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

Tena Parker & Shayne and Rio

Who is in the photo at right?

I’m Tena Parker and the dog in the photo is Shayne, my 5.5 year old female Border Collie mix.

Rio, my 1.5yr old Australian Cattle Dog/Whippet, is the subject of the photo below left.

I have a Master’s in Education and was working with a non-profit when the economy crashed and I was laid off—this, to me, was a sign to take my career in a new direction so off I went. I am a dog trainer, a (mostly) dog blogger, an amateur photographer, and lastly (I think), I am the Tena behind Tugs by Tena Etsy store.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Anytime I get a chance to have a relaxing picnic lunch with my dogs I leap at the chance. Since it’s a reasonably nice day (no rain or storms) I figured it was a good day to take advantage of with a picnic.

What's brewing?

Shhh, it’s a secret (though not really), but I’m not a coffee drinker. I rarely even drink tea but, in honor of the blog, I opted to make some fresh brewed Lipton’s Iced Tea (see, I’m low maintenance) to take with me for lunch.

Any treat for you and your dogs on this occasion?

Yep, I have a nice peanut butter and banana sandwich and an apple for lunch.

How were you and your dogs united?

I’d been looking for a dog for a year since losing my previous dog to a very fast moving cancer when I found Shayne in my local shelter. She was 10 months old and an abuse neglect case who was significantly under weight, really under socialized, generally scared of the world, and a really anxious dog.

Rio was adopted from a rescue in NJ when he was 4 months old. He was probably from an unwanted litter, no trauma or sad past for him.

How did your dogs get their names? Any aliases?

My female dogs tend to have androgynous names and I heard of a female character on a T.V. show with the name Shane and I really liked it. When I got Shayne I had a list of five names and waited to see what suited her personality and Shayne won. Shayne is also known as Shayney, Shay, RED dawg, and Shayn-iac.

Rio… well he is named after the navy abbreviation R.I.O or radar intercept officer. This is the person in the backseat of older two-seater fighter planes. The RIO was crucial to the safety of the plane and the mission. They were not necessarily in charge of the flight of the plane but the input of the RIO was crucial and at times dictated the direction of the plane. That is sort of how I view my relationship with my dogs… I’m normally the one in charge of where we are going and what we are doing but the input of the dogs is crucial and will sometimes dictate the direction we take. Rio is also known as Ri or Ri-monster.

What inspired you to make and sell tug toys and leashes?

Shayne is a monster on toys. There are very few toys that survive more than a few days and it became ridiculously expensive. I like using tug-toys in my training but she destroyed commercially available fleece tug toys left and right so I wanted a much more durable product for her to play with. I made some for myself and in sharing photos and giving them as gifts I began to get orders for toys … and so Tugs by Tena was created.

Cat, squirrel, postman...?

Rio: Squirrel… no joke that word is considered a cuss word in our house because if it’s said, even in passing, Rio will run to every window in the house searching for squirrels (and in the process pull down curtains).

Shayne: hands down the UPS truck/person, she gets so riled up when they try to deliver anything.

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

They are toy obsessed in general… so tennis balls, squeaky toys, puzzle toys… all their favorites.

Where is your dogs' favorite place for an outing?

A friend of the family has a large property where I am allowed to bring the dogs to be off-leash and play. They love this place. They can race through fields, chase squirrels in the orchard, they can scent out deer or turkey, Rio loves to roll in coyote poop, they can scent out gopher holes (and then stick their heads in them) and run through the crop fields.

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

They would probably long for me to have their same unending energy… after a 3hr hike I’m tired and they are ready to keep going.

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

Shayne’s proudest moment… well, I’d say my most proud moment of Shayne was the day I realized that she is no longer the terrified, anxious, tentative dog I adopted 4 years ago…that she’s, for the most part, a normal confident dog who can go anywhere and interact with anyone safely.

Most embarrassing for me (with regards to Shayne) was probably when we were doing a frisbee demo show in CT and she did a back vault (jump off my back) and I lost my balance and basically fell over!

Rio’s proudest moment happened recently. We were at the farm a few weeks ago and Rio was about 50 yards in front of me as we crested this hill, when I finally got to the top I saw Rio about 200yards away chasing deer into the woods. I recalled him and he turned on a dime and came flying back.

Rio … he’s so confident and sure of himself, I’m not sure he has ever done anything to embarrass himself and he, knock on wood, hasn’t really embarrassed me … yet.

Visit the Success Just Clicks blog and the Tugs by Tena Etsy store.

--Marshal Zeringue

Donna Christensen & Erin and Buck

Who is in the photo at right?

