Dorris Heffron & Yukitu and Ike's Hope

Who is in the photo at right?

My name is Dorris Heffron. I'm a novelist, sitting with my Alaskan Malamutes, Yukitu and the pup, Ike's Hope.

Yukitu, female, is 5 years. Ike is 3 months in the photo with totem pole -- now he is 6 months.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Every morning I hike the trails on our 50 acre country property with my dogs then brew a mug of fresh coffee before sitting down to my desk.

What's brewing?

I make cafe au lait from freshly roasted beans bought from Ashanti Coffee Brewery in nearby Thornbury, Ontario. Ashanti imports the beans from their plantation in Kenya.

Any treats for you or your dogs on this occasion?

My dogs get Ashanti dog cookies.

How were you and your dogs united?

We got Yukitu as a pup from Wolfrunner Kennels and Ike from Shelaskan Kennels.

How did they get their names? Any aliases?

Yukitu is named after my first malamute, Yukon Sally [photo left]. Ike's Hope, aka Ikey, relates to a character, Ike, in my recent novel, City Wolves. At the heart of the novel is the ancient story of how a Malamute speaking Inuit couple, Ike and Piji, steal wolf pups and eventually produce working sled dogs of the breed now known as Alaskan Malamutes.

What role have your dogs played in your writing?

I was so intrigued by the wolf-like traits of my first malamute, Yukon Sally, that I researched the history of the breed, which led to researching wolves. Then I took Yukon Sally to the Yukon, where we got interested in the Klondike gold rush. Upon return we sold our Toronto house and bought the country property (which I named Little Creek Wolf Range) and got Jake [photo right, with Yukitu], a companion malamute for Yukon Sally.

The dogs kept taking me to the local woman veterinarian, ostensively to get porcupine quills removed so they could go back and teach the porcies a lesson...until I clued in and got the real message from Yukon Sally. She wanted my novel to be about how wolves became sled dogs, their glory days in the Klondike gold rush and have the main character a woman vet, the first woman vet. So I researched veterinary history and eventually wrote my fifth novel, City Wolves. It was a ten year project. Yukon Sally had become old and ill. After I got news that the novel would be published, a few days later, on the darkest day, December 21st, Yukon Sally was laid to rest in my arms.

Do your dogs have a favorite place to go for an outing...and do they get there very often during winter?

Thanks to an invisible fence system, our dogs run free on 30 acres of Little Creek Wolf Range. In winter they can pull a sled or lead me round on my snowshoes.

Squeaky-toy, ball, stick...?

Malamutes prefer live toys, like chasing rabbits or running raccoons up a tree.

What is each dog's best quality?

I love the sensitivity and independent thinking of malamutes. They are not obedient but highly co-operative if respectfully treated, like very intelligent teenagers.

Though a strong male, Ikey is also a cuddle monster. Though regal and dominant, Yukitu is also very playful.

If your dogs could change one thing about Ontarians, what would it be?

Nothing. Malamutes are super friendly and tolerant of most any human trait, except cruelty.

What is each dog's proudest moment?

I'm not sure. It would have to do with winning the race, cutting off at the pass, or, I'm loathe to say...actually catching a rabbit.

If your dogs could speak in the movie about your life, who should do their voices?

Paul Gross for Ike, please. And Margaret Atwood could do Yukitu.

Visit Dorris Heffron's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

Tamira Thayne & Baxter

Who is in the photo at right?

This is Baxter and I on a spring walk, notice the sweats tucked in the socks to prevent ticks from crawling up my legs, tres chic!

I'm Tamira Thayne, founder and CEO of Dogs Deserve Better, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing dogs into the home and family, and the organization which is transforming Vick's Bad Newz Kennels into the Good Newz Rehab Center for Chained and Penned Dogs. Baxter is one of my foster dogs who was rescued from the end of a chain in a cruelty case in Allegany County, Maryland. He's a cute little devil, probably five years old; we're guessing some kind of Malamute mix.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

This is my favorite place in the world to bring my dogs and foster dogs. There's a gorgeous creek running through it, and we can walk for a couple of miles and usually not see anyone. It's one of the few places I feel comfortable taking them off leash and letting them really run! These pics are from an early spring trip, when the mud is just starting to dry up.

