Caryn Lix & Aleiah and Archer

Who is in the photos at right and below?

That's me, Caryn Lix, author of Sanctuary and teacher of children. The dogs are Archer (the Boston terrier, who is five) and Aleiah (mostly lab, who is nine).

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

If I leave them home alone, I never know what they will do, so here we are!

What's brewing?

Chai latte. But it's summer right now, so I'll take it iced!

Any treats for you or Aleiah and Archer on this occasion?

I eat all the treats and so do my dogs. Actually while no one was looking there's a good chance Aleiah stole all the cookies out of the cabinet.

How were you and your dogs united?

I saw Aleiah at a dog adoption event. They were trying to introduce me to another dog and all I could focus on was the baby girl dragging one of her legs around and looking like everyone was out to get her. Six months later, the leg had been amputated, and she was living in my house. Archer came to me when his family couldn't take care of him anymore.

How did your dogs get their names? Any aliases?

Aleiah came pre-named, and we liked her name so we kept it. Archer is named after the television show, and he lives up to the name. He also looks like he's wearing a suit. They have many names. Aleiah's middle name is Freeman because my husband wanted to be able to shout "Hey everybody, let's follow Freeman!" when she took off at the dog park. And Archer's middle name is Fremulon, just because we like the way it sounds.

Do Aleiah and Archer do more to help or hinder your writing?

Oh, they are a constant hindrance. I'll be deep in the middle of a scene and suddenly I'll hear a whimper and Archer will be up on his hind legs, pawing at my arm. It's fantastic.

Have any actual dogs ever inspired dogs in your fiction?

They actually haven't. I rarely put dogs in my writing. Whenever I see a dog on TV, I'm convinced it's going to die.

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

Bird. There's a magpie who lives in our backyard who takes great joy in dropping sticks on their heads. Then they go berserk chasing the magpie around the yard.

Ball, squeaky-toy, stick...?

Anything they can rip to pieces.

Who is each dog's best pet-pal?

Archer loves Aleiah. She is his best friend and he will do anything to protect her. Aleiah is pretty fixated on me. She was scared and nervous when I first got her, and she doesn't like for me to be too far out of her sight.

What is each dog's best quality?

Aleiah is literally the best dog in the world. She is sweet, gentle, kind, cheerful, you name it. I can't name one best quality. Archer is a handful, but he is also completely hilarious and constantly doing weird things like getting on his hind legs and bicycling his front paws for no apparent reason, so we love that about him.

If Aleiah and Archer could change one thing about Albertans, what would it be?

Aleiah would like them to stop trying to pet her. Archer would like them to get rid of all the other dogs and just pay attention to him.

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

I would ask Aleiah what she's scared of, so I can try to protect her from it. I would ask Archer how I can get him to calm down for thirty five seconds.

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

Well, clearly Archer would have to be voiced by H. Jon Benjamin! Aleiah is so gentle and kind, I feel like Inoue Marina, who does the voice of Armin in Attack on Titan, would be great.

What advice would your dogs give if asked?

Aleiah: Just... keep quiet. Watch from the sidelines until you're sure things are safe. Also, licking people is a great way to get their attention.

Archer: Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me. Wait. Advice? What? Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me!

Visit Caryn Lix's website.

--Marshal Zeringue