I'm Donna Christensen, I am the creator of freedomtobark.blogspot.com and Paws and Claws Web Design. I started out in Hair Design, had a lucrative Custom Floral Design Business and for the past 14 years Web and Graphic Design.

In the photo on the right are Erin and Buck. Erin is a 5-year-old German Shepherd and is the inspiration for my blog Freedom To Bark. Buck is an 11-year-old Mixed Breed who came to live with us with his mom when he was one year old after his owner passed away and no remaining family members wanted to take in the two of them in.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

We start our day early, usually around 4 am, sometimes as early as 3 am. I only have one cup of coffee a day but can't start work without it. I'm a creature of habit so it's more routine then actually needing it to get started.

What's brewing?

Nothing special, they all work for me. I do love Iced Coffee though when I go out.

Any treats for you or the dogs on this occasion?

While we wait on the coffee Erin and Buck get a morning treat, usually crackers, cheese or a dog treat. Nothing for me until 7 am when I eat before the kids get up.

How were you and Erin united?

We have always been partial to German Shepherds. Before Erin we had Irish and she was an outstanding family dog and pack leader to our four dogs. When Irish passed on the whole house went into limbo, even our other dogs were at a loss without their leader. We even searched and found the info for the people that we got Irish from hoping against hope that they still lived there and might have a litter. All that call accomplished was more tears. We learned that they only had that one litter and kept one of Irish's sisters which also passed away a week before Irish did. We finally found another breeder and chose Erin out of the litter. She was the runt of the litter and something about her called out to us. I was still upset over loosing Irish and it took me awhile to not constantly compare the two. I had a hard time accepting how different they were but now realize it was necessary to move forward.

How did Erin get her name?

My husband chose it. He's Irish and always picks an Irish Name.

Squeaky-toy, tennis ball, tick?

They have to be durable. Erin's favorites are her Kong and Tug Toy. Buck doesn't care for toys.

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

Erin is finally accepting the postman; He calls her Cujo. She still can't tolerate the Fed Ex or UPS people. As soon as she hears the truck she's in the window ready to warn them off even if they are down the block.

We have a possum and raccoon that visit our yard regularly. The possum lives under our deck in the summer and drives them wild. We had a real close call with the raccoon. They cornered him one night and it jumped onto Buck's back and wouldn't get off. It took three of us to control the dogs and finally get the raccoon to back off. Thankfully Buck wasn't bitten and if this is the same raccoon, he still comes around every night.

What's an ordinary day like for Erin?

Erin is non-stop energy. Her day consists of playing with her toys, harassing Buck, chasing the birds and squirrels in the yard. She doesn't settle down until night time.

What is Erin's best quality?

Her intelligence and desire to please us.

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

Definitely more play time.

What's Erin's proudest moment so far? Her most embarrassing?

Erin is top dog here and she knows it; she can do no wrong in my husband's eyes.

Her most embarrassing I'd say is catching a bird in our yard a few years ago. She came to the door so happy and expecting praise with the bird in her mouth and instead was reprimanded. She looked so forlorn.

Also she's afraid of our Hamster. She plays all tough until the hamster comes near her and she takes off for safety.

Visit the Freedom to Bark blog and Facebook page.

--Marshal Zeringue

Kristin & Pip

Who is in the photo at right?

I'm Kristin. I live in Chicago with my husband, daughter, rabbit, three cats, and of course, Pip. I currently work as a writer and professional fundraiser for a Chicago-based nonprofit. My background is in creative writing and the arts - I would definitely prefer to be doing something more creative, but unfortunately the bills need to be paid.

Pip is a 13-year-old (mostly) Yorkshire terrier. I say mostly because he is bigger than most Yorkies and we suspect he may have a little something else in him as well.

What’s the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Who needs an occasion? I tend to take on too much and am always short on sleep. Caffeine is a must-have! Drinking coffee and spending time with Pip are two of my favorite activities.

What’s brewing?

Nonfat cocoa cappuccino – I like my coffee with chocolate and of course, skim milk to make it feel less indulgent.

Any treats for you or Pip on this occasion?

Pip likes anything and everything. I usually carry goldfish crackers in my purse – they work wonders with Pip and my daughter!

How did he get his name?

Pip is named after the main character in the novel, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I love the book and the name just fits him.

How were you and Pip united?