What's brewing?

I brought along some Red Clover tea, it's supposed to be good for menopause, and I need all the help I can get in that direction.

Any goodies to go with the tea?

Nope, just two dogs and my daughter.

Any treat for Baxter on this occasion?

The running free is the treat out here! Dogs get to run free in today's society all too seldom.

Please tell us about your rescue work.

I work solely for chained and penned dogs, to bring them into the home and family. In the past nine years, I've fostered about 180 dogs and gotten them into loving homes. When I take them off chains or out of pens, they are not housetrained, vetted, or bathed, so we have a lot of clean up work and socializing to do to get them ready for new families.

How were you and Baxter united?

There were four dogs in his cruelty case, and I ended up fostering three of the four. The other two have found homes, and sweet little Baxter is still waiting for his forever home. He has a cough when he runs a lot, but he is not heartworm positive nor does not have any heart or lung problems. The vet has ascertained that pressure from the chain and collar collapsed or damaged his trachea, and there is nothing we can do about it. All the more reason to love him and let him go as much as he wants to go! He can still live a normal life and get a family who loves him.

How did Baxter get his name? Does he have any nicknames?

He came in with the name Baxton, but we kept forgetting and calling him Baxter, so it just kinda stuck. We are nickname-givers around here, so he has a lot of them. When he first came in with another malamute mix female, neither one of them barked when you came home. They'd both just sit on the other side of the fence and stare at you. It was kinda creepy! So my fiance started calling them the No-Barkies. Well, as soon as she left, he started barking his head off, so now he calls him Barky. My daughter calls him Badger, because she likes to give them nicknames like the nature animal they most look like. I like to call him Poppet, because he's so cute and poppity and reminds me of a little English boy.

Squirrel, cat, postman...?

Probably all of the above, he's quite curious about other animals, and gets a little snarky with the other dogs over food sometimes, even though they're twice his size.

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

He likes the squeak toys, likes to rip them apart or carry them around with him, but he shows no interest in chasing a tennis ball.

Where is Baxter's favorite place for an outing?

Well, the only place we've gone other than the vet is the woods where he gets to go leash-free, so I'm sure that's his favorite place! I'd pick the woods over the vet any day of the week!

Who is Baxter's best pet-pal?

Baxter is buddy buddy with Roxy, aka, Clicky (because she prances when she walks and her nails click on the floor), as they are the same size. They play the most when we are getting breakfast ready for them, they chase and tag each other while they are waiting. It's cute.

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

That I'd spend more time with him. When there's six foster dogs and a mom who works a lot of hours (even though from home) and still tries to spend time with her fiance and her daughter, there's just not enough mom to go around. He is a very shy dog, and very afraid of kids, so I think they hurt him while he was on the chain. But he loves his foster mommy, and likes to lick my face. He's a very sweet dog; I love to cuddle him, and he loves it too.

What is Baxter's proudest moment? Most embarrassing?

Baxter's proudest moment is when he succeeds in chasing another dog away from their food bowl. Between them and I, he's not often successful, but if he succeeds in getting their food, he's a happy and strutting boy. His most embarrassing moment is when the bigger dogs put him in his place. He likes to think he can hold his own with them, but then he realizes that's just not the case.

Visit the Dogs Deserve Better website.

Learn more about Tamira Ci Thayne's book, Scream Like Banshee.

--Marshal Zeringue

Cathy Graham & Loup Graham

Who is in the photo at right?

My name is Cathy Graham and I am a creative writer who writes for children and adults. I am a basically a big kid who enjoys daydreaming when I should be a serious grown up but at fifty years old, I've given up trying to change myself to please others.

My dog’s name is Loup Graham and he is a male Malamute husky of about three years old.

I play flute in a duo with my harpist friend, Sharon. Here we are playing “Song of the Wood” on Youtube.

I have been singing Alto 2 in a women’s choir for six years and enjoy it very much. Our motto for the choir is that “Singing is cheaper than therapy” which is so true.

I have worked as a desktop publisher over the years for the Canadian government and the private sector and still do that kind of work on occasion. I don’t miss the long commute into Ottawa to work full time and am enjoying having the time and energy to do volunteer work as well as pursue all my creative interests.

