Allie Larkin & Stella

Who is in the photo at right?

I’m Allie Larkin, author of the novels Stay, Why Can't I Be You, and Swimming for Sunlight, which all include lovable literary pups. I’m having coffee with my friend, Stella, who is an eleven-year-old German Shepherd.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

After she’s hit the yard and eaten breakfast, Stella likes to herd me over to sit with her for our usual quiet time. I have a folded futon mattress in my office that makes for an excellent meditation spot/dog bed, and we like to sit there while I drink my coffee. It is so peaceful.

What's brewing?

I’m pretty no frills about coffee. I like pour over best. Black or with a little soy milk. My two favorites are Philz Philharmonic roast and Caffe Appassionato’s Organic Shade Grown Emperor’s Blend.

Any treats for you or Stella on this occasion?

Stella is just getting over a tummy ache, so I’m doing the lame thing where I pretend her regular kibble is treats. It feels like the equivalent of giving out raisins on Halloween, but she doesn’t seem to mind. She eats Natural Planet kibble and is endlessly excited about it. She also loves Checkups dental bones and Zukes Mini Naturals.

How were you and Stella united?

Before we moved to the Bay Area, we lived in Rochester, NY. We had a German Shepherd named Argo (who was actually the cover-dog for the hardcover version of my first novel, Stay). When we had to travel, we used to board him at a great place just outside of Rochester. The people who ran the boarding facility knew of a thirteen-month-old German Shepherd who needed a new home and called to see if we’d be interested in adding to our family.

Stella was a holy terror when we first got her and Argo was miserable about it. But eventually, they settled in and became best friends. When Argo got cancer, Stella was the most brilliant comfort to him. All of her anxiety and young dog hyperactivity faded away, and she was calm and careful for him. It was beautiful to witness. The depth and breadth of Stella’s heart never cease to amaze me.

How did your dog get her name? Any aliases?

She didn’t answer to the name she had when she came to us, so we started making a list of possible names. Then my husband was telling me about Stellarium, which is an open source desktop planetarium, and suddenly Stella seemed like the perfect name. So, I suppose she’s actually named after software. I call her Stellar or Stells sometimes.

Does Stella do more to help or hinder your writing?

Once Stella made it through her teen dog angst, she became a pretty low key dog. In the book Quiet, Susan Cain mentions that animals can also be introverts. Stella is definitely an introvert dog. She wants to know where I am at all times, and she hangs out in the same room with me, but she likes her personal space. She’s the ideal office mate. As long as we stick to her walk-play-food schedule, she’s pretty content to let me work, and just having her physical presence in the room makes me happy.

Cat, postman, squirrel…?

There are a lot of cats who wander our neighborhood. Stella desperately wants to be friends, but they aren’t interested. At night, she needs to sniff around the yard to see where they’ve been.

Ball, squeaky-toy, stick…?

Stella has a menagerie of stuffed animals that she grooms and cares for. Her current favorite is a Fluff & Tuff rabbit we call Rabbert. She knows him by name and will retrieve him if we ask where he is.

Where is Stella's favorite outdoor destination?

She loves our daily walks to a nearby P-A-R-K, but we’ve had the chance to take her backpacking in the Sierras a few times and she loved that. I also got to take her hiking to the Lost Coast up by Mendocino. It was her first time at the ocean, and she took it all in stride. She loved lying in the warm sand and watching the waves.

Who is Stella's best pet-pal?

Argo was the love of Stella’s life. After he passed away, she started getting fearful of other dogs. We thought about getting another dog, but ultimately decided it would be best for her to get our undivided attention. So, I suppose I am Stella’s best pet-pal now. I often joke that over our time together, Stella has become a little bit human and I’ve become a little bit dog.

What is Stella's best quality?

Stella is afraid of so many things, but she has never let her fear get in the way of being a good friend. I have so much respect for how hard she works to love fiercely. It’s inspiring.

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

I think Stella would prefer that I spend my entire day in one spot. She gets so annoyed when she’s settled herself and all her stuffed animals in my office and then I go to the kitchen to make lunch.

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

I always wonder what she’s dreaming about when she runs in her sleep.

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

Has anyone ever gone wrong choosing Emma Thompson for anything?

What advice would Stella give if asked?

It’s important to know where your pack members are.

Visit Allie Larkin's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

Laura Testino & Rita June

Who is in the photo at right?