Pip was abandoned at a pet store in 2001. He was left with another dog in a cramped and dirty carrier – they were both terrified! Witnesses say his former owner walked away laughing. Both dogs were admitted to Red Door Animal Shelter, a small no-kill shelter on the far north side of Chicago. The other dog, a Schnauzer named Teddy, was adopted almost immediately. Pip originally came to our house as a foster dog, but he was so frightened and sad, we just couldn’t send him back out into the world on his own. It took him years to transform into the confident, happy-go-lucky dog he is today.

I know from your blog that Pip lives with cats and a rabbit. How do they get along?

Pip loves cats – sometimes I think he thinks he is a cat! Our three cats occasionally boss him around, but otherwise, they all get along very well!

Our rabbit, Lulu, is the newest family member. Let’s just say, she doesn’t care for Pip much! Lulu lives in our downstairs family room and Pip lives on the main floor. He doesn’t seem interested in Lulu, but I think he definitely misses the family room! Hopefully, they will be friends some day!

Squeaky-toy, tennis ball, stick?

Pip is starting to slow down, but he still loves a good squeaky-toy – especially one he can flaunt in front of the cats!

Deer, postman, squirrel?

We have family in northern Wisconsin and there’s nothing Pip loves more than to go up there and bark at deer (from the safety of the front porch, of course)! He has never been very interested in squirrels, but the other day I caught him, for the first time in ten years, staring one down in the backyard!

What is Pip’s best quality?

Pip is one of the sweetest and most gentle creatures you will ever meet. He is wonderful with kids and if he were a little younger, we would definitely explore animal-assisted therapy.

Our daughter is a little shy, but with Pip at her side she has made many new friends. No matter where we are, children gravitate to him – which also helps her because she is the girl with “the dog”.

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

Pip gets very sad and shaky when I leave for work in the morning. I was home with my daughter (and Pip) for her first few years. When I returned to work, it was a huge adjustment for all of us, including Pip. I suspect we would probably all be happier if I worked from home!

What's your dog's most embarrassing moment?

Pip has some arthritis in his back legs and as a result has trouble with stairs. We watch him pretty carefully, but he has had a few bad falls. Thankfully, he has never been injured though he always looks quite embarrassed after a stumble.

His proudest moment?

His blog!! His blog!! His blog!! We are stunned and incredibly grateful for the warm welcome we have received from the pet blogging community! We are truly humbled by all the wonderful comments and support as well as new friends from around the world. Our goal for the blog is to celebrate the human-animal connection, help animals in need, and most importantly, make people laugh. We hope we succeed! Thank you!

Visit the official Pip Gets Back in the Game blog.

--Marshal Zeringue

Michelle Day & Tom, Sadie and Buddy

Who is in the photo at right?

My name is Michelle Day. I am a mother, dog lover and wife. For monetary reward, I work for a small business in my home town of Newburgh, Indiana. I pretty much do whatever is thrown my way. For rewards that you can't put a price tag on, I am a foster parent for our local greyhound adoption group, GPA Tri-State.

In this picture is myself, I am the 2-legged one. From left to right: Tom, Sadie and my foster dog Buddy.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

I usually have a cup of coffee every morning. But if the weather is too warm, Diet Coke is on the agenda!

What's brewing?

Any flavored coffee. I love to add a couple spoonfuls of Peppermint Mocha liquid creamer and bunches of Splenda.

Any treat for you and your dogs on this occasion?

The hounds are usually so exhausted from trying to get me out of bed, they aren't too interested in treats. I might have a 100 calorie treat of some kind. I have been on Weight Watchers the past 18 months and lost 70 pounds, so I try to be good!

How were you and your dogs united?

I got interested in greyhounds almost 8 years ago. I had recently lost my Dobie and my daughter went to a local meet & greet. My first greyhound, Tom, [photo left] we picked him from a picture off of the internet. Which, looking back, could have totally back fired on us. But he has turned out to be such a sweet, goofy boy. We had Tom only a couple of weeks and we knew we wanted another one. So I turned to the president of our group and she found the perfect match for Tom. A happy go lucky girl, loved to give kisses and had a helicopter tail. Sadly,we lost our Dixie to Osteocarcoma last November.

My little black girl, Sadie, was a failed attempt at fostering. She had some health issues and had been in our home for 10 months and we said she was meant to be ours! I call her my million dollar baby, if anything weird is going to happen, it will happen to her!

How did your dogs get their names?

My dogs, came with their names. Their names were given to them by their breeders. Most of them stuck, but they all have silly nicknames. I think all dogs get little names that evolve as they become more acquainted with you.

Any aliases?

Lots of funny names. Tom is also know as TomTom, Tommy Boy, Tommy Two Toes (he has 2 white toes on his back foot), Thomasina (when he cries like a girl). Sadie is Little Bit, Sadie Bug and Million Dollar Baby.

