Eleanor Kuhns & Shelby

Who is in the photo at right?

That's me, Eleanor Kuhns, author of Cradle to Grave and other historical murder mysteries, and Shelby, an eight-year-old golden lab chow chow mix.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Shelby and I had just gotten back from a walk. I am an avid hiker and Shelby always likes to accompany me.

I am drinking iced coffee, my drink of choice during the summer. Shelby had just finished eating a dog biscuit.

How did Shelby get her name? Any nicknames?

Shelby is a rescue. She came with her name but we all call her Puppers. We usually only call her Shelby when she is in trouble.

Are there any Shelby-inspired dogs in your novels?

I based Munch, a dog in Death of a Dyer, on Shelby. I made Munch a black male but otherwise that is Shelby. I named him Munch because, outside of chasing groundhogs and rabbits, eating is Shelby's favorite thing.

What is Shelby's contribution to your writing?

Usually, when I am writing, she lies a few feet away, flopping down with a long sigh.

Who is Shelby's best pet-pal?

We have friends who have two dogs, Ella and Pepper. (Their last name is Mintz). She enjoys playing with them but is clearly the alpha.

Where is Shelby's favorite outdoor destination?

She loves hiking but we go to the Heritage Trail mostly. That is not a hike, more of a walk, since the Trail is a converted railroad bed.

If Shelby could change one thing about New Yorkers, what would it be?

I think she feels there are too many runners who are not running with her and too many bicycles.

Squeaky toy, ball, stick...?

Shelby loves all people except bicyclists. I suspect she does not see them as people but as some strange creature. She'll play ball but prefers to chase a toy rabbit or squirrel.

And she keeps guard on her yard [photo right] to make sure no little creatures creep in.

What is Shelby's best quality?

Shelby loves people, even the UPS man.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which Shelby could speak, which actor should do her voice?

If she could talk I imagine she would sound like Kevin Clash or Ryan Dillon (the voices for Elmo). No kidding. Very high and excited.

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

I would ask her why she keeps trying to escape from the yard. Does she think there are more exciting things outside?

Visit Eleanor Kuhns's blog and Facebook page.

My Book, The Movie: Death of a Dyer.

The Page 69 Test: Death of a Dyer.

Writers Read: Eleanor Kuhns (July 2013).

--Marshal Zeringue

Alan Beechey & Leila

Who is in the photo at right?

That’s Leila, a female mutt who’s nearly seven, and me. I’m Alan Beechey and I’m the author of a murder mystery series featuring Oliver Swithin, an amateur detective who writes children’s books. (My third title, This Private Plot, is out this month.) An early DNA test showed that Leila has bits of Japanese Akita, Chow, and Shar-Pei, three breeds that a recent National Geographic said were still largely wolf. She certainly has the Akita Inu’s pink nose. I also suspect cat genes.

What’s the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

I’m addicted to both coffee and canines, so just waking up is a good enough reason.

What’s brewing?

Straight illy brand ground roast, in a Mr. Coffee maker, strong setting. Plus half-and-half.

How did Leila get her name? Any nicknames?

My oldest son had a classmate call Leila at his nursery school, and he once said that he’d like to use the name for a pet. I think it was meant as a compliment. And well-deserved. When the real Leila was about four, it was discovered that she had serious hearing difficulties, which hadn’t been detected earlier because she’d simply managed to work around them. So for courage and resourcefulness, a worthy namesake. (If Leila had been a male, she’d have been Bertie, after P.G. Wodehouse’s Bertie Wooster.)

Leila’s full name is now up to The Divine Leila Gretel Kibbles Indiana Bones Sherlock Bones Beechey, Mistress of All Squirrels. (Did I mention I have three boys?) Incidentally, Leila means “night” in Arabic, which is kind of perverse for a white dog.

How were you and Leila united?

She was one of a batch of unwanted puppies rescued from North Carolina by Pet Rescue of Larchmont, New York. We’ve had her since she was four months old.

Are there any Leila-inspired dogs in your new novel?

No, This Private Plot only has a brief appearance by a family cat and the odd sheep. But my first book An Embarrassment of Corpses featured a black cat that was based a former girlfriend’s cat called Smudge, only I renamed him Satan (entirely appropriately). My second book, Murdering Ministers, includes a harrier called Murray in one scene. This was a way of thanking the real Murray’s owner, who was the poison expert I’d consulted on the administration of strychnine.

Does Leila do more to help or hinder your writing?

Leila is the perfect beast for a writer: her morning walks give me time to think and plan, and then she withdraws to a modest distance while I’m at the desk. My children, on the other hand...

Where is Leila’s favorite outdoor destination?

I live in Rye, New York, which is on the Long Island Sound, and during the long winter months, at least one of our beaches is open for dog-walking. There’s nothing Leila likes better than chasing a tennis ball along the sand until she gets bored with fetching, paddles into the sea, and drops it just of out of my reach. Incidentally, a wallow in the ocean – although she’s not a swimmer – is a feature of every beach trip, even in sub-freezing conditions. But try to put her in a nice warm bath...

Squeaky toy, ball, stick...?

Tennis ball, all her life. Sock. Anything made of Nylabone.

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

Squirrel. Her frequent attempts to pursue a squirrel up a tree trunk are what make us suspect the cat genes. That and her habit of trying to bury her number twos.

What is Leila’s best quality?

