Ashley Owen Hill & Riley and Darla

Who is in the photo at right?

My name is Ashley Owen Hill, and I am an animal rescuer. I have my own animal rescue group, Lucky Dog Rescue, in Meridian, Mississippi, and I share my rescue experiences on my blog, Lucky Dog Rescue Blog. I own my own business, a boarding kennel named Lucky Dog Retreat. I am also the Co-Founder and Director for Pet Pardons.

In the photo, both dogs are to my left. Darla is the dog sitting on the bench with me. Darla is an 8 month old, female, Boxer/Beagle mix. I rescued her from death row.

Riley is the dog to my left at my feet. He is a 1 year old, male, Pit Bull mix. He was rescued from a dog fighting operation.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

I have a daily coffee date with my pups. It’s our special time together.

What's brewing?

Soy latte.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

Just the coffee & the pups! That's all the goodies I need!

Any treat for your dogs on this occasion?

Yes! My dogs love Veggie Life Vitality treats! They just gobbled them down!

How were you and your dogs united?

I rescued Darla from death row as a baby puppy. She was scheduled for euthanasia the day I pulled her out. She was very sick, infested with worms, and terrified. Today, she is the sweetest, most loving, happiest girl you will ever meet!

Riley is my personal dog. He was rescued from a dog fighting operation as a puppy. He is my special angel who goes everywhere with me! He and one of my foster dogs, Darla, are best friends!

Please tell us about your rescue work.

My animal rescue group, Lucky Dog Rescue, is located in Meridian, Mississippi. Lucky Dog Rescue is focused on saving dogs from death row, abuse cases, and those who have been forgotten. I write about my rescue experiences on my blog, Lucky Dog Rescue Blog. I am also the Co-Founder and Director for Pet Pardons, the facebook application that allows users to get involved in saving the lives of real shelter pets. In addition, I am the Mississippi/Alabama State Liaison for Animal Rescue Corps, and the Mississippi Area Rep for Dogs Deserve Better.

How did your dogs get their names? Any aliases?

Darla was such a sweet, innocent little puppy, and she reminded me of the precious little Darla from Little Rascals.

In choosing Riley’s name, I wanted something that sounded cute and friendly, to match his personality, and the name “Riley” seemed to fit perfectly!

Cat, squirrel, postman...?

They love to chase squirrels!

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

My pups love all toys, but squeaky toys seem to be the most popular. They love to mangle them and pull the squeakers out!

Where is your dogs' favorite place for outings?

They love walks around the golf course, but they also love our trips to the lake! Riley could play in the lake for hours!

Who are your dogs' best pet-pals?

Riley and Darla are best friends, but they are also big buddies with all of my (many) other foster dogs! Two of their fav pals are Liberty (1 year old, female, black Lab mix) and Lucy (4 month old, Lab/Hound mix puppy). The 4 of them run and play together all day long!

What is each dog's best quality?

Darla’s best quality is her loving nature. She is the best cuddle buddy ever! She loves to snuggle right next to me on the couch and give me special kisses. That little girl can melt my heart like no other!

Riley’s best quality is his outgoing personality and love for other dogs. With so many foster dogs coming through my home, it’s so amazing to have a dog that does great with all of them! He is a big part of the rehabilitation process for many of my rescue dogs.

What is each dog's proudest moment? Most embarrassing?

Darla’s proudest moment would be the day she was rescued. I could see it in the smile on her face… someone finally thought she was special enough to live.

Darla’s most embarrassing (and probably most painful) moment was when she ripped the stitches out of her tummy following her spay, and I had to rush her to the vet for repair. Poor baby looked so humiliated!

Riley’s proudest moment was the first day he went to work with me at Lucky Dog Retreat! He loved playing with all the other dogs and was so proud to be at work with his mom.

Riley’s most embarrassing moment was when he chewed up my shoe his first day with me. He felt really badly about mutilating that poor shoe.

Learn more about Ashley Owen Hill's rescue experiences at her blog, Lucky Dog Rescue Blog.

