman had just gotten home as we pulled up and hadn’t had a chance to let Elvis out yet, so as soon as she opened the door Elvis bolted passed all of us and ran around the yard non stop for a solid twenty minutes at full speed before finally calming down enough to meet Steph. It took some convincing after that to get my wife on board, but she came around.

How did Elvis get his name?

He was three when we adopted him, so he already had the name. Although he originally he was named after Elvis Prestley, but because he’s an English Pointer I thought Elvis Costello was more fitting. Now he’s a lot hipper.

Aliases?

I tend to give his name a French accent a lot of the time for no real reason, calling him “El-vee”.

Does Elvis make any contribution to your comedy?

Constantly. I’ve written more jokes about Elvis than anything else. Some people would say I have too many jokes about him. Those people are wrong. The first thing I shot for Pretending to be on TV was an interview with Elvis, and he’s made a few minor appearances on the show since. Last year during National Novel Writing Month Elvis featured prominently in what I was writing.

Also, often when I’m writing things like guest posts for blogs like this one, Elvis will decide he’d rather I be chasing him around the dining room table while he carries his favorite toy in his mouth. Be back soon.

Does Elvis have a favorite place to go for a walk?

He doesn’t seem to have much of a preference for where we go, just as long as we go for a walk. He does it for the love of the game. He really likes walks, but he goes completely bonkers when he gets to ride in the car. He looks out the window, but pants with such vigor that the glass fogs up, so he licks it clean. The back seat of my car is coated in fur and slobber. He’s really sort of disgusting.

Squirrel, postman, cat…?

Squirrel. No contest. He spends most of his time outside in our yard running between two trees and barking at the squirrels. He loves the postman because he carries treats, and he’s afraid of my in-laws’ cat.

Squeaky-toy, ball, stick…?

Elvis is a big proponent of the squeaky toy. His favorite right now is a monster I bought him for Halloween. It seems like his favorite time to really get into a good rhythm with his squeaking is when Steph and I are trying to watch TV. He's also a pretty big fan of his moose, with whom we caught him snuggling.

Who are your dog’s best pet-pals?

Elvis’ best friend is Dylan, the German Shepherd that lives behind us. Over the summer he regularly wanders over to our yard to visit.

What is Elvis’ best quality?

He’s exceedingly polite. His go-to move when he meets people is to give them a high five. When he’s around other dogs he shares his toys, his water, whatever.

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

I think he would like to see me unemployed so I’m home all the time. He does his best to break my heart every time I leave. And he reacts with the same raucous enthusiasm when I walk in the door whether I had been gone for two weeks or just walked out to get the mail.

What is Elvis’ proudest moment?

When he finally caught one of the squirrels in our yard.

Most embarrassing?

Probably when I told him that he’s not actually supposed to catch the squirrels.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which Elvis could speak, who should do his voice?

I suppose it should be the human Elvis Costello.

If Elvis could answer only one question in English, what would you ask him?

“You’re happy you live here, right?”

Visit Glen Tickle's website and Facebook page.

--Marshal Zeringue