Meganne Fabrega & Skylar

Who is in the photo at right?

That's me, Meganne Fabrega, and my dog, Skylar. I am a freelance writer and book reviewer. I've written for Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Christian Science Monitor, Brain, Child and American Craft among other publications. I also write fiction. Skylar is a 10-year-old female Boston terrier. She is my reading companion, if I am on the sofa reading she is plastered to my side.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Skylar absolutely hates walks and refuses to be tied up outside of a cafe, but she'll jump in the car anytime. If I'm running Saturday errands she'll tag along and we'll hit the local Dunkin' Donuts drive thru on the way to the hardware store.

What's brewing?

My brew of choice there is a "medium hot regular." In New England Dunkin Donuts-speak that means a medium size hot original blend with sugar and cream added to it. Skylar usually gets a plain munchkin.

Any treats for you or Skylar on this occasion?

I try to resist, but sometimes I can't help getting a Vanilla Kreme donut...that's a rare treat but oh-so good.

How did Skylar get her name? Any aliases?

That's a funny story. Originally we were supposed to get a different Boston terrier named...Skylar. But that BT got stung by a bee, and the owner was superstitious and saw it as a sign that we should be adopting the other older female she had available who had a very un-doglike name like Susan or something. Since we had already had tags made up and we had told our two-year-old daughter that we were adopting "Skylar" we just decided to name the new dog Skylar. She rarely gets called Skylar though, she has a number of aliases including Ty-Ty, Sky-Sky, Chubs, the Grey Lady, Mrs. Tubbins, and most recently, the Dowager Countess Tubbins.

How were you and Skylar united?

I was looking for an older female Boston terrier, so I contacted the woman who I had adopted my previous BT from. She put me in touch with a woman in South Carolina who had a couple of older females that needed homes. Skylar had to be flown up on an airplane, but for a while it was too hot to send her, so every day I would wait for the call to see if she was coming that day or not. It was quite a nail-biting experience. When I picked her up at the cargo area she almost escaped, but I did what I liked to call a "Flying Wallenda" and managed to catch her. That was so scary.

Squirrel, postman, cat...?

She likes to run away from other animals, not towards them. She loves our postmen/women, who usually have a treat or two in their bag. That has cultivated in her a love of anyone in a uniform.

Squeaky-top, ball, Frisbee...?

Her favorite toys are made by a company called Fat Cat. She's got very sharp teeth, so these toys last the longest. Her current favorites are Skunky, Kitty, and Raccoon. We had John McCain for a while, but she ripped off his arm and de-stuffed him [photo right].

Does Skylar have a favorite place to go for an outing?

In the summer she loves to go to my mom's house, which is about 10 minutes away. She has a routine where she will leap out of the car, run into the house, do a circuit or two, then run back outside and do a few laps around her large backyard area. It's the most exercise she'll do in a month. She is absolutely exhausted afterwards. In the summer my mom's pool is open, and she'll run around the edge, wanting to jump in but not wanting to jump in at the same time. On occasion she'll leap in and be so freaked out that when she gets out she'll run laps around the pool because she is utterly shocked by her own actions. In the winter she prefers the spot in front of my Dad's fireplace, where she roasts like a little suckling pig.

Who is Skylar's best pet-pal?

She doesn't really care for other animals, but she tolerates our friend's beagle named Beetle. They will walk side by side on occasion, but they don't really play.

What is Skylar's best quality?

I think it is her calm demeanor. She doesn't bark, she doesn't steal food, she loves to cuddle and I don't have to worry about her around kids. When she is comfortable at home she loves to play and be a part of the pack. She is my canine soulmate.

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

I would be sitting on the sofa cuddling with her 24/7, getting up only to fetch her treats. And I would let her sleep in my bed. (No matter how many times I try to let her sleep with us, I always have to kick her out because of her snoring.)

What is Skylar's proudest moment?

I have to say after her daily constitutional. You'd think she left me a pile of gold. (She didn't.)

If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which Skylar could speak, which actor should do her voice?

Maggie Smith.

Visit Meganne Fabrega's website.

--Marshal Zeringue