Visit Pet Pardons, the facebook application that allows users to get involved in saving the lives of real shelter pets, Animal Rescue Corps, and Dogs Deserve Better.

--Marshal Zeringue

Robert McCarty & Dafi and Nemo

Who is in the photo at right?

My name is Robert McCarty and the dog is Dafi, a 10-year-old, male, Belgian Shepherd (Groenendael).

I’m the author of the Planet Of The Dogs series of early reader books for kids and dog lovers.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

For much of the year, I live in Helsinki, Finland with my wife, Stella, and we start the day, particularly during the rather long winter, with coffee. The Finns call the deep winter months, Kaamos. The days are short and darkness prevails. Coffee and a dog’s affection are mandatory.

What's brewing?

Paulig has long been Finland’s top importer of quality coffee. We drip their Presidentti dark roast and treat ourselves to an intense coffee taste, but not as heavy-handed as an expresso.

I have read that the Finns drink more coffee per person than any other country.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

Several variables here. Stella enjoys crackers and jam; I enjoy croissant a couple of times a week…and good toasted Finnish bread.

Any treat for your dogs on this occasion?

Breakfast…maybe Hau-Hau lihaisa kanna-Risi koiran taysravinto.

How were you and Nemo and Dafi united?

They are family dogs and I married into the family. I found Dafi to be a wonderful dog and through him I have learned about the wonders of shepherds. He had already been trained as a rescue dog by my stepdaughter, Meri. That’s a photo of Stella and Dafi on the left and at right is a photo of Meri and Nemo.

Nemo is one year old big puppy. Both dogs live sometimes with Meri and sometimes with us. She lives near a forest.

We have been introducing Nemo to a wider world of other dogs, cars, and parks in Helsinki. He enjoys chasing sticks in the snow wherever he is.

Please tell us about Nemo and Dafi's connection to your books.

Actually, the idea for the books came earlier in my life, when a conversation turned to “why can’t people be more like dogs…the world would be a better place.” The dog in our life at that time was a wonderful rescued toy poodle. She was the inspiration behind Miss Merrie, Queen of the dogs.

Dafi has very much influenced my thinking and the actual writing of the books. Loyalty, courage, and unwavering focus are powerful attributes of working dogs like Dafi. These qualities play a major role in all the books; a major theme throughout is the dogs finding non-violent solutions to war, kidnappings, and conflicts.

The drawing on the left is of the first three dogs who come down to earth from the Planet Of The Dogs. One of them is modeled after Dafi.

There are more illustrations and sample chapters on our website.

More about our dogs, books, kids and therapy reading dogs can be found on our blog.

How did your dogs get their names? Any aliases?

Meri gave them their names…they have a somewhat different connotation in Finnish. No aliases.

Cat, squirrel, postman...

They are trained to avoid confrontation. They will go after a squirrel in the forest.

Tennis ball, squeaky-toy, stick...

They both enjoy tennis balls and squeaky toys. Nemo loves to chase sticks. Dafi, however, after a couple of chases is bored…

Where is Nemo and Dafi's favorite place for outings?

The wooded parks in Helsinki and the forests near Meri’s house.

The photo on the right is of Dafi and me in our Helsinki apartment.

What is each dog's best quality?

Unconditional love, the basis for the human canine bond…

If Nemo and Dafi could change one thing about you, what would it be?

They are always ready for more treats, snacks and goodies.

What is each dog's proudest moment? Most embarrassing?

I will have to ask Dafi. Nemo is still learning and would probably have a different answer every week.

Also, there would be no Christmas if it weren't for the dogs. They actually saved Christmas, long, long ago when they freed Dasher and Dancer from the Ice Castle.... The story is told in Snow Valley Heroes, volume 3 of the Planet Of The Dogs series.

See more illustrations and sample chapters from the Planet Of The Dogs series of books at at the official website.