Well, of course, she’s smart, she’s affectionate, she’s beautiful. She is boisterous but not aggressive. But although she’s only a fraction Akita, she exhibits a lot of Akita traits, which includes a certain aloofness with other dogs and with people. She’s polite and curious and happy to romp for a while with a puppy on the beach or join a sprint in the park, but then she slips away, preferring her own company. Her philosophy of socializing boils down to “do no harm, take no crap.” I think if more humans started out with this as a basic tenet, the world would be a better place.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which Leila could speak, which actor would do her voice?

When I was training Leila as a puppy, it was hard at first to find a tone that was firm without being fierce. I finally evolved a voice that implied I was morally scandalized by any disobedience, like the prim headmistress at an academy for young ladies. So my scolding voice tends to be that of the magnificent British character actress Joyce Grenfell, or occasionally Dame Maggie Smith at her most vinegary. (“What were you thinking, young lady?”) As for Leila, a thoroughly American dog? Oh, Sarah Vowell, who did Violet in The Incredibles.

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

Why are you talking like Sarah Vowell?

Visit Alan Beechey's website and blog.

The Page 69 Test: This Private Plot.

--Marshal Zeringue

Suzanne Johnson & Tank and Shane

Who is in the photo at right?

The three amigos? In the center is me, Suzanne Johnson, who writes urban fantasy as myself and writes paranormal fantasy and thrillers as Susannah Sandlin. I answer to anything. My partners in crime are Tanker Abbott (left) and Shane O’Mac (right). Tank is a 14-year-old black chow/retriever mix. Shane is a 15-year-old Irish Terror, um, I mean Terrier, mix.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

We’re getting antsy waiting for our two releases coming in June (Allegiance, #4 in the Penton Legacy series, and Lovely, Dark, and Deep, #1 in The Collectors series, in which Shane and Tank are both characters). And what better thing to calm the nerves than…caffeine? (Yeah, we’re sorta backwards down here in Ala-freaking-bama.)

What's brewing?

A cup of Community Coffee with Chicory, in honor of my New Orleans hometown, and a big bottle of sugar-free Italian Cream Coffee Mate, in honor of my redneck heritage.

Any treats for you or your dogs on this occasion?

Always. Since they prefer their coffee without, you know, actual coffee, Tank is chowing down on a small mountain of Milk Bone MaroSnacks and giving the Chow Chow evil eye to Shane, who’s daintily smacking on Beneful Beef and Cheese Baked Treats, which Tank wants—badly—but can’t eat because they upset his delicate constitution. And when his constitution is upset, mama is upset.

How did your dogs get their names? Any aliases?

They were both acquired during an unfortunate period in which I was unhealthily fascinated by professional wrestling. But shhhhhh… they think Tanker and Shane are old family names.

How were you and your dogs united?

Shane was acquired by subterfuge. She’d escaped wherever she originally lived and followed home the child of a coworker’s illegal immigrant neighbors. They threw away her collar but then proceeded to neglect her, locking her up in their overgrown backyard and leaving her to play with old beer cans and sleep on a wet, molded mattress. My coworker staged an intervention. In the dead of night, after getting me to agree to take the poor little terrier named Flicky, he stole her. We made the handoff on a street corner in New Orleans’ Mid-City the next day. She was totally unsocialized. Have you ever met an unsocialized 1-year-old terrier? Oh my God. I had no idea what I was in for.

Fortunately, about three months into our harrowing relationship, she made friends with a shaggy, emaciated stray, who proceeded to sit outside my fence for days--until I let him in and fed him while calling animal control to take him away. He cried when they put him in the truck, breaking my heart, so I followed them to the pound and paid $50 to adopt the dog I’d just turned in. Welcome home, Tanker [photo right], and thank you for socializing Shane. The nine-month-old had heartworms, weighed 35 pounds, and had been living on leaves, which he still has a fondness for. He gained fifty pounds in six months, and is now, fourteen years later, a creaky old man. He’s still my baby, though.

How do your dogs help--or hinder--your writing?

They are great help. Being master escape artists and fearless adventurers, they provide a lot of fodder for book material, leading me into parts of New Orleans I would otherwise never have visited and thus giving me new places to set scenes in my Sentinels of New Orleans series. You know, like the bar of the Columns Hotel, after they escaped my yard and entered the hotel on the pretense of being with a hotel guest. After they’d enjoyed happy hour hors d’oeuvres for a half hour, the manager figured out they were begging from complete strangers and got my phone number off their collars. Or the CJ Peete housing development, notorious for its drug culture and violence, where I made a cash-for-dog exchange outside the Godbarber salon with an enticing backdrop of razor wire and graffiti. You can’t make this stuff up.

Have any actual dogs inspired fictional dogs in your writing?

My best friend’s beloved dog Jagger died while I was beginning to write Lovely, Dark, and Deep, so I named my main character’s best friend Jagger. Then I made it an all-pet book. Almost all the characters in the book are named after my and my friends’ dogs. The main character is Shane, and the heroine’s dog is a black chow-lab mix named Tank.

Squirrel, postman, cat....?

I’ll let them answer.

Shane (lifts head from treat): Cat? Where? I want a cat! You promised you’d get me a cat. Hey, a cat passed within a mile of here recently! I must find it! I won’t kill it. I’ve only killed one and it was an accident, I swear. I want a cat.

Tank: You and your cats. I’m telling you, postmen are evil. They want to break in and steal things. They wear uniforms. UPS men are bad enough, but postmen are sneakier because their assault is daily. When’s the last time a cat tried to come in the door? If not for me, everything we own would be in the hands of a postman by now.