I especially enjoy spending time with my two wonderful teen sons, Rory and Eric, my hubby Brian, and our menagerie of seven animals; four dogs and three cats in rural Ottawa, Ontario.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Loup and I don’t need a special occasion to share coffee breaks together. Even me putting out laundry on the clothesline is a chance for us to share a moment. He isn’t too fond of coffee but will gladly accept any treat.

What's brewing?

Starbucks tall bold with a dash of hazelnut syrup for a touch of sweetness. Slurp. Now I’m craving one.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

A Starbucks pumpkin scone or a homemade banana chocolate chip muffin goes well with the coffee.

Any treat for Loup on this occasion?

Some chewy Milk Bone Steak and Cheesers and some scraps from last night's leftover lasagna.

How were you and Loup united?

Someone abandoned Loup just outside our village and my husband adopted him since he’s crazy about huskies and loves the Arctic. Loup is extremely energetic and strong so I can understand why someone might have found him too much to handle.

Does Loup have any influence on your writing?

Loup has his own Facebook account and even his own blog, so yes, he does have an influence. It’s fun to write about life from his perspective and gives me more freedom to be playful with the writing, saying things I might not have the courage to write as myself.

How did Loup get his name?

Loup got his name because “loup” means wolf in French and he definitely looks like a wolf and has wolf-like qualities. He even howls like a wolf.

Where is Loup's favorite place for an outing?

Loup loves walks in the forest and likes nothing better than jumping into a nice gooey mud puddle.

Squirrel, cat, postman...?

Any small furry creature is fair game for a husky with that small prey instinct of theirs. It can make walks an adventure when we encounter people walking their small dogs. Why is it that small dogs always want to confront larger ones? Don’t they realize they might end up as lunch?

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

Anything can become a toy as far as Loup is concerned. (Even things that you don’t want him to play with like clothes off the clothesline.) He just loves the boys’ old worn out socks for a tug-of-war game.

Who is Loup's best pet-pal?

He and our female St. Bernard Tyna have a thing going. Nothing serious though. Loup likes to play the field and has many female admirers, both human and dog, real life and online.

Our red male Siberian, Tanner is extremely jealous of Loup and likes to pick a fight every chance he gets. Loup doesn’t put up with any crap and can hold his own. He takes it all in stride and it doesn’t seem to undermine his self-confidence one bit.

What is Loup's best quality?

He has many. He is always in a good mood and lives in the moment. He makes the best eye contact and is a great listener.

What is Loup's proudest moment?

His proudest moment is going for walks with everyone admiring him as he struts by. He’s way more famous than I am.

And his most embarrassing?

His most embarrassing moment is getting tangled up in the bushes and needing someone to free him.

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

Loup would tell me to stop worrying so much, live in the moment, and to have more confidence in myself the way he does. Loup doesn’t spend precious time worrying about tomorrow or regretting past mistakes and that to me seems like a good way to live one’s life.

Learn more about Cathy Graham at her writing website and her personal website, and read her short story "As Time Goes By."

Visit Loup Graham's blog and Facebook page, where he is very active.

--Marshal Zeringue

Diane Rich & Dubs

Who is in the photo at right?

Diane Rich [in the black hat] and friends. I am a dog trainer and the official trainer for the University of Washington's new mascot, Dubs. My dog training career has been ongoing for over two decades. I offer 1:1 training that includes obedience training, problem prevention, and problem solutions including rehabilitation for all canines. I start 1:1 training when the pup is 7 weeks of age and work with dogs up to the senior plus years. I also offer group classes for dogs 10 weeks and older and offer boarding or boarding training exclusively for my client's dogs. I also coordinate animal therapy programs for local hospitals, nursing homes and special camps for children.

Dubs is a very handsome 10 month old Alaskan Malamute. I am not Dub's parent, just his teacher.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Dubs day-cared with us at Camp Fraser along with a month of boarding training to further prepare him for his responsibilities as the mascot for the Washington Huskies. I have coffee in my office very early every morning and Dub's morning routine after I would prepare his breakfast was to relax on the guest dog bed in my office while I responded to phone calls and emails. My boyz, Fraser and Chase joined him in my office, as they do all guests. Then, I would either review training with Dubs, work on new behaviors, go for our morning walk or take Dubs with us for the day on training appointments.