Among the praise for the books: "It was wonderful to witness my students applying character lessons from the books in their own peer interactions…my students love them…(these books) are great motivators to encourage young people to read."
--Julie Hauck, third grade teacher, Longfellow School, Sheboygan, WI; developer of the therapy reading dog program, Pages for Preston.

Learn more about Robert McCarty's dogs, books, and about kids and therapy reading dogs at his blog.

--Marshal Zeringue

Colleen Thompson & Zippy and Jewel

Who is in the photo at right?

The not-pictured part of the equation, I'm romantic suspense author Colleen Thompson, and these are my two cohorts. Zippy, at the top, a nine-year-old incorrigible apricot terrier/poodle mix, and Jewel, a six-year-old Boston terrier mix, are valiantly guarding the backyard deck from the ravages of squirrelkind.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Oh, we're definitely procrastinating on getting to work this morning. Which makes it exactly the same as most other mornings. There's not a lot of bursting out of the gates for this writer.

What's brewing?

Though I also enjoy coffee (especially a smooth Café du Monde chicory brew) and drink it on occasion, I've gotten hooked lately on Yorkshire Red, a stout-hearted English tea. With soy or almond milk and one Splenda, please.

Any goodies to go with the tea/coffee?

Usually, a bowl of Special K with Strawberries. We really know how to live it up here in Casa de Thompson.

Any treat for your dogs on this occasion?

Newman's Own Lamb and Barley New Zealand Ranch Style organic dog treats are their faves. But the girls aren't exactly picky. If I claimed it was a T-R-E-A-T (can't say that aloud within their hearing) they'd probably gobble pebbles. Especially if they thought I was eating them.

How were you united with your dogs?

Back when my son was in junior high, we owned a greyhound who, while she was wonderful in most respects, basically tolerated my dog-loving kid, who wanted nothing but a little dog to rough-house and play ball with and sleep on the foot of his bed. When I was a girl, my mom read me a book about a terrier named Scruffy and his love for boys. Anyway, the idea persisted, and I went to the local Humane Society and formed an instant bond with Zippy, who definitely livened up the household and made my kid one happy campy.

A few years later, after my beloved greyhound died, the always-lively Zippy (picture a Jack Russell in a poodle suit, and you'll have an idea about her energy level) started acting out, and we decided that a friend would be good to help burn off some terrier energy. Fortunately, we were right, and Jewel, another 3-time loser from the shelter (I have a history of adopting and rehabbing dogs with issues) turned out to be a great match, at least once we talked her out of destroying our house.

How did they get their names?

From the moment I brought her home, Zippy proved herself an expert at daring escapes, zipping out doors and gates with reckless abandon. (Fortunately, she's mostly given it up.) The name definitely suited her better than her previous shelter name of Misty.

Jewel, on the other hand, came with the name, and considering her separation anxiety and fear issues (which I'm happy to report she's overcome with a lot of love and patience) we didn't want to make any more changes than necessary.

Have your dogs had any influence on your work?

Endearingly-naughty dogs have shown up in a number of my books. Peavey from Fatal Error is mostly based on Zippy's behavior, and James Dean from Triple Exposure was influenced by Jewel--at least in appearance.

What's an ordinary day like for your dogs?

It's an onerous blend of lying about, scarfing treats, chasing critters out back, playing, and demanding attention. A real dog's life.

Tennis ball, Frisbee, stick...?

It's all about the squeaky toys, although they're also nuts about Nylabone Dental Dinosaurs. I have to buy them in bulk.

Cat, squirrel, postman...?

D. All of the above, with a special spot on the list for the detested UPS delivery people.

Where is your dogs' favorite place to go for walk?

To the duck pond. So much to sniff!

What's each dog's best quality?

Zippy is always up for play time, and she has this awesome move where she jumps up and whirls around in a complete 360 when she's excited about feeding time. Jewel is a major snuggler, though she loves playing, too, and can jump higher than any dog her size has a right to.

Who are their best pet-pals?