Who are your dogs' best pet-pals?

Shane recently lost her play-buddy Jagger, a black lab three times her weight and height. (Don’t tell her she’s short; she doesn’t know.)

Tanker does not associate with animals other than Shane, being convinced they are only a step above postmen on the food chain. He particularly hated Jagger, with whom he was forced to live while we evacuated for Hurricane Katrina.

What is each dog's best quality?

Shane [photo right] is a problem-solver and absolutely tenacious, which has its good and bad points. She’s really funny and a bit of a show-off. Tanker is endearing because he loves me and me only. He’s funny and affectionate with me; surly or aloof with everyone else. I kind of like that in a pet. By God, we all deserve to be special to someone!

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

I would stay home with them all day, stop working on the computer when I am home, and would constantly serve them chicken. Did I mention Shane would commit murder for chicken?

If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which your dogs could speak, which actors should do their voices?

Remember those old Barbara Streisand movies where she played these totally annoying, fast-talking, hyperactive women? That’s Shane. Vin Diesel has already contacted me about doing Tank.

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

To Shane: Why are you obsessed with cats and chicken?

To Tank: Remember the drunk guy who stuck his hand through the fence and then you came trotting in the house with his glove dangling from your teeth? Did you chew off the index finger of the glove before or after you pulled it off his hand?

Visit Suzanne Johnson's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

Lisa Schweitzer & Doc

Who is in the photo at right?

My name is Lisa Schweitzer and I’m a freelance writer for Write 2 Fly-Fish. I also work part-time at a restaurant in West Seattle. My dog (whom I share with my husband), is “Doc”. We think he is about 2 or 2 ½. He is most likely a lab/chow/pitbull/Aussie mix. His looks reflect all of them, but his personality is definitely lab all the way. We rescued him while we were living in Eastern Washington during my husband’s first year of medical school, hence the name inspiration.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Every morning Doc lays by my feet while I enjoy my morning cup of joe and work on my laptop… He does this for about two hours until he starts to get anxious to go to the park. I think he feels this machine attached to a cord that I loudly tap away at is a detriment to his well-being and overall quality of life. In his defense, I would have to agree, but then again, he doesn’t make any income for us, so he shouldn’t complain. (I contradict myself a lot when speaking through my dog…)

What's brewing?

Usually whatever my med school roommates brew up (Tully’s, Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts… whatever was on sale) since they get up before I do to study, so I rarely make the morning batch of coffee. (Yes, my husband and I currently live with two other medical students. It’s been a fun past year experience, but we are in the process of moving into our own apartment.)

Any treats for you or Doc on this occasion?

On the way to the off-leash dog park nearby, we have started a dangerous ritual of stopping at the Metropolitan Market and getting a sandwich at their deli (usually the Melted Mozz aka MM sandwich that has melted mozzarella, basil, arugula, tomato and prosciutto.) and I end up giving Doc part of it while we eat it in the car.

How were you and Doc united?

My husband and I stalked his photo on petfinder.com for almost 3 months while living in Pullman, WA, and finally went to the shelter in Moscow, ID where he was being held on October 31st 2012 and ended up taking him home the next day. So, we celebrate his “birthday” on Halloween since his actual birth date is unknown.

How did Doc get his name? Any aliases?

As I said earlier, he got his name from the inspiration that his new dad was in medical school to become a doctor, and it was an idea that ended up sticking. As far as aliases go, he has several… Hound Chow, Wolf Puppy, Monkey, Chow Face, Wolfacinno (with an Italian accent for some reason), and the list keeps growing… We say all of the names in the same tone, so he responds to all of them. (His parents are a little weird.)

What's the wildest critter Doc has encountered in the wild?

That’s funny that you ask this question, and I hope there are no “Squirrel Protection Advocates” who read your blog or might come across this post… We were told by the shelter that Doc would not do well with cats. What we didn’t realize is that cats were just large squirrels in his eyes. A lot of dogs go crazy when those fluffy tailed creatures are around, but our dog actually killed one (a squirrel that is, not a cat thank God)… in front of my mother-in-law’s face while she was dog-sitting him at the park. All she said was he took off running faster than ever, and moments later she heard the squeals of a critter in distress. By the time she made it up the hill to where Doc had run off to, the squirrel was gone.

You're a fly-fishing expert. Has Doc ever gotten rambunctious when you were just about to hook a big fish?

Doc always goes ballistic when a fish is being fought. Luckily, he has never jumped in where the fish might be laying or caused a ruckus to where he may have scared anything away. He did try and jump on a wild steelhead that my husband was about to land in shallow water, but thankfully he just got the line and the fish came off and swam away. We try not to harm wild steelhead, so we do our best to keep Doc away from them just in case.

Does Doc have a favorite place to go for outings?

Doc’s favorite place is the off-leash dog park. He isn’t picky about which one, but anywhere that has water that he can swim in and chase after his ball. He only has one ball he likes, and it’s an orange and blue Chuck-It ball that floats and bounces. He would probably swim after it until he drowned from exhaustion, so we try and limit his swimming time to 20 minutes or so. He is an avid, hyper-obsessive “ball dog”.

Who are Doc's best pet-pals?

Doc’s best dog-friends are his “cousins”: A pug named Xabi (pronounced, “Shabby”), a Golden Retriever named Duchess, a terrier mix named Callie, a Pomeranian/Chihuahua mix named Coco. We are also dog-sitting a friend’s dog, Thompson, for about a month, and they are like brothers separated at the litter.

