Heather Piedrahita & Jack

Who is in the photo at right?

My name is Heather Piedrahita and I work (and play!) in San Diego, CA. I work for an online high school and play as the Event Director for Pit Bull Rescue San Diego. Jack is three years old, a "purebred shelter mutt" as I like to call him. They sold him to us as a "German shepherd mix" but who knows what that means?! No matter what he is, we love him!

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

I've taken to exploring Coronado Island quite a bit more now that my husband is stationed down here and I've just come to love it. This time we stopped at Cafe 1134 so I could read the second book in the Hunger Games series. It actually turned out to be such a wonderful day that there were lots of people on the street and we spent most of our time visiting and chatting. Oh well, I read the whole book the next day instead!

What's brewing?

Today I enjoyed a nonfat Cafe au Lait. Delicious!

Any treats for you or Jack on this occasion?

Yes, of course! I brought along a Natural Balance roll for Jack to munch on but it turns out my yogurt was pretty appetizing for him as well. Besides the yogurt I also had a hardboiled egg and a banana. The best part? For all of my snacks plus my coffee, I didn't spend more than $7! Yeah, and in Coronado that's unheard of. Score!

How were you and Jack united?

I have wanted a dog since I was very young but my brother's allergies gave my parents an easy way out on that one. After going to college I moved in with my then boyfriend [now husband] and started looking for a dog. People, by this time I'd wanted a dog so badly I'd gotten a fish and named it dog. Twice. OK, so boyfriend and I went to the county shelter to do our part and rescue some needy little thing. On Christmas Eve we walked around once and weren't caught by any particular dog. It was rainy and we had to get to a family party but we decided to take one more lap. There, in the second row, was my little ball of fur! He hadn't been there on our first lap but once I saw him, I knew the teeny whiny little rascal had to be mine! I ran up to the front desk to put a "hold" on him but they had literally just brought him in as a stray so he wasn't even in the system yet. We waited, got our playtime, and fell in love. We officially adopted him a week later!

How did he get his name? Any nicknames?

That's a good story! I was taking Italian classes when we adopted a dog and I mentioned to Steven [the then-boyfriend] that I loved the name Giacomo if we were ever to have a boy child. It's pronounced "jauck-a-mo" so I figured we would call the boy Jack for short. His face didn't exactly light up at the idea and he so nicely suggested that we use the name on the dog. So Jack is technically Giacomo but yelling that mouthful at the dog park isn't exactly convenient so most of the time he's Jack. He's also Scout for the way he peeks over our balcony, and he's been known to be called Dingo, monkey boy, love muffin, Mom's best friend and sweetie baby. Yeah, if it's possible, he's over-loved.

Who is Jack's best pet-pal?

You mean besides me? Haha! Jack's best friend is nine-month old Lilah, another rescue mutt. [Jack and Lilah, photo left] She's a handful but he's been very good and helping her learn the ropes. Lilah's mom keeps a blog too.

Does Jack have a favorite place to go for walk?

His favorite place to walk is probably anywhere busy where he can meet many people and dogs. He's a little social butterfly!

Squirrel, postman, cat...?

Yeah, he's not such a fan of large, high energy dogs. Funny enough he is exactly that but he likes to be big man on campus, so to speak. However, with some gentle corrections he eventually settles in with whomever he is around. He's ultimately just a lovebug.

What is Jack's best quality?

I'd say he always knows how to have fun. He's always up for a game of catch, he loves kids, and he can have an hour of fun with just the cardboard roll from the paper towels. He reminds me every day that life doesn't always have to be so serious.

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

He probably wishes I could be home more!

What is Jack's proudest moment so far? His most embarrassing?

Jack's proudest moment was probably when he got to be the ring bearer in our wedding. He even had his own collar complete with purple flowers to match the bouquets. [All together now...awwww!] His most embarrassing moment was probably when he tracked dirt all throughout my parents' house, up onto their bed, and into their white carpet. *sigh*

If Jack could speak in a movie about your life, what actor should do his voice?

Whenever we make Jack's voice it's a little bit Yogi Bear and a smidge of Fred Flintstone. Neither of those are real actors but it would give us a jumping off point for a casting meeting right?

Oh one more thing! We highly recommend Cafe 1134! They had dog treats and water out for visiting pets and the crowd was very welcoming.

Visit Jack's Blog.

--Marshal Zeringue