Jody Dean & Roxie

Who is in the photo at right?

I am Jody Dean, a California native, started my career as a PhD psychologist in Orange County, California and moved around in the field doing both clinical practice and healthcare strategy for large organizations. Roxie is a smooth coat dachshund, the AKC calls her coloring “black and tan with dapple markings”. She's 6 years old.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

It's critical that I be fully caffeinated early because Roxie is a high energy dog who demands that we engage in what is called “dachshund cross fit”; running in the woods chasing squirrels or deer or whatever we might find. So, coffee with Roxie is a daily must do.

What's brewing?

Today Peet's Sumatra with cream and sugar. I self grind, because I like it strong and I get a bizarre satisfaction out of hearing the coffee beans ground to a fine consistency.

Any treats for you or Roxie on this occasion?

Roxie and her sisters get their breakfast early, they demand a 5 am feeding time. Even on Sunday, lord help the person who does not feed a dachshund when they are hungry.

How were you and Roxie united?

I have adopted dachshunds in the past from Southern California Dachshund Relief. One of mine had passed, so I needed another to be a pal to the other dog. Since dachshunds are like Lays potato chips, you cannot just have one. SCDR called me and told me they had a female 2 years old who needed “a home with dachshund experience”. This should have been my warning and a smarter person might have run like the wind but I fell for this trick.

How did your dog get her name? Any aliases?

Roxie was “Roxie” when she came to me. It really fits her. I also call her Momo, Dork, Spaz and at times, Satan’s Little Helper.

Please tell us about your new book, Roxie the Doxie Finds Her Forever Home.

While it might just appear to be a fun kids book, Roxie the Doxie follows Roxie from foster care to her “forever” home. The book is intended to allow kids to navigate adoption or other family changes by talking about Roxie’s journey, because kids find it less threatening to speak of their own feelings when they can talk about a toy, a character or an imaginary friend having the feelings (that are actually theirs).

Does Roxie do more to help or hinder your writing?

Roxie is very helpful because each day she experiences an adventure which gives me inspiration and ideas.

Cat, postman, rabbit…?

What some people don’t know about dachshunds is that they have a naturally very high prey drive. Given the chance to develop this drive, which Roxie has done in various scent and hunting competitions, she is happy to bark or chase anyone and anything. That said, I don’t allow her to actually chase people nor does she really have a chance to catch a rabbit or cat! It's all in good fun.

Ball, squeaky-toy, stick…?

Anything not tied down is a toy for Roxie. She can dismantle a squeaky toy in about 2 minutes, at which point she will stare at me with a look of such horrible disappointment as if to say “geez, that one was too easy”.

Who is Roxie's best pet-pal?

Daisy, who is also a dachshund and a rescue from SCDR.

What is Roxie's best quality?

Optimism. Roxie gets up each day assuming wonderful, fun and exciting things will happen. And for her, they usually do.

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

That I would never leave the house without her.

If Roxie could answer only one question in English, what would you ask her?

I would ask Roxie if she was happy.

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

Without a doubt, Lady Gaga. Because Lady Gaga has the ability to have a variety of speaking voices, and Roxie’s bark changes depending on her mood, it’s a perfect fit.

What advice would Roxie give if asked?

Roxie would tell everyone to lean toward the positive in life, to try new things even if you are scared, and when in doubt, go for dessert.

Learn more about Roxie the Doxie Finds Her Forever Home.

--Marshal Zeringue

Katie Kennedy & Ernie

Who is in the photo at right?

I’m Katie Kennedy. I write YA (Learning to Swear in America; What Goes Up), and MG. Ernie is a male Shih Poo (half Shih Tzu, half poodle). There’s some confusion as to how old he was when he got him from the pound, so he’s either ten or eleven.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

We’re celebrating the release of What Goes Up, a YA light sci fi mashup.

What's brewing?

I’m drinking Swiss Miss with extra marshmallows because I don’t like coffee. It can be Hot Chocolate with a Canine, right? Ernie has water, but you can’t see it in the picture.

Any treats for you or Ernie on this occasion?

You bet! We are all about the treats. I have a scone and Ernie gets a beef treat. Later he’ll probably get half the cat’s food, too. [sigh]

How were you and Ernie united?

We got Ernie at the pound. He’d been surrendered by an older couple that couldn’t keep up with him. I imagined that they were elderly folk in poor health, tottering around with walkers, and just couldn’t have a dog underfoot. After we took Ernie home, we realized that he’s a lot to keep up with. That couple might have been running marathons and still have had trouble dealing with him.

How did your dog get his name? Any aliases?

We kept the name his first family gave him, but he’s so disobedient and ornery that we decided he must not speak English. Why else would he ignore our every command? My husband calls him Ernesto, or Nesto for short, in the hopes that he’ll respond to commands in Spanish. So far it’s not working, but we’ve only tried for about five years.

Does Ernie do more to help or hinder your writing?

Oh, hinder. Ernie enjoys barking, and I don’t know how many sentences I’ve lost when he pulled me out of my story world. Needless to say, it’s totally worth it. I’d be lonely without my—loud, intrusive—little writing buddy.

Has Ernie inspired the creation of any fictional dogs?

I had thirty pages devoted to a fictional dog in my work-in-progress, but I had to cut those scenes. I’m trying to figure out how to break the news to him. I do often work in a small black dog in some way or other, so he usually gets a cameo.

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

Ernie barks at everything except squirrels. He’ll bark because other dogs are barking, or because they aren’t and he wants to stir up trouble. But not squirrels. Pretty sure they made a pact at some point.

Ball, squeaky-toy, stick...?

He’s not a chewer, probably because his mouth is busy barking. But he does enjoy playing fetch and then refusing to give the toy up so I can throw it again. Also, the ottoman is home base. If he makes it there safely, I’m not allowed to grab the toy and play tuggy pull with it.

Where is Ernie's favorite outdoor destination?

He loves his walks and despite his tiny legs he’ll walk for blocks and blocks, no matter how cold it is. When he realizes we’re almost home he tries to trick me and head in the opposite direction. He’s a scamp.

Who is Ernie's best pet-pal?

I think he has a little crush on Emma, the dog next door. Every time he sees her he goes nuts barking. Did I mention that she lives next door? So he sees her every few minutes?

What is Ernie's best quality?

He’s incredibly loyal. He’s also incredibly brave. I was watching Jurassic Park with the kids once, and you know that scene where the T. Rex slowly turns its head and roars? Ernie stood between the kids and growled back. He weighed fifteen pounds. I’ll always love him for that.

If Ernie could change one thing about Iowans, what would it be?

People don’t drop hams enough.

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

If I only got one sentence, I’d tell him something--that it’s okay for him to sleep in the sunny window in the living room while I work in the study. He loves that room so much, but I can’t draft in it. He tries to lead me in there in the morning, and when I go into the study he sighs and follows, and stays as long as I do. I’d like him to know it would be okay if he took a little time off to enjoy his favorite place.

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

Meryl Streep. She can do anybody.

What advice would Ernie give if asked?

If you sneak around the island, you can sometimes make it to the cat’s bowl before Mom notices. And that is awesome!

Visit Katie Kennedy's website.

--Marshal Zeringue