What is Doc's best quality?

I would have to say his goofy and super sweet personality. He rarely barks, so when company comes over (dogs or human) he doesn’t bark or growl at them when they come in the door. In fact, he’s a little too friendly to anyone who comes in the door, so I don’t know if he would be a very good “guard dog” if necessary. He sure is a big love.

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

He would probably take away my job and my computer. He assumes I have nothing else to do but take him to the park and feed him.

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

I would ask him to fess up to how many squirrels and kitties he has harmed… and why.

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

That one is tough, because I see him as a kid and don’t know a lot of child actors who could voice him, but if he was an “adult” character in the movie, I would have to say Billy Crystal.

Visit the Write 2 Fly-Fish website and blog.

--Marshal Zeringue

Brendan O'Meara & Smarty and Jack

Who is in the photo at right?

I’m Brendan and I’m a writer [Hi, Brendan!]. I'm with Smarty and Jack. Smarty is a yellow lab/chow mix and Jack is a Jack Russell/skipperke mix.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

I slam back java with these two mutts every day. Jack is the more sociopathic of the two so he’s always in close orbit of me.

What's brewing?

These days I’ve been lucky to have a Starbucks gift card, so I’ve been rockin’ grande Pikes with a splash of half and half. At home I use a French press, but to be ’Merican, I call it a Patriot Press. I grind Peet’s Blend whole beans—bean by bean with my teeth—and let it rest in the Patriot Press four five minutes in near-boiling water.

During the summer I’ll buy large Dunkin’ Donuts hot coffees. Because I’m cheap, and out of protest for iced coffee being more expensive than hot coffee when you get less coffee by volume, I nurse it and when it reaches room temp, I’ll add ice cubes.

Any treats for you or your dogs on this occasion?

I’m quite Draconic when it comes to giving them treats. I try to keep extra weight off their bones. The little guy is about 11 years old and has the energy of a puppy. The blonde is nine years old and is still real perky and just a joy to be around, still likes to run and is playful. So I like to think keeping their diet in check is giving them their best shot at a painless senior chapter.

How did your dogs get their names? Any aliases?

When we adopted Smarty his name was Eli, which was pretty lame, so I renamed him Smarty (after 2004 Kentucky Derby winner Smarty Jones) before he could jump in my car. As a New England Patriots fan, had I kept the name Eli, I might have shunned my dog after the 2008 and 2012 Super Bowls.

Jack was named Jax when we adopted him in DC. His full name is Jackonius Maximus. I call him Diggy sometimes, or Jack-Jack, but more often than not he gets called Dip Shit or Asshole.

We don’t go out in public very often.

How were you and your dogs united?

Adopted Smarty in 2005 in Durham, NC. He was about 1-2 years old. I went to the shelter and it was between Smarty and a hound dog named Ralph. Smarty, who has an Eeyore quality to him, lay in a stream of his own pee in his kennel. Ralph was also pretty cool, but Smarty and I had a great chemistry in the consult room so I chose him.

Jack …

Jack …

Jack …

Melanie wanted a dog while she was living in DC but her landlord would only allow smallish dogs. He was the only option. We think he was a bait dog in a fighting ring since he has nicks on his ears and tongue. Naturally he still has PTSD and, as a result, is completely neurotic and mildly medicated.

How do you dogs help, and how do they hinder, your writing?

They almost never hinder my writing. They hinder it only when they sit by me and fart. Jack is more clingy and his company is nice. I like when he buddies up to me while I’m clicking away at the ledger. Smarty is less insecure and spends his time in his cage or in our bedroom.

Squirrel, postman, cat....?

Jack hates squirrels. If he ever catches one he’ll snap its neck. Same for cats. When the “red switch” goes on, as Cesar Milan says, Jack feels no pain. If he and a cat got into it, there will be blood. He loves people so he’ll bark and whine out of excitement and jump a bit (despite our efforts to train him not to).

Smarty won’t chase squirrels, but he loves cats. He gets excited if you say “Kitty Cat”. He wants to play with them. They never share that sentiment. He barks at the postman, but he’s a teddy bear.

Squeaky toy, ball, stick...?

Toys are below Smarty. He doesn’t get them.

Jack will play fetch in the Sahara. We use a squeaky ball to distract him while we use our Soda Stream machine to make bubble water (because he goes ballistic at the sound). We use a field hockey ball to play fetch because he’ll tear apart a tennis ball. I could throw a shot put and he’ll try and bring it back.

His space heater might be his best friend. He loves heat. When the space heater is on he buddies up to it. You need to baby sit Jack? Turn on the space heater.

What is each dog's best quality?

Smarty’s freakish sense of empathy.

Jack’s pigheadedness.

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

I’d like to think they’d streamline my life and make me worry less. What do they crave? Food, water, exercise, a bed, and love. Pretty simple and they couldn’t be happier.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which your dogs could speak, which actors should do their voices?

Smarty=Patrick Warburton or Ray Romano

Jack=Gilbert Gottfried or Woody Allen

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

What was your life like before you entered our lives and when you’re dreaming what do you see?

Visit Brendan O'Meara's website, and read more about his book Six Weeks in Saratoga: How Three-Year-Old Filly Rachel Alexandra Beat the Boys and Became Horse of the Year. Follow the author on Twitter, and "like" Six Weeks on Facebook.

--Marshal Zeringue

Lanier Scott Isom & Sparky, Dakota, and Bear

Who is in the photo at right?

