Cheryl Reid & Django

Who is in the photo at right?

I’m Cheryl Reid, a mother of three boys and a fiction writer. This is my dog Django, a seven-year-old male cattle dog probably mixed with a terrier. But who knows? He could be a whippet, beagle, terrier, pit bull mix. Whatever breed he is, he’s hyper and he’s a herder.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

I have coffee with Django every morning and most days he’ll stick his nose in my cup at some point. That’s because when I’m home writing, he’s tucked up beside me and he must love the smell of it.

What's brewing?

I love the beans from our local coffee house/ roaster Dancing Goats Coffee, and I’ll take it anyway I can get it, latte, brewed, with cream or black.

Any treats for you or Django on this occasion?

Django gets treats all the time – on his morning walks and during the day, I’m constantly stuffing his bones with smelly dog treats so he’ll chew and keep calm, and let me get some work done.

How were you and Django united?

Django came to us at a year and a half old. He was a pound puppy that was adopted, but that owner couldn’t handle his activity level. She gave him to a local dog training academy, Jabula, and we adopted him through them. It was great. He was totally trained and ready for a loving home.

How did your dog get his name? Any aliases?

Django was a rescue with the very regal name of Marcus. We have a friend named Marcus, so it wouldn’t do to have our dog go by the same. I love the French Gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt and I had always wanted to name a child Django, but with each child, I chickened out, knowing that he’d always be spelling it, explaining it, etc. But a dog doesn’t have to spell his name. Django fits him. But I call him all sorts of names… Chicken, Stinker, Noodle, Nugget, Dog.

Does Django do more to help or hinder your writing?

Depends on the day… he’s an active dog and if he hasn’t gotten his walk and a bit of play, he’ll nudge my arm or walk under my chair and bump my legs. He hates going out in the cold or the rain, so on those days, he sits at the window and barks at squirrels moving through the backyard. But most days he’ll find a sunny spot in my writing room and curl up until I head to the kitchen for coffee. Then he follows along.

Has Django inspired the creation of any fictional dogs?

Not yet, but Django’s “girlfriend” Baby has inspired a dog in the novel I’m currently working on.

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

Equal opportunity for Django. He’s fast and he’s caught a few squirrels, but he has yet to nab the postman or the neighbor’s cat. I think he’s actually afraid of the cat.

Ball, squeaky-toy, stick...?

Ball, especially footballs and soccer balls. He loves to play pick-up soccer and go for interceptions when the family is tossing the football.

Where is Django's favorite outdoor destination?

Django loves mountain trails. He’s happiest off leash hiking with his pack of humans.

Who is Django's best pet-pal?

The aforementioned Baby, my sister’s beautiful black and white, blue-eyed pitbull. She has thirty pounds on him, all muscle, but he’s the confident sort, happy to be around strong females.

What is Django's best quality?

Django never runs away. That’s the best thing about a herding dog – they feel connected to their place.

If Django could change one thing about Georgians, what would it be?

He hates it when a Georgian, or anyone else for that matter, knocks or ring the door bell. He’d like them to stop attacking our house.

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

Do you like dancing with me or do you do it just to make me laugh?

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

Will Ferrell in his full range – hyper, fun-loving, frantic, anxious, wild, with short outbursts of rage.

What advice would Django give if asked?

Django’s advice would be self-serving. He’d tell me, I should let my dog get on the couch or that I should take him on longer walks.

Learn more about As Good as True by Cheryl Reid.

--Marshal Zeringue