Deirdre Mahon & Deeva and Lily

Who is in the photo at right?

I’m Deirdre Mahon, owner of DeeVa Beauty, a North/Central NJ mobile Makeup and Hair Service. I leave you feeling empowered and Gorgeous!!... Glowing!!... Glamorous!!

I have a deep affection for all things ‘glamorous’, and a passion for helping animals-in-need and a portion of every makeup I do goes towards helping abused and abandoned animals.

With me here are my two daughters, Deeva and Lily. Full names …. Deeva Darling, a 10-year-old mini poodle, and Lily Love, an 8-year-old toy poodle.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Just stopping by to say hello to everyone and show you how cute the girls are while the coffee is brewing.

What's brewing?

Trader Joe's .... strong and black!

Any treats for you or your dogs on this occasion?

Not before breakfast for them. But after their afternoon walk they get their afternoon snack of something yummy and will follow me around until I give it to them. Dare I forget, they will stare at me till I remember.

They also get a cookie after their last walk of the evening before bedtime. Everyone sleeps better with cookies in their tummy don’t they?

How were you and your dogs united?

Deeva is a rescue. I got her around 6 months old and in March so we celebrate our birthdays together on my day of March 30th.

I never had a poodle before but fell madly in love and after 2 years thought about getting her a playmate so she would have company when she was home alone. A neighbor whose little girl also fell in love with Deeva begged her mom for a dog like Deeva. This mother apparently wasn’t educated in Adopt!! Don’t shop!! and went to a puppy store and purchased a little white poodle puppy and after bringing her home realized that the dog was too small and fragile for her daughter, who was still too young to handle the puppy properly, so she was going to return the dog back to the store even though she wasn’t going to receive her full refund back. Well, that wasn’t going to happen after I found out about it. So I gave her the money for the puppy that she would have received and bought the dog off of her so it wouldn’t go back to the store. (I was so afraid as to what would happen to the puppy after it was returned…like they would take her out back or ship her to an animal laboratory or something horrible). Anyway, the mother was happy she got her money, I was happy the puppy didn’t go back to a horrible pet store, Deeva was happy she got a baby sister to keep her company…and little Lily Love was happy because she found her perfect home with lots of love and endless treats.

Were you always active in animal rescue, and is there a connection between your activism and the beauty business?

I grew up the little sister of an animal lover and activist, so I was exposed to many of the horrors animals suffer on a daily basis all around the world in many ways…the fur industry, factory farming, puppy mills, dog fighting, zoos, the circus, etc. After many dark years of depression and isolation I overcame my own personal obstacles and turned my life around to become a makeup artist and an animal advocate who donates a portion of proceeds to animal rescue organizations and charities.

Not only am I one of the few affordable bridal makeup artists in my area, but to my knowledge, I am the only one who also donates from every paid makeup I do to 'give back' to help animals in need.

It was through my darkest hours that I connected so deeply with the abandoned and abused animals of the world and I am committed and very passionate about helping them. My mission now is to help enlighten people everywhere about issues surrounding animal abuse and rescue while also empowering women through helping them look and feel fabulous. And I hope that for my own part, I can make a difference in both women’s and animals' lives.

How did your dogs get their names? Any aliases?

Growing up my family always called me Dee or Dee Dee. When I started my makeup business I took a spin on the word ‘diva’ and spelled it DeeVa as in I’m the Dee in DeeVa. I named Deeva after the business name though she spells it with a small v. I tell her all the time…I named you Deeva but that doesn’t mean I wanted you to actually act like one. Sometimes she goes by ‘baby girl’.

I brought Lily home on May 1st. I didn’t know her real birthdate so May 1st has always been her day. My favorite flower is the Calla Lily…Lily Love was named. I didn’t realize till much later that the May flower is the ‘Lily’. Sometimes she goes by ‘fat stuff’…my father’s term of endearment for her as she is a tad overweight.

Ball, squeaky-toy, stick...?

Deeva is squeaky toy all the way. Loves to play tug of war with her favorite.

Lily’s favorite thing in the universe is to play ball. As many times as you throw it she will fetch her little ball and bring it back to you for another throw.

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

Deeva’s favorite thing to do on the planet is sit on the window sill and bark at every dog that walks by. She thinks she is so tough and protecting her mother and sister but don’t be fooled: she is terrified of anything that flies in the house…fly, gnat, flea…turns into a quivering shaking mess of scardy cat.

But Deeva will chase any squirrel, anywhere, any time.

Lily only wants to chase her ball.

What is each dog's best quality?

Both dogs are extremely sweet and good natured.

Deeva is the more ‘sensitive one. When my husband passed over 4 years ago she was constantly by my side and comforting me. I went to a medium about a year after he passed and she said “the dog sees him”. I knew immediately she meant Deeva…who often looks up into space as if she is looking at something on the ceiling or something.

Lily is full of love and snuggling. I made her a certified ‘therapy’ dog because she loves to sit on anyone’s lap and she adores little children.

Where is your dogs' favorite outdoor destination?

When my husband was alive we would always go for rides in the car. Rides out to the country, the beach, the park, walking around NYC…always stopping for Dairy Queen or Rita’s Ice cream. Now that it’s just me and the girls we don’t go out much for ‘fun’ things like that anymore but we do love our daily walks in the park…. And I give them ice cream at home.

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

That I would never leave the house ever without taking them with me!!

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

I would definitely ask Deeva if she sees my Michael.

I would ask Lily if she is as happy sitting on my lap as she was on her daddy’s. She adored her daddy!!

Actually, I would love to hear my puppies say to me in English just once..."Mommy, I love you"!!

If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which your dogs could speak, who should voice them?

Hmmm, let’s just say Natalie Wood for Deeva because I grew up adoring her and in my next life I am going to come back looking like her.

And Doris Day for Lily…because I mean who is sweeter and more good natured than Doris Day…another favorite of mine.

And I think I just gave away how old I am by my answers.

What advice would your dogs give if asked?

Adopt!! Don’t shop!! All animals matter!!

Every problem in the Universe can be solved with a cookie and a belly rub!!

Be nice to everyone!!...especially those with cookies!!

Visit the DeeVa Beauty website.

--Marshal Zeringue