Dayna Lorentz & Peter and Kerry

Who is in the photo at right?

I am Dayna Lorentz, author of the Dogs of the Drowned City series from Scholastic and No Safety in Numbers, the first book in a trilogy from Dial. With me are Peter, the handsome yellow Pug-Boston Terrier mix (or Pugston, as we call him), and Kerry, the lovely if marginally overweight Pug-Jack Russell Terrier mix (or Jack Puggle Terror, as we call her). They’re both shelter rescues, and we think they’re around nine years old.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Peter enjoys an outing, and Kerry’s trying to work off a caffeine addiction. Just kidding! They love to follow me around wherever I go.

What's brewing?

That would be a Caramel Macchiato for me, a black coffee for Pete, and a Mocha for Kerry.

Any treats for you or your dogs on this occasion?

I’ll take a multigrain bagel toasted with cream cheese, Pete and Kerry will split an egg sandwich.

How did your dogs get their names? Any aliases?

Peter got his name from the foster mother who cared for him. We liked the name and kept it. He is most commonly referred to as Peetles or my Bud-dog, though recently I’ve taken to calling him Budsy-woofer.

Kerry’s full name is Kerry Edwards because we got her right before the 2004 election and were hoping that naming the dog this way would swing the election in our favor. She is called the Bird-dog because when we first got her and tried to crate train her, she would whistle like a bird when left in the crate. It was bizarre, completely undogly!

How were you and your dogs united?

Internet dating, also known as Petfinder.com.

Do your dogs contribute to your writing?

In the sense that they contribute to my sanity, yes.

What's the connection of your dogs to the dogs in your Dogs of the Drowned City series?

I based two of the dogs in Dogs of the Drowned City on my pets! Callie, who is Shep’s loyal friend throughout the series, is based entirely on Kerry. Any time I wondered what Callie would do, I merely looked at the Bird-dog and immediately got an idea. Frizzle, the tough French bulldog, is based on Peter. He will pick a fight with any dog in the park, even if they outweigh him by fifty pounds. He’s not afraid to hump the leg of a Rottweiler to show that dog who’s boss.

Rabbit, postman, cat....?

Kerry has a thing for squirrels and chipmunks. She loves to hunt little rodents. However, she has not, as of yet, had much success in that department. As for cats, her best friend is our Maine Coon cat, Oscar.

Peter is not terribly interested in hunting. He’s more of a couch snuggler.

Squeaky toy, ball, stick...?

Peter will go nuts for a plastic squeaky toy. Kerry loses it for Red Dot, a laser pointer.

What is each dog's best quality?

Peter is the best friend I could have hoped for. Kerry is an excellent guard dog and my exercise buddy.

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

They would make me let them upstairs so they could sleep on the bed.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which your dogs could speak, which actors should do their voices?

My brother does this voice for Peter which seems totally wrong to me, but has kind of infected my thinking on the matter. Still, Pete’s a tough guy—maybe Bruce Willis? For Kerry, I think maybe Felicia Day or Alyson Hannigan.

If your dogs could answer only one question in English, what would you ask them?

I’m not sure I have any questions for Peter. We understand each other without words.

Kerry: From whence does the extreme anxiety come?

Visit Dayna Lorentz's website and blog.

--Marshal Zeringue