This is Rita June and I! I’m Laura Testino, a life and culture reporting fellow at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. It is ridiculous that my job exists, because it requires that I write about some of the most interesting and entertaining people and places in New Orleans, coincidentally one of the most interesting and entertaining cities in the world. Rita and I are both from the South; her from Alabama and myself from Georgia, but I adopted her a couple of years ago when I was living in New York City. She’s a spunky and energetic cattle dog mix, but gets along great in the city. The best guess for her age is around 5 (she celebrates her birthday in October), but most people who meet her think she is much younger.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Rita loves walking to this library in our neighborhood. It used to be an old home (once the residence of film star Marguerite Clark!), so it has a large and hilly lawn with several pockets for her to sniff and explore. While we lived in New York, her favorite place to go was the steps of the MET Museum, because she liked to watch the people and the cars travel orderly (read: herd themselves) down 5th Avenue. I think there’s a similar attraction for her, a herding dog, to sit on the steps at this library and watch the streetcar and other cars and people. She thinks she is very fancy, I’m sure.

We walk over to the library a few times each week, and I either bring my own coffee or make a pit stop at French Truck Coffee, which is on the way.

What's brewing?

On this coffee date, it was coffee brewed at home. I like the routine of coffee each day and save the frills for special occasions. I usually brew about 4 cups of Trader Joe’s medium roast for a serving, which probably means I have a very unhealthy addiction. If I’m drinking iced coffee, it gets a splash of almond milk and extra ice.

From French Truck coffee, I like their NOLA Iced Coffee, but order it half sweetened.

Any treats for you or Rita on this occasion?

Yes! My family was in town, and my mom brought me some homemade blueberry muffins. Rita loves blueberries, so she got to have a few pieces herself.

How were you and Rita united?

I chalk that up to a knowingly irresponsible decision that I, truthfully, have been lucky enough to not ever regret, (except maybe on the weekend mornings when I’d rather not be awake before 8).

Rita was on Petfinder a few weeks after I’d moved to New York City from Alabama, where I graduated college, and I had wanted to have another dog for a long time. My first dog, Daisy, was a gift for my kindergarten graduation, but died right when I started high school.

I went to the shelter with the intent of just visiting Rita. Her Petfinder profile pegged her at the perfect apartment size (about 35 pounds), and I liked that she wasn’t a puppy but still a young 3-years-old. Once I got there, I found out she’d been adopted and returned a couple times, and it crushed me. When I found out she was from Alabama and born on a date that was special to me, I knew I had to get her. She came to her new home a week later.

How did your dog get her name? Any aliases?

Rita was Rita in the shelter, and I added her middle name, June. There, they nicknamed her “Ri-Ri,” but from me she gets: Rita, Rita J, Rita June, RJ and Rita bean.

When you're writing, does Rita do more to help or hinder your work?

If Rita is awake, she probably wants attention. She once sat for half an hour in the tiny barstool seat in my kitchen next to mine while I was writing. Her wet nose often pops up under my elbow while I’m typing to remind me that Hello, My name is Rita and you haven’t pet me in, like 5 whole minutes.

Even though it’s not productive to work in the same room as her, having her to keep me on a routine is great. I catch up on reading while we’re out at the park, and taking a couple walks each day is a great work break to look forward to and recharge from.

Your article "New Orleans UPS driver shares photos of the pups on his route" blew up in my social media feeds. Has Rita met the driver?

Ha! I wish she could meet Jay. Unfortunately, we don’t live on his route.

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

Cats are public enemy number 1. She’s been known to chase a squirrel’s shadow, though, also.

Ball, squeaky-toy, stick...?

“Green ball” is her favorite to play with inside, but she has squeaky pig, duck and snake toys that she’ll make music with for attention. Rita loves to find a stick to munch on for a while at the library.

Where is Rita's favorite outdoor destination?

She loves going to any park, or anywhere else where there’s lots to sniff and room to run in circles at a million miles a minute. Specifically, though, any place with springy grass to roll in is Rita Heaven.

Who is Rita's best pet-pal?

Rita June is one intense lady, and playing is no joking matter. She doesn’t have one best pal in particular, but welcomes any other pup who enjoys being chased at lightning speed.

What is Rita's best quality?

She’s spunky and smart! It’s great to have a furry companion that is so observant and attentive.

If Rita could change one thing about New Orleanians, what would it be?

Ha, probably to keep their cats inside unless said cats can be chased!

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

I’d really like to know how much different her life is now from what it was before she was adopted. I don’t know much, other than that she was rescued by one shelter from living in a little concrete, fenced-in patio area with a couple other dogs, and then shipped up to the shelter in New York where I found her.

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

Reese Witherspoon’s Sweet Home Alabama accent would do.

What advice would Rita give if asked?

Rita June would say to go after what you want, and to play as hard as you work as hard as you rest.

Read Laura Testino's reporting at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune.

--Marshal Zeringue