Cat, rabbit, postman...?

Rabbits of course!

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

Anything soft and squeaky. My hounds don't like hard toys. I guess they want the similar feel of the bunnies!

Where is your dogs' favorite place for an outing?

My dog Sadie [photo right] loves to go anywhere! Tom is my bashful boy. While he loves to go in the car, he is a nervous nellie the entire time.

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

I'm not sure about that one, I think they might think I am pretty close to perfect!

What is each dog's proudest moment?

Tom's proudest moment was when he was crowned King of the Greytfest. Since he was our group's first adoptee, he was the first to be crowned King of the Greytfest (Greytfest if our annual picnic and our biggest fundraiser for our group).

Most embarrassing?

Sadie's would probably when I dressed her up as a bat for Halloween.

Visit the Grey Hares...On My Sofa blog.

--Marshal Zeringue

Elaine Pritchard & Winnie

Who is in the photo at right?

Hi, I'm Elaine Pritchard and I live in Staffordshire, England. This is Winnie the Greyhound who joined our family in August 2010 when I had a change of lifestyle and set up my own freelance writing and marketing business from home. I also run a not-for-profit pet bereavement website - and I help Winnie with her own blog when she lets me.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

We are having a coffee break in our own garden - and celebrating finding a patch of grass which Win has not yet dug up in her daily quest to show me the racing form that made her a star at Sheffield greyhound track. As we never saw her race Win likes to re-enact her finest moments on the far smaller circuit of our back lawn.

What's brewing?

Skinny latte.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

Not today. I've got lunch out later so I'm being good. Win's also helped me lose 20lbs in weight since January 2011 so I don't want to let her down. She's a strict diet and fitness coach.

Any treat for Winnie on this occasion?

She has sneaked a rawhide chew out into the garden to nibble on. I just need to make sure she doesn't try and bury it.

How did you and Winnie come together?

My friend Jane, who's a member of the same drama group as me, had adopted a number of greyhounds from Crossing Cottage - a Retired Greyhound Trust kennel in Nottinghamshire - and once I knew I was going to be finishing working long hours in an office it seemed a brilliant opportunity to adopt a greyhound. I know they love company. Also, my son's a bit nervous of dogs and I thought a gentle greyhound would be ideal to build up his confidence. We looked at the dogs available for adoption on the Crossing Cottage website and fell instantly in love with Winnie's picture and her story.

Would you tell us a bit about Lost and Fond?

My last job in the corporate world was as MD of an online obituaries website for people. We were often approached by people who wanted to add tributes for their pets but sadly it wasn't something we could let them do and the company I worked for wasn't interested in diversifying into pet memorials - so it was always something I felt I'd like to do. I also thought there was an opportunity to raise money through the website for pet charities and publicise important pet projects. People can create a free online memorial on Lost & Fond for any pet they have loved and lost either recently or years ago. If they're not confident with technology I'll do it for them.

How did Winnie get her name? Does she have any aliases?

Winnie's name comes from her old racing name - which was Heads You Win. Her many and varied nicknames include "Win", "Win-Win" and "Winnebago"

Squirrel, cat, postman...?

Cats just ahead of squirrels. Win tends to do a noisy vertical take-off if she sees either of those creatures on our daily walks and if she ever got off her lead I think there'd be bloodshed. Postmen, ducks and small dogs are all safe from Win though.

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

Squeaky toys, especially if they are cuddly, are Win's toy of choice. She adores them and looks after them very gently. She's not too interested in balls.

Where is Winnie's favorite place to go for a walk?

Brook Hollows in Rolleston-on-Dove - the next village to the one where we live - is Win's favourite local walk. But she jumps (literally) at any chance to go out in the car for a walk a bit further afield. We are lucky to live in a beautiful part of England where there is some stunning countryside.

Who is Winnie's best pet-pal?

The Man Of The House would tell you it's him. I think it's me, of course. Win's not that keen on other dogs because of some past experiences in a re-homing that didn't work out (not her fault) and she needed a home where she could be the only dog. She has some wonderful virtual best pals though thanks to the great world of pet blogging.

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

I think Winnie would love it if the whole family - me, husband Bill, daughter Caitlin (who graduates from Coventry University this year) and son Tom - would stay together in one room all day leaving only to take her for a couple of walks. She loves it when we're all together.

What is Winnie's best quality?

She loves everyone. I think she's taught me some wonderful life lessons in the last nine months. I call them the three L's: loving, loyalty and living-in-the-moment. I look at Winnie revelling in a good sniff on a walk, or 'roaching' - lying on her back legs in the air - and I think "She's got it right. Live in the moment, enjoy the changing seasons and the world of nature and don't worry. Just be happy".