What's brewing?

I grind fresh beans every morning and my current flavor bean is Ethiopian Fancy from Peets in Redmond, WA. I drink it black with a splash of non-fat soy.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

I tend not to include any goodies with my morning coffee.

How did you and Dubs first get together?

The University of WA researched the trainers in the Seattle and via referrals contacted me.
My job description initially was to train Dubs, 1:1 which would fast track the results they wanted to prepare him for his many duties representing the University. I began his training and owner education when Dubs was 10 weeks old. My signature training is what I call Real World training which helps all dogs, no matter the age, gain confidence in all settings and be able to respond to the pet parent no matter the distractions. I trained Dubs initially at home or in a low key environment to learn basic commands, then introduced him to the stadium and other more stimulating situations. As Dubs would be meeting his fans, working with him on proper public manners or what I call meet and greets with strangers was included in his early training. Pet Parents are required to be a part of all the training so they can reinforce all the skills. I kept my eye on the ball as the initial goal is his debut Sept 5th for the LSU game along with a few other public appearances.

How did Dubs get his name?

I believe the school held a contest and people emailed in names for the new mascot, voted and the name Dubs, for UW ("Udub") was selected.

You are known for your Basic Training Philosophy: "Catch your dog doing something right!" What did you catch Dubs doing right?

I began training Dubs at 10 weeks of age at the owner's home. This beautiful puppy had brains and beauty and was a willing student, enjoyed his lessons with me and caught on very quickly. He did everything right during our sessions.

Are huskies especially easy or especially tough to train?

Although the school team is named Washington Huskies, the University has traditionally selected the Alaskan Malamute breed as their mascot. I do not find any breed dog particularly challenging to train if one understands how the dog is hardwired, is patient and reinforces the training properly. Malamutes can be willful and independent by nature and do not hand over compliance. A pet parent needs to earn their dog's trust and respect and maintain that respect throughout the dog's life, so that being said it is not the canine end of the leash that can present the challenge.

You've trained therapy pets. Is Dubs suited for that kind of task?

I think when he matures he could make a suitable therapy pet in some environments.

Please tell us a bit about Dubs' friends Fraser and Chase [photo, right] and their relationship.

They are great friends. Fraser was Dub's first canine buddy and mentor which expedited Dub's training. Dubs met Chase at Camp Fraser when he daycared with us a couple times and he and Chase were inseparable.

Dubs also stayed with us for one month for boarding training. The boyz went hiking together, enjoyed daily walks which included training of course, and Dubs was included with my boyz in helping train other client's dogs in both a 1:1 setting and my group classes. Dubs modeled after both Fraser and Chase which fast tracked Dub's training and matured him faster than normal weekly sessions.

Dubs is making his debut this season at the UW football games. How did you prepare him for a football stadium full of noise and people running around?

First, Dubs is a confident, solid dog. I started his training early and exposed him in small doses to every kind of stimulation you can imagine similar to what puppy raisers do for service dogs. I associate the stimulation with something positive and did not overwhelm the puppy with too much too soon. I started working with him at Husky stadium when he was 11 weeks old and built up his focus on me rather than all the activity on the field. I exposed him properly to adults and small children, crowds and noise in a positive way. His owners were taught how to reinforce the same behavior and how to manage his many fans and surprises. One must be patient with a puppy and be knowledgeable enough to read the dog's body language to make sure the dog is not overwhelmed. I did a practice run at UW's spring game where the band played, cheerleaders did their thing and the 10,000 fans enjoyed all the various activities.

What's Dubs' proudest moment so far? His most embarrassing?

Although most fans are enamored with his good looks where he just has to vogue for the camera, I am proud of him that he, so far, takes his job description in stride. I believe I need to keep those embarrassing moments under wraps.

Diane Rich & Chase and Fraser were featured on Coffee with a Canine earlier this month.

Visit Diane Rich's website to learn more about her work.

Check out Dubs' blog, "A Dawg's Life," and Dubs' Facebook page.

--Marshal Zeringue