Each other, though being terrier types, there's the occasional noisy squabble between friends.

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

Proudest moment? Chasing off the UPS man, who despite myriad "attempts" to break into our house and steal all the biscuits, continues to be successfully warded off by their barking. Also warded off: armadillos, copperheads, and one skunk that had the misfortune to get into the yard.

Most embarrassing? See final item on the previous list (Zippy) and the near-destruction of a bathroom and hall carpeting while overcoming early separation anxiety (Jewel). Yikes! But both of them have paid us back for their shenanigans many times over in love—and of course the terrier entertainment factor that would make a more sedate dog almost boring!

Visit Colleen Thompson's website.

Writers Read: Colleen Thompson.

--Marshal Zeringue

Tasha B. & Pearl

Who is in the photo at right?

Pearl is a German medium-sized schnauzer who's 10 years old this spring. I'm Tasha, and I'm a Ph.D. student and book blogger.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

After dinner wine in my jammies!

What are you poring?

I'm pretty sure the wine is pinot noir, though I can't remember the vineyard. Sorry.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

Not for me.

Any treat for Pearl on this occasion?

Pearl gets one of her favorite treats, a Yam Good.

How are you and Pearl connected?

Pearl is actually my mom's dog, but she's kind enough to share her attention on occasion.

How did Pearl get her name? Does she have any nicknames?

My brother named Pearl. I don't know why, it just seemed to fit her personality. We also call her PQ and Pearly Ann.

Squirrel, cat, postman...?

Squirrel, definitely! We have a family of squirrels living in our backyard and they like to tease her into chasing them.

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

Squeaky toy, but only when she feels like it. She's not much into retrieving.

Where is Pearl's favorite place for an outing?

I think Pearly likes to go to Starbucks because I let her have some of my latte foam (don't tell my mom I said that).

Who is Pearl's best pet-pal?

It was probably her brother, Oliver, but he died a few years ago.

If Pearl could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?

That she would give Pearl more treats. And that she would spend less time on Facebook and more time petting her... and getting her treats.

What is Pearl's proudest moment? Most embarrassing?

When she was a puppy she dug up a vole and brought it in to the house to my mom, all proud of herself. Unfortunately both my mom and I are really scared of rodents, and immediately started screaming our heads off and jumping up on chairs. Poor Pearl! She never brought us another backyard animal as a present.

Visit Tasha's Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Books blog.

--Marshal Zeringue

Ariel Wulff and Taco, Maria, Lammy Lamb, Rocket Boy and Waldo

Who is in the photo at right?

My name is Ariel Wulff. I am the author of Born Without a Tail, a memoir about animal rescue. I am also a freelance writer for the Cleveland Pets Examiner, and I maintain my own blog about dogs, Up On The Woof, and I am an artist - the creator of Yelodoggie art. I'm currently sharing my life with five misfit dogs. These are my girls: Taco (Chihuahua: age 10) on the left, Maria (Chi/Rat Terrier: age 2) in the middle, and Lammy Lamb (Jack Russell Terrier: Age 13) on my lap.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Celebrating the end of the long Ohio winter in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

What's brewing?

Maxwell House original roast with white chocolate mocha creamer.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

Homemade oatmeal cookies.

Any treat for your dogs on this occasion?

Homemade oatmeal cookies. I bake them especially for the dogs.

How were you and your dogs united?

My home is the third home for each of the girls. They were all multiple owner surrenders. None of them were abused, just bounced from one home to another.

We also have two boys [photo left]. We met Rocket Boy on vacation. He was the victim of some mishandling by children at the age of four weeks, and he has shaken puppy syndrome. He also had the good fortune of looking just like a dog we had recently lost, so we took him home with us. Rocket Boy is a 3 year old Chi/Shih Tzu mix, a "Chihua-tzu", if you will.

Waldo is a 4 year old Boxer mix. We were looking for a big dog, and Waldo was part of a litter of 8 pups that were headed to the pound if they didn't get homes. He had huge paws.