What is Winnie's proudest moment?

I was really proud of Win when she did her first meet-and-greet with Bill outside the Spring Fair that my friend Alyson and I organised a few weeks ago for the Retired Greyhound Trust. I knew she'd be great with people and show them what great pets greyhounds make, but I thought she might not like the other greyhounds that were coming along to help. She wasn't keen at first and grumbled a bit but after a while she decided to let them socialise with her and that was a big deal for her. She's also a great ambassador for greyhounds when we're out and about generally and a lot of people we've met are now considering a retired racing greyhound as a pet - which is fabulous.

Her most embarrassing?

That has to be her windy digestive system. When we're all gathered in the living room, and she's at her most relaxed, you can hear gentle little "parps" followed by a not so gentle waft of noxious fumes. I think many dog owners will identify with that little habit!!

Visit the Lost and Fond website and Winnie's Dog Blog and Facebook page.

--Marshal Zeringue

Sarah-Kate Lynch & Ted

Who is in the photo at right?

This is me, Sarah-Kate Lynch, writer, and my four-year-old Kerry Blue Terrier, Ted.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

We are having what my husband sarcastically calls "cuddle mummy time". Luckily for Ted, he doesn't recognize sarcasm, which leaves him free to simply revel in the joy of being cuddled. Me, I take the sarcasm and park it to be responded to at a later date.

What's brewing?

Ted will drink from muddy puddles but I am very particular about my coffee. I have a La Pavoni coffee machine and like a triple shot with just a splash or two of steamed soya milk. This has no name. Trust me, I've stood at more coffee counters than you can count trying to work out what anyone else would call it but I generally end up ordering a triple espresso and a separate cup of milk and mixing it myself.

Any treats for you or your dog on this occasion?

Ted, unlike me, is not motivated by food. It's a miracle we ended up together. The Kerry Blue is known for this. We free feed him and he just takes a nibble every now and then when he feels like it. The shock on his face when a greedy Labrador comes to visit and heads straight for his food bowl and devours the contents is hilarious. He just doesn't get it.

How did your dog come to be united with you?

Well, his predecessor, Kit, died without much warning and I was inconsolable so we rang the breeder we had got him from 10 years before and he just so happened to have a five-month-old puppy...

How did Ted get his name?

Actually, I wanted to call him Kit. He looks exactly the same as Kit - all Kerry Blues seem identical - and I missed Kit so much I just wanted to pretend he had never gone anywhere but my husband put his foot down about that. However, he was OK with the name Ted although I call him Teddy because he really is one: he loves nothing more than being cuddled. Apart from the food thing, we are really a match made in heaven.

Please tell us a bit about Ted's role in your writing?

Ted lies behind my chair and snoozes while my creative juices flow. In three and a half years he has not worked out that the chair is on wheels and will come towards him at speed. Adorable.

Does he accompany you on book tours?

Sadly, no, but he would very much like to.

Does Ted have a favorite place to go for walk?

Where I live most the time, in New Zealand, we have a beautiful walk from our back door through native forest to about 20 miles of west coast beach. Hard to beat. Seriously.

Rabbit, postman, cat...?

Hm, has been known to chase the odd rabbit, has been known to gently nip the postman's butt, and has been known to lose his marbles completely over a neighboring cat.

What's Ted's best quality?

He is the sweetest, most lovable creature on the planet, I swear. And I'm not the only one. He has a huge fan club.

If Ted could change one thing about your husband, what would it be?

Ha! He would make the husband far more sympathetic to his cause which is that the most important thing in life is to be adored. Not to follow rules. Or do you as you are told, when you are told.

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

A three-year-old boy appeared out of nowhere in a busy city park the other day and just yanked on Ted's tail. I would have bitten the kid, but Ted barely raised an eyebrow.

Most embarrassing? There are a few. The first day I got him he ran across the surface of the swimming pool because he had never seen one before. This did not turn out so well and he plunged to the bottom so I had to jump in fully clothed and rescue him. Once I had to carry him for half an hour back to the car after he got prickles in his armpits. Once he fell off the side of a cliff while scratching his ear and was only hanging on by his toenails...

Sarah-Kate Lynch lives part of the year on the wild west coast of New Zealand but travels as often as she can to the vineyards of Champagne, the streets of New York, and the hilltop towns of Tuscany.

Visit her website and blog, and read more about her latest novel, Dolci di Love.

--Marshal Zeringue