Lanier Scott Isom, author and journalist. Sparky, male, five, terrier/chihuahua mix.

Picture of dogs [bottom right] in back of truck:
Dakota, male, one year, Australian shepherd/golden retriever mix.
Bear, male,13, chow/rottweiler mix. (In the background in the truck.)

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

During the week, I love to go to the Continental Bakery, an eclectic gathering place decorated with velvet art and a hodge podge of different chairs and mismatched tables, known in Birmingham for making incredible breads and pastries that are true works of art. I avoid the Starbucks down the street teeming with the beautiful people---young college students, housewives in lycra and slick business men.

At Continental Bakery you find real people engaged in real conversations---professors and retired men talking politics, professional men and women stopping in as they head over the mountain and down the hill into the city, mothers and children, artists, folks from the neighborhood. But more importantly you find people with their dogs. On the weekends, I like to take our dogs for a special treat. Sparky can hang out with me on his leash while Bear and Dakota stay in the back of the truck as we visit, drink coffee and eat chocolate croissants.

What's brewing?

I’m simple when it comes to drinking coffee. I like a decaf with milk and brown sugar.

Any treats for you or your dogs on this occasion?

Dakota likes to bring his stuffed chew toy that squeaks. Just riding in the back of the truck is a treat for Bear, who starts barking and whining the minute he hears the truck crank up in the driveway. Sparky gets car sick easily so no treats for him.

How did your dogs get their names? Any aliases?

All of our dogs are rescue dogs. When we brought Bear home from the Humane Society, he was already named. We thought we’d change it, but we never did because he did indeed look like a bear.

Right before Christmas last year we decided to find a dog for my daughter Frances, partly because our beautiful, sweet dog Sophie was declining; partly because my son Clint and Sparky had become a team and Frances wanted her own companion; and partly because she was having trouble sleeping in her room alone and we thought a dog would make her feel safe. It just so happens at Christmas we have elves who visit Frances. When we adopted Dakota, she wrote a note to the elves asking them whether she should name her new puppy Cassidy or Dakota. The elves chose Dakota.

How were you and your dogs united?

I have to go back to the beginning of my married life to set the stage for Bear. My husband and I got married the year after we graduated from college. It wasn’t a fancy ring or amazingly romantic proposal that hooked me: he reeled me in with two black puppies he bought from the Nashville Humane Society when he was supposed to be studying for his last exam. There I was sitting in the living room of my apartment one block off St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, listening to the Grateful Dead, when I look up and two black puppies---named Samson and Delilah---come scrambling through the open French doors and skid across the hardwood floors. We added Bud, Chad and Max (also known as Che Guevara) to the mix and Bear came along when the last of our original dog family, Max, had lost his all of his companions.

Do your dogs contribute to your writing?

Heck yeah. When I have those blissful moments of uninterrupted time to write while my children and husband forge their separate destinies, I hunker down in my home office and the dogs settle in around me, taking a morning nap. All is well until the neighbor’s dog starts barking, the garbage truck rumbles its impending arrival or a woodpecker mistakenly starts pecking the side of my house and then, outside they go, to leave me in quiet solitude. Their presence gives me a sense of protection and even spiritual support as if they know I’m embarked on an important journey I couldn’t take without their peaceful companionship.

Who are your dogs' best pet-pals?

Bear: The squirrels he chases.
Dakota: Dirty socks he steals from the laundry.
Sparky: His neighborhood nemesis, another yappy dog, next door.

What is each dog's best quality?

Bear: His loyalty.
Dakota: Being laid-back and going with the flow.
Sparky: His wisdom and compassionate humor that emanate from his Yoda-like eyes.

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

Bear would insist I take him on more walks and adventures in the creek.
Sparky would ask me to give Clint a break on his homework.
Dakota would tell me to relax more.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life in which your dogs could speak, which actors should do their voices?

I’m not sure these actors would be the perfect voice for my dogs, but they could play them in a movie.

Dustin Hoffman would be Sparky. Short and fiesty.
Val Kilmer would be Dakota. Cool but a little goofy.
Robert Downey Jr. would be Bear. Sensitive but tough, and a little bit unpredictable in a frenetic kind of way.

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

Bear: What was your life like before we adopted you from the Humane Society?
Dakota: What was your life like before we adopted you from the Humane Society?
Sparky: What was your life like before we found you, alone and homeless?

Visit Lanier Scott Isom's website and blog.

Writers Read: Lanier Scott Isom.

--Marshal Zeringue

Susan Sherman & Henry and Bessie

Who is in the photo at the right?

Hi, my name is Susan Sherman and I’m the author of The Little Russian which was published last month. The unassuming canine to my right is Henry Head, a Chow/Aussie mix, 15 years old or thereabouts. Henry was a real rescue, right off the street, so we don’t exactly know how old he is. On the other side is his bratty sister, Bessie Sherman, a lab/pit mix, six years old, named after my grandmother, Bessie Sherman née Berta Alshonsky. Berta is also the protagonist of my novel, which is based on my grandmother’s story set during the Russian revolution and the civil war that followed.

What’s the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Whenever I take my furry kids to the doggie spa for a bath, we always treat ourselves afterwards to an ice coffee and several pieces of dehydrated liver. I usually forgo the liver because I’m watching my weight, but I give my share to the canines.

What’s brewing?

I’m not real picky about my coffee, but I usually like to stop at Peets and order whatever they’re brewing with lots of ice, soy milk and sugar. Henry always orders a double espresso because he has trouble staying awake. He’s a chow, which means he’s always guarding his toys and needs his caffeine to stay alert. Bessie likes bling, so it’s a mocha latte with sprinkles and two pink straws in a glitter cup.

