Who is in the photo at right?I’m Tracy Weber, the author of Murder Strikes a Pose, the first of the Downward Dog Mystery Series. The pretty one next to me is Tasha. Tasha is a 100-pound, nine-year-old purebred female German shepherd. I’m a forty-something-year-old, seven-eighths German, female yoga teacher/mystery writer. Unlike Tasha, I refuse to divulge my weight.
What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?
Every year Tasha, my husband, and I go to Cannon Beach, Oregon. This is our annual Tracy and Tasha vacation shot. Tasha looks equally gorgeous year after year. I appear to age in dog years.
What's brewing?
My daily order at Starbucks: Double decaf iced Americano in a venti cup with a half-inch of soymilk and two Splenda added. Go light on the ice and fill the water all the way to the top. (Hey, I’m from Seattle. What did you expect?)
Any treats for you or your dog on this occasion?What’s life without treats? Tasha loves elk or ostrich tendons. If those aren’t available, a piece of ostrich jerky will do quite nicely. Oh—and an oatmeal cookie, please.
How were you and Tasha united?
I got Tasha from a breeder when she was eight weeks old, but I first met her when she was a wee baby girl at just over three weeks old. It was love at first sight. A second visit when she was five weeks old [photo left] confirmed it. If I’d had my way, I’d have taken her home right then.
How did Tasha get her name? Any aliases?
Tasha is named after Tasha Yar, the head of security in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Tasha takes that name (and its job) very seriously. To avoid similar problems in the future, I plan to name my next dog Love Bug.
Tasha also goes by Tish-Tash, Tishy, Tashi, Monkey, Goose, Chotsky, Pumpkin, and Goofball.
Have any actual dogs inspired fictional dogs in your published work?
Definitely. Bella—the German shepherd heroine in Murder Strikes a Pose—is a composite of three dogs: Tasha (who has Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency, the autoimmune disease Bella has), Duchess (the German shepherd my family owned when I was a child) and a Rottweiler mix owned by a homeless
woman I befriended many years ago. The Rottweiler, like Bella, didn’t like other dogs. My second book has a Jack Russell terror—oops, I mean terrier—modeled after a dog I met at a retreat center several years ago.Does Tasha do more to help or to hinder your writing?
Tasha helps me in everything I do, even when she hinders me. Some of my best scenes are Tasha stories.
Cat, postman, squirrel...?
It would have to be squirrel. Cats and postmen are much too scary for a 100-pound German shepherd. Squirrels, on the other hand, look tasty.
Ball, squeaky-toy, stick...?
Tasha’s answer is “Yes, please. But if I have to pick, what I really want is my teddy bear.”Does Tasha have a favorite place to go for outings?
The beach! In particular, a special beach we visit on Whidbey Island, a small island in Puget Sound. When she’s on that beach, the answer to the question above is most definitively “stick.”
Who is Tasha's best pet-pal?
Her friend Evrette, who is a German shepherd who happens to live near that very same beach on Whidbey Island.
What is Tasha's best quality?
You expect me to pick just one?
I guess it would be loyalty. Many vets and trainers have told me that Tasha would die for me. Now, I never want that to happen, but it’s pretty amazing to think that any creature would love me that much. She’s also intelligent, playful, sweet, gorgeous, cuddly, discerning, stoic, trusting, fun, kind-hearted, mellow, stubborn, willful, mischievous, courageous, shy, forgiving…If Tasha could change one thing about you, what would it be?
She would like me to spend less time on the computer typing about the dog and more time playing with the dog.
If Tasha could answer only one question in English, what would you ask her?
What is it you’d most like me to know?
If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which Tasha could speak, who should voice her?
Tina Fey. After all, our life together is like one big Saturday Night Live sketch.
Visit Tracy Weber's website, blog, and Facebook page.
--Marshal Zeringue
Posts
What a great post, Tracy. I'd love to meet Tasha!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kim! Tasha is certainly a character!
DeleteNice to hear about one of your best friends. Sad to hear about her problems tho. They are so stoic about their pain, I wish I could be as strong. I have 2 dogs now, but lost my heart dog when she was just a little over 2. Complications from epilepsy.
ReplyDeleteShe is a great looking dog! So many people won't deal with the stress and expensive of a dog with health problems.
It's good that you found each other!
Tasha and I were meant to be together. I would do anything the make her healthier, but she still has a wonderful life! So sorry to hear of the loss of your dog. Hardest thing ever.
DeleteWhat a great post. I wondered how much of Bella was Tasha--or vice versa. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd how wonderful that Tasha is so loyal. Shadow, my loyalty-impaired labradoode (or perhaps pure Standard poodle--we're not sure) might die at the THOUGHT of being willing to die for us. He's a go-with-the-action kind of guy. Fortunately, he makes up for it by being highly entertaining.
Love the photo of Tasha with her stuffed toy. Shadow loves to use his as pillows as well.
Loyalty impaired. What a great term! Tasha is very particular about her teddy bears. The have to be vintage, from a certain manufacturer and made in the 80's or early 90's. Such a funny girl. ;-)
DeleteTasha is beautiful as always. And I agree they give us unconditional love and in my case a reason for living and not giving up on life. Tango takes EPI so gracefully ..... All the things that make him feel bad and he still wags his tail at me and comforts me when I feel like crying . Always ready to play. Loving life.
ReplyDeleteThey are amazing creatures, aren't they. ;-)
DeleteTasha, was für ein hübsches Mädchen! I'd love to meet you, but I am afraid I'd be a little intimidated. After all, I weigh only a tad more than half of what you do. I must admit, you are my kind of girl though. Squirrels are definitely worth chasing on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteLove, Gage
Gage--I rarely look in an mirror, and I don't realize how big I am. Maybe together we can actually catch a squirrel!
DeleteTasha
Beautiful dog! We've got a 10 year old Shepherd who loves the beach more than almost anything...my mom (her person) would have to be #1:)
ReplyDeleteThanks. German shepherds are such amazing dogs. The hero-dog in my series is a German shepherd. I hope you check it out. If you're a dog lover, you just might love ti!
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