Have your dogs had any influence on your writing?

They are the main influence on my writing. Both Born Without a Tail and the book I just finished, Circling the Waggins, are about my life with these crazy dogs. They also inspire most of my blog posts.

How did your dogs get their names? Any aliases?

Taco came to us as "Muffin", but that seemed like a silly name for a Chihuahua, so we opted for something more Mexican.

"Lammy Lamb" came to us as Desiree'. We still call her Desi, occasionally, but she is so curly that she got the lamb nickname. Sometimes I call her "Lambchop", but lately we've been referring to her as "Psycho Boba" because she has turned into a crazy senior.

Maria came to us with that name. She is part Rat Terrier, and quite the food scavenger, so we sometimes call her "Rat Girl" or "Ree".

Rocket Boy got his name from the two unscheduled flights he took at the hands of those kids at 4 weeks, and for the way he rockets around the house. He is also known as "Little Baby".

Waldo is just a big goofball. He has several nicknames: "Mr. Velvet Ears" and "Buster Brown", but "Handsome" is his favorite.

Cat, squirrel, postman...?

Waldo has a real problem with cats...he loves to torment them. He also gets pretty wound up over the opossums that get into our trash. Lammy Lamb is obsessed with the tiny toads in our rock bed. Everybody else is pretty laid back.

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

Rocket prefers toys that he can shred, like stuffed animals. He's also addicted to Chew eez. We can't even say the word "Chew eez" in our house or he goes crazy. We have to call them "You-know-whats".

Waldo is all about the yellow ball. He's even learned how to bounce it on the hard floor for himself and catch it. He's one of those dogs that is not satisfied with just chasing the ball and bringing it back; he wants to jump in the air and spin around and catch it on the fly.

Maria prefers tug games, and Lammy Lamb and Taco are the cheerleaders, barking from the sidelines.

Where are your dogs' favorite places for outings?

They love one of the nearby dog parks, Bow Wow Beach. But they are happy to go just about anywhere, even if it's just driving around on errands.

Who are your dogs' best pet-pals?

Each other.

What is each dog's best quality?

They are all so full of joy. And they love me despite all my shortcomings. Also, they make me laugh.

What is each dog's proudest moment? Most embarrassing?

For Maria, it is stealing the tennis ball away from Waldo. For everyone else, it was winning first place in a Halloween costume contest a few years ago. Waldo was a fisherman and Desi, Taco and Rocket Boy were his lobster catches of the day.

I think that embarrassment stems from a self-conscious fear of others judging you. My dogs are uncomplicated that way -- blissfully un-self-conscious. They are genuine.

Read more about Born Without a Tail at the Yelodoggie site, and follow Ariel Wulff at the Cleveland Pets Examiner and the Up On The Woof blog.

--Marshal Zeringue

Teresa Rhyne & Seamus

Who is in the photo at right?

This is me, Teresa Rhyne (lawyer, writer, beagle-lover), my boyfriend Chris (Forgotten Grapes wine expert, Culinary entrepreneur and converted beagle-lover), and our beagle, Seamus.

Seamus is about eight years old and he and I are both cancer survivors. The photo was our Christmas card this year.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Seamus and I have coffee together every morning. Or, well, more to the point, I have coffee and Seamus sits next to me not so patiently waiting for me to share my toast--toast being his favorite food. Today we are also anxiously awaiting word from "our" agent on whether the latest draft of my/our memoir proposal is in good shape.

What's brewing?

Starbucks French Roast. Always. Very strong with just a little bit of cream and always in one of my perfectly sized LA Times Festival of Books coffee mugs.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

The aforementioned toast, of course, and an orange.

How were you and Seamus united?