How were you and your dogs united?

I found Henry when I was working in TV. I used to take long walks whenever I had to come up with story ideas and one day there he was looking terrified and hungry. I tried to coax him with kind words, but he kept running away. I finally gave up and went to Jack in the Box for a plain hamburger, no pickles, no ketchup or mustard. Well, the rest they say is history. Only it’s not really, because Henry had had a terrible life and hadn’t been socialized. He’d growl and show his teeth to everyone he’d meet. The vet said he would never make a family pet and advised me to put him down. But instead I put the vet down or at least erased her number from my contacts and now, after fifteen years, Henry is the friendliest dog you’d ever want to meet. Except if you happen to be another dog and then he still growls and shows his teeth.

Bessie came to us from Downtown Rescue. She had belonged to homeless people who were placed in a shelter that didn’t allow dogs. By now she has completely forgotten her roots and is comfortably ensconced in her pink frilly bedroom, forever texting on her IPhone decorated with rhinestones that spell Bessie!

How did they get their names?

My son Ryan named Henry. As I said, Bessie was named after her great grandmother. We have many nicknames for the kids: Bessie Lou, Bess, Boodal, Bessel and Bessela, Hen, Henri Quatre, Hensgerling, Bud and Buddy.

What role have your dogs played in your writing?

Let me just say right up front, that contrary to statements recently made in the press, Bessie Sherman did not write The Little Russian. Yes, she has an extensive vocabulary, but she is a dog and she doesn’t have opposable thumbs. So I don’t see how she could make the claim that she is the real author of The Little Russian. All right, so she gave me a few ideas, but I didn’t even use them all.

Do your dogs have a favorite place to go for an outing?

Any place where there is a lot of cat poop or horse poop to eat, dead, decaying things to roll in or squirrels to chase. I prefer a nice hike in the Santa Monica Mountains.

What is each dog’s best quality?

Henry is loyal and brave, and although he’s pretty much afraid of everything, including small flying insects, at least he acts brave. Bessie is good with fashion, outgoing and very affectionate.

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

Henry would change nothing. He thinks I’m perfect in every way. I often catch him gazing at me as if he can’t quite believe his good luck at having found me.

Bessie thinks I should stop wasting time at the computer and focus on her and her needs.

What is each dog’s proudest moment?

Every morning Henry protects his home and toys from a strange man carrying a large satchel filled with magazines and envelopes, who is evidently up to no good.

Bessie got a genuine plastic gold medal for her precision execution of “down” at obedience school. (this is true!)

If your dogs could speak in the movie about your life, who should do their voices?

Bessie could be played by any of the girls on Jersey Shore. Jack Nicholson in About Schmidt should play Henry, the same bewildered gruffness.

Visit Susan Sherman's website and blog.

The Page 69 Test: The Little Russian.

--Marshal Zeringue

Man Martin & Zoe

Who is in the photo at right?

Zoe, a Chow-Golden Retriever mix. And me, Man Martin, author.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Whenever I have a free day, I enjoy sitting on the patio in the morning drinking coffee and writing with Zoe and my chicken, Sorche. She’s a barred roc bantam.

What's brewing?

Very strong Colombian coffee. My wife and I are somewhat coffee snobs and feel coffee’s too weak unless you can stand a spoon upright in it.

Any goodies for Sorche, you, or Zoe to go with the coffee?

Sorche pecks at some beet greens nearby or scratches for earthworms. Being a true omnivore, she must eat a certain amount of sand and pebble as part of her regular diet. Zoe licks herself. Me, I just stick to coffee.

Rumor has it that Zoe knows how to spell. What's the story?

When Zoe was little, if we said the word “walk,” she’d go crazy running around in anticipation. To save her disappointment, Nancy and I took to spelling it out. For a while that worked, but then she’d go crazy when she heard W-A-L-K. As a result, Nancy and I had to re-arrange the letters, throwing in Qs and Xs just to throw Zoe off track. K-L-A-W, Q-W-A-E-R-L-K. Like that. Consequently the poor dog never did learn to spell, a shortcoming for which Nancy and I have only ourselves to blame.

Does Zoe have any role in your books and writing life?

My new book Paradise Dogs has nothing to do with Zoe or canines at all; it refers to hotdogs. I don’t worry about Zoe being disillusioned, however, because, as I have already mentioned, she can’t spell worth a lick.

Cat, squirrel, postman...?

Zoe loves to chase squirrels, but fortunately for the squirrels is not very good at it. The squirrel invariably dashes to the backside of the nearest tree and then straight up. Zoe is infallibly mystified by this maneuver, and is left staring stupidly in the wrong direction like a yokel who’s been duped ten times in a row by the same magic trick.

Where is Zoe's favorite place for outings?

We have a wonderful park nearby with a trail that winds around a lake and with plenty of other dogs, not to mention geese and ducks. In the springtime the goslings hatch and we watch them mature day by day as we walk. In the summer, it’s the ducklings’ turn. There seem to be a certain number of snapping turtles or some other predator, because there’s always considerable inventory shrinkage among the young ones. Harsh, I suppose, but otherwise the lake would pretty soon be wall-to-wall ducks and geese and besides, snapping turtles got to eat too, you know. In the springtime, there is also a plant, which a friend says is a variety of privet bush, with such sweet-smelling flowers, it’s not an exaggeration to say the fragrance almost makes you dizzy.

