Katie Welsh & Melo

Who is in the photo at right?

That’s me, Katie Welsh and I’m the blogger behind Coordinated Kate and also the photographer behind Katie Welsh Photography. And that’s my puggle Melo! He’s a little over one and a half years old. He’s actually a New Years Eve baby!

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Well, this is a special occasion, and Melo and I took a trip down to the deli on the corner to grab some breakfast.

What's brewing?

Well, I actually strongly dislike coffee and I usually only drink tea, but since this is coffee with a canine, I thought I’d grab an iced coffee and load it up with half & half and sugar to mask the taste of any kind of coffee.

Any treats for you or Melo on this occasion?

I grabbed a croissant and I brought him one of his favorite pig skin rawhides.

How were you and Melo united?

I’ve wanted a dog of my own for a long time! My husband and I lived in an apartment for a few years and because of a neighbor that was “allergic”, we were never able to get a dog. I don’t think he was actually allergic at all. I just think that he didn’t want a dog so he didn’t want to have to hear one barking next door either. Anyways, the day that he moved out I went to our leasing office and asked about getting a dog and they said they’d check and get back to me but I was already in the process of getting Melo. He actually came home with me the night before a really big snow storm.

How did your dog get his name? Any nicknames?

My husband, Sam, wanted to name him Carmelo because of his caramel colored coat, and the fact that he’s a big basketball fan, but we decided to just shorten it to Melo. But he does have a special nickname: Fat Baby, which I don’t think he appreciates very much.

I know from your website that you're very organized. Does Melo make it easier or more difficult to stay coordinated?

Yes, he definitely makes it easier, because if anything is on the floor or within his reach, it’ll be in his mouth and I’ll need to chase him around the house to try and get it back. Therefore, everything has to stay organized and in it’s designated space.

Who is Melo's best pet-pal?

Cookie! My sister-in-law Simone has a pit terrier mix and her and Melo will play and fight and chase each other around for hours! And since Cookie is a lot bigger than Melo we can always expect to come home and rinse Cookie’s saliva off Melo’s ears at the end of the day!

[photo right: Melo and Cookie]

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

You name it and Melo will bark at it, unless it’s a child! He’s actually really great at not barking and scaring little kids, which will definitely come in handy when Sam and I start our family.

Ball, squeaky-toy, stick...?

Melo is just really into tearing things apart. If it’s something soft, he’ll rip the stuffing out within 3 minutes of receiving it. Sticks and bones are the way to go with him because it takes him a lot longer to destroy.

Does Melo have a favorite place to go for walks?

It sounds really gruesome but there’s a big, beautiful cemetery at the top of the hill by our house and we both really enjoy walking through there in the mornings. It’s always very quiet, and enough hills that it tires us both out.

What is Melo's best quality?

One of the reasons I really wanted a dog was because I had lost my dad a few months earlier and I was at home a lot more and feeling a little depressed and need a comforting companion and Melo is the perfect companion for me! He knows when I’m upset or pissed off and he comforts me accordingly. I honestly couldn’t have asked for a more intuitive dog.

If Melo could answer only one question in English, what would you ask him?

I think I would ask Melo if he hates it when I call his harness a bra. He knows that he has to wear it and he really loves when it comes off but I feel like he may be a little emasculated when I say things like, “come here Melo, let me take off your bra.” So, that might be my one and only question for him.

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

After receiving these questions, I asked Sam who he thought should voice Melo and he was describing a specific type of actor and I had already decided who I thought would be perfect, so I screamed out “Jonah Hill” And he absolutely agreed. I feel like Melo has a great sense of humor and is a little quirky so I’d be super interested in a movie about my life but only if Jonah Hill is the voice of Melo.

Visit the Coordinated Kate website and the Katie Welsh Photography website.

--Marshal Zeringue