I love the term "united." It's quite accurate. Seven years ago I went through a divorce and moved with my two old beagles to a townhome. Within five months of moving, both dogs had passed away. I was, needless to say, devastated. I went on a trip to Ireland with my brother and a cousin and when I came home the Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center, where I'd been a board member and volunteer for over 15 years, called to let me know they had a beagle in need of a home. I thought that I probably shouldn't get a beagle again since I was single, working a lot and living in a townhome with not a big yard. But I went to see the dog. And we all know what happens next. Caution....meet wind. The beagle was adorable and unusually colored--really red. He also made me laugh a lot. I named him after a cousin in Ireland that was...yeah, you got it, red-haired and really funny (not so unusual in Ireland).

Any treat for Seamus on this occasion?

Seamus always get's the toast crust, and long ago he trained me to share whatever I'm eating (that is safe to share with a dog).

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

Oops, I got ahead of myself on that one. So you know how he got his name. Nicknames? A ton of 'em. Theme songs too. Let's see... Moose, Da Moose, Beaglicious, Beags, Sir William McBeaglesly, Scala-moose, Seamus the Famous, Luxury-Leisure, Shay-moose, Tubby-lumpkins, Senor Cuteness, Moosey-moose, Moose-el,and they just get more embarrassing from there. Favorite theme song is "Do you know the Muffin Dog?"

Squirrel, cat, postman...?

Squirrels, cats, rabbits, even the coyotes in our backyard canyon area are of no concern to Seamus. The mailman and Fed Ex are however his sworn enemies. UPS gets a pass because they once delivered five boxes of cookies which Seamus was able to tear open and eat and/or bury before we got home to discover the remains of brightly colored cardboard boxes as the only evidence of the cookie massacre. UPS then further endeared themselves to Seamus (if not me) by delivering five pounds of gourmet cheeses over our gate. The cheese of course met the same fate as the cookies. And yes, Seamus can tell the difference between Fed EX and UPS, so he howls at the first and wags his tail and jumps up and down when the latter arrives.

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

Squeaks!!!! Always the squeaks and there are never enough of them. Never. He tears their guts out and then be-heads them. It's not pretty to watch.

Where is Seamus's favorite place for an outing?

This would have to be either the dog beach in Huntington Beach, California or over to his buddy Will's house (see below).

Who is Seamus's best pet-pal?

Seamus has a huge dog-crush on our friends' dog Will [photo right]. Will is a great-dane something or other mix and your basic bo-hunk of a dog. Seamus adores him and loves nothing more than running, playing and harassing Will and Will's sister Nellie. Seamus and Nellie have a sort of love/hate relationship. They both love Will, so they try not to hate each other.

What is Seamus's most endearing quality?

He's a giant cuddle-monster. He loves to snuggle in next to us and be petted endlessly.

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

My job. He has separation anxiety and cannot tolerate being left alone--he sits at our front gate howling. Hence, our neighbors also cannot tolerate him being left alone. So, Seamus goes to work with me or is home with my boyfriend Chris who mostly works at home. Yep, Seamus would change my job.

What is Seamus's proudest moment? Most embarrassing?

Seamus's proudest moment would have to be beating cancer. He was diagnosed with cancer (a mast cell tumor--like skin cancer) at age 2 and I was told that even with surgery and chemotherapy his prognosis was one year. I went ahead with the surgery and the chemo and now, six years later, he's still here and in complete remission. In fact, he was my inspiration when I was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago. Seamus stayed right by my side as I recovered from surgery, chemo and radiation--a nine month process. (This photo at left was taken the day after my first chemotherapy infusion.) That's where the blog came from...The Dog Lived (and so Will I) became my mantra.

Most embarrassing? Ah, well, he's a beagle, he doesn't embarrass easily.But once he ran out onto our back patio ahead of us, didn't realize we'd then closed the sliding glass door behind us and he turned around and ran full speed, head first into the sliding glass door. He wasn't hurt but he was stunned. And he stood there for quite some time trying to figure out what had blocked his progress (apparently the glass was really clean). He was afraid to walk through that (open) door for days afterward.

Visit the The Dog Lived (and so Will I) blog.

--Marshal Zeringue

Debra Webb & Toto, Trixie, and Smoky

Who is in the photo at right?