Who are Zoe's best pet-pals?

Our next-door neighbor has a Morkie named Mia (a cross between a Maltese and Yorkie) that frequently comes to visit. She and Zoe get along famously which makes life very good when either we or our neighbor have to go out of town.

If Zoe could change one thing about your wife, what would it be?

Nancy has very severe opinions on the topic of Dogs-Sleeping-in-Beds-with-People. I am inclined to take a more latitudinarian view, which Zoe finds broad-minded and reasonable. When Nancy is out of town, there is a sufficient shift in the balance of power that Zoe gets to sleep where she likes.

What is Zoe's best quality?

This is corny and something every dog owner will say, but love. She has a sense of humor and a joie de vivre, that fills your heart to see. She is an athlete, and in good weather, will run circles in the front yard, pivoting with one shoulder so low to the ground, the grass blades must tickle it. She is very good at sitting and will “stay” most of the time, especially if she has reason to believe there’s a treat involved. But her best quality is love. I defy anyone who has felt the utter, un-self-conscious love of a dog not to feel love in return.

Visit Man Martin's website and blog.

--Marshal Zeringue

Lela Nargi & Jaffa

Who is in the photo at right?

That’s me, Lela, a freelance reporter and book author, and my girl Jaffa, a 10-year-old mix of Rottweiler, Chow, and Lab (best guesstimate).

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

I actually stopped drinking coffee several years ago – I loved it, it didn’t love me. Now I drink 2 cups of strong tea every morning in order muster the courage to face the world out there on the streets of Brooklyn when I take Jaffa out for her morning walk. Or in this instance, a romp through Prospect Park.

What's the beverage du jour?

Barry’s, extremely hot and dark, with a very small drop of milk.

Any treats for you or your dog on this occasion?

Unfortunately, true to her Lab-y nature, Jaffa is completely food-obsessed. She rarely gets a Greenie or a Wellness peanut butter treat anymore, for the simple reason that having been so treated, she will beg incessantly. For days.

How did Jaffa come to be united with you?

We used to live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, back before it was fancy. Every pet owner in the neighborhood hung out at BARC, the Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition, and bought food and supplies from its bizarre and hilarious owners, Tony and Vinnie. One day, friends called to say they’d “borrowed” a puppy from BARC for the day, did we want to come down to their shop and see it? The puppy, of course, was Jaffa. Having had no intention of ever owning a dog, we adopted her an hour later.

How did Jaffa get her name?

Being food-obsessed ourselves, we named her after Jaffa Cakes, the English biscuits topped with orange marmalade and dark chocolate, which is what her coloring reminded us of.

Does he/she have any influence on your writing?

Yes, she gets me out of the house for even just a few minutes every morning before I start to write, which ensures that I am actually a part of the world at large and not some misanthropic freak chained to her desk.

What's an ordinary day like for your dog?

Wake up at 5:00AM whining for breakfast; 5:15-5:17 eat breakfast; 5:18-7:00, lie around; 7:01-8:25, whine for my daughter’s breakfast, my breakfast, my husband’s breakfast, get some pats around the ears, wander around with eviscerated fur squeaky toy dangling from mouth; 8:30-8:45 walk around the neighborhood; 8:46-early afternoon, lie around until someone has to go out on an errand, then go out for another walk; 3:30-5:00PM, whine for dinner; 5:01-5:03 eat dinner; 5:04-8:30, whine for other people’s dinners, lie around, bark at neighbors coming home, snarf a few crumbs off the kitchen floor; 8:31-9:00, go for evening walk; 9:01PM-5:00AM, lie around.

Does Jaffa have a favorite place to go for walk?

Prospect Park in Brooklyn – although this is less of a walk than it is a fiesta of off-leash-hours ball chasing until too sore to walk. Uh, her, not me.

Squirrel, postman, cat...?

Oh by all means: squirrel.

What's Jaffa's best quality?

Optimism. Every day offers the renewed possibility that someone will forget to replace the lid on the garbage can.

What's Jaffa's proudest moment so far?

The time she barked at the person who was stealing my bicycle from the hallway; if only I’d listened!

Her most embarrassing?

The time we came home from a walk down by the Williamsburg waterfront and she barfed up a stewed tomato, three rocks, and a cigarette butt.

Visit Lela Nargi's website and blog.

--Marshal Zeringue

Pam Townsend & Tango and Ceiligh

Who is in the photo at right?

Me, Pam Townsend, writer, photographer, and vice president of the SPCA/Humane Society of Prince George’s County, MD, hanging out in the backyard with our two dogs, Tango, an 11-year-old collie/sheltie/Akita/chow chow mix (according to a DNA test), and Ceiligh (pronounced KAY-lee) an 8-year-old pointer/JRT.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Who needs an “occasion” for a good cup of coffee, and what better way to enjoy it than in the company of my favorite canines? I can usually be found sipping mine while sitting at my computer as Tango and Ceiligh snooze at my feet, or if the weather is warm, I sprawl in an Adirondack chair on the patio while they protect the yard from squirrels.

What's brewing?

Starbucks mocha…I’m addicted! I usually go for decaf. (And don’t say, “Why bother?” I get plenty of caffeine from the English Breakfast tea I brew at home.) Today it’s hot mocha, but when I’m sitting outside in the spring or summer, it’s definitely iced.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

Not today. Once I realized how many calories are in a mocha, I try to think of it as a major treat to be savored without the “distraction” of other textures and flavors.