My name is Debra Webb and I'm an author of romantic suspense novels. My 89th book, Missing, comes out in this month! Missing is part of my long-running Colby Agency series.

I have three wonderful dogs! Toto, a Cocker Spaniel-Scotty mix; Trixie, a Maltese; and Smoky, a Beagle!

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Every morning my husband, the dogs and I have coffee on the porch of our 111-year-old house!

What's brewing?

We love Dunkin Donuts coffee! We buy the whole beans and our coffeemaker grinds and makes the heavenly brew with the push of one button. My husband is usually up first and the wonderful smell of brewing coffee drifts through the French doors of our bedroom and wakes me (and the dogs!). All three of our pups follow me down for coffee (and their morning treats!).

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

Occasionally we have coffee cake or home made pound cake.

Any treat for your dogs on this occasion?

Trixie, Toto and Smoky sometimes get a bite of cake but they always get their morning cheese treat!

How were you and your dogs united?

We rescued a lost dog who turned out to be Toto's mother. The owners were so thankful that we had rescued their dog that they allowed us to pick one of the puppies! Trixie lived with one of my dear writer friends, Rita Herron, whose daughters had both gone off to college and with Rita traveling Trixie was feeling a little lonely. We were thrilled to bring Trixie home with us! My younger daughter bought Smokey as a little pup at the Dog Days Festival in Ardmore, Alabama!

Have your dogs had any influence on your writing?

Definitely! They keep me company! Each day when I go to my office to write, they follow. Also, their love and loyalty remind me every day how important those traits are in my characters!

How did your dogs get their names? Any aliases?

Toto reminded us a bit of the dog from The Wizard of Oz when he was a pup. We sometimes call him Snake because when he was younger he was so good at keeping snakes out of the yard or warning us when one was there.

Trixie already had her name when we got her but we usually refer to her as the Princess since she rules the roost!

Smoky was named by my daughter who believed his stealthiness was like that of smoke.

Cat, squirrel, postman...?

Smoky chases the squirrels! He has been known to climb the ancient Pecan tree in hot pursuit (this is absolutely true!). Toto has no interest in the squirrels. He prefers to bark at the cats who stroll the alley behind our house. Trixie is above such trivial pursuits.

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

When the dogs were younger they loved all sorts of doggie toys (and most anything else that happened to be in their paths). Nowadays it's more about a nice pillow to lay their heads on.

Where are your dogs' favorite places for outings?

They love to go for rides. We have several dog parks and they love them all! Mostly they love being wherever we are.

Who are your dogs' best pet-pals?

Well there's Samson, my younger daughter's new Lab pup. Then there's Kisses and Nona, my older daughter's wonderful doggies. And Gizmo, my niece's Shihtzu.

What is each dog's proudest moment? Most embarrassing?

Oh my gosh, so many! When he was younger Toto was an excellent guard dog! There are far too many proud moments to name. I can't think of a single embarrassing moment with Toto. Trixie is pretty much the same. She rules, allowing her subjects only so close. And if anyone is going to sit in Mom's lap, it's Trixie. Smoky is the young one, only three to Toto's fourteen and Trixie's eleven.

When we first moved into this 111-year-old house, it was a mess and we were trying to live here during the renovation. One night my husband was going through the downstairs turning off lights before bedtime and Smoky stopped dead in his tracks in the back hallway. He simply would not move on to the next room. My husband finally turned the light back on to see what the problem was and there was a huge spider on the wall! Once my husband got rid of the spider, Smoky moved on. The next day we found a place in that hallway where the big old nasty spiders were coming in! We might not have noticed it for weeks if Smoky hadn't!

During our first summer here Smoky would climb that big old Pecan tree after those elusive squirrels. The second summer he was older and a little heavier. No matter, he chased the squirrels and climbed that tree again. But this time he lost his nerve and was afraid to try and get down. So he howled until we rescued him!

Visit Debra Webb's website and blog.

--Marshal Zeringue