Any treat for your dogs on this occasion?

Tango and Ceiligh are enjoying a freeze-dried chicken breast strip today…although they’ll have consumed every morsel long before my mocha is gone.

How were you and Tango and Ceiligh united?

My husband, Mark, and I adopted Tango and his littermate Samba (who sadly died last February from hemangiosarcoma) when they were almost 14 weeks old. We saw them at an SPCA adoption show and they looked so much like Boris, our beautiful black Lab/golden retriever who had just passed away, that they made us cry. And that was that.

Ceiligh joined our family 3 years later. Mark and I went into a pet supply store to get goldfish for our pond, and a local rescue group was there with a litter of black-and-white puppies. After holding Ceiligh for a few minutes—just to help socialize her, you understand—I was smitten. So instead of goldfish, we went home with an 8-week-old, 5-pound puppy.

How did your dogs get their names? Do they have any nicknames?

Tango and Samba joined our family when Mark and I were taking ballroom dance lessons, so dance-related names just seemed natural. I came up with Fred and Ginger, but Mark thought they were too “obvious.” Of all the dances we’d been learning, tango and samba made the best names. When we adopted Ceiligh, we wanted to stick to the dance theme. A ceiligh or ceilidh is an Irish or Scottish dance or dance party. It’s turned out to be really appropriate since she doesn’t so much walk as prance around. When talking to them, we sometimes call them things like Tango Booshmoo, TangoBoo, and Ceilighwicious; disgusting, isn’t it?

You are a professional photographer. What's the trickiest thing about getting a dog to stay in the frame for a photo?

I absolutely love photographing dogs but it can definitely be a challenge sometimes. If a dog knows basic commands, like “sit,” “down,” and “stay,” it’s obviously much easier to do a portrait-type shot. But if it’s not trained or it’s a puppy, it’s a whole different story. I’m always prepared with lots of yummy treats for rewards—or bribes—and usually bring a variety of props—everything from dog toys and old riding boots to baskets and feather boas—for them to interact with. If they’re really high energy, I’ll usually play with them a while to wear them out before trying to photograph them. And I’ve gotten really good at making “interesting” noises to get their attention.

Please tell us about your dog photo books.

Because Tango and Samba—like their two predecessors—were black dogs, I became aware of the difficulty black shelter dogs face finding homes, a situation sometimes referred to as “Black Dog Syndrome.” In an effort to increase awareness of this issue and to expose people to the beauty and diversity of black dogs, I self-published a photo book called Black is Beautiful: A Celebration of Dark Dogs.

More recently I produced A is for Angel: A Dog Lover’s Guide to the Alphabet, which features the photos of dogs whose names begin with each letter of the alphabet. Profits from the distribution of both books, which are available on my blog, support selected animal welfare organizations.

Tennis ball, Frisbee, squeaky-toy...?

Tango likes rubber ball-type toys and kongs. Currently, his prized possession is a thick, somewhat squishy rubber ball that looks like a white-and-orange globe. He loves for us to throw it for him, inside or out; Mark once tossed it to him for 135 times in a row. Often when we’re eating dinner, Tango will drop his ball near Mark’s legs, then back up and stare at Mark for several minutes before giving up. He also likes to drop the ball in the tub—and then retrieve it—while I’m taking a bath.

Ceiligh, although also very fond of playing fetch, is most enamored with her collection of “babies,” stuffed toys of all shapes and sizes. She can—and does—spend hours carrying around the baby of the moment or curling up and mouthing it till it’s rather damp.

Who are Tango and Ceiligh's best pet-pals?

Tango isn’t what you’d call a dog’s dog, having a rather prickly personality when it comes to most canines, but he absolutely adores my parents’ 14-year-old yellow Lab, Abby, perhaps because he met her when he was only 5 months old. He only sees her a few times a year but each time he does, he acts like an infatuated school boy with a canine cougar, play bowing, pouncing, and nuzzling her ears.

Ceiligh likes Abby almost as much as Tango does, but being of a more social nature, she also has other casual doggy pals, including those she attends agility class with and the parade of foster puppies that have used our house as a way station between the county shelter and their forever homes. Still, when it comes down to it, I think Ceiligh thinks she’s the same species that I am and would rather spend time with me—and some of my friends—than other canines.

Where is Tango and Ceiligh's favorite place for an outing?

Both dogs enjoy hiking in the woods of Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains or spending a week on Hilton Head Island, SC, where they can walk the beach and run in the waves. Ceiligh is a particularly strong swimmer and adores aquatic retrieving.

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

They’d probably prefer it if I had fur coat like theirs so that I wouldn’t be so negatively affected by the cold. That way, I’d walk them more in the winter.

What is each dog's proudest moment?

I’d say both dogs are proudest of being included in my books,…although Tango still hasn’t gotten over the fact that I chose Samba to be the Black is Beautiful cover girl.

Most embarrassing?

I’m guessing that the most embarrassing moments for both Ceiligh and Tango have involved being dressed up for Halloween or Christmas photos, although they tolerate the humiliation pretty well.

Visit the Digital Doggy Photography website and the Dancing with the Digital Doggy blog.

--Marshal Zeringue

Lynn Kiele Bonasia & Kiele

Who is in the photo at right?

This is Kiele (pronounced Kee-lee), an 8-year-old mixed breed who we think is part lab (obvious), part border collie (she herds) and part chow (black tongue). And this is her mother, Lynn Kiele Bonasia, author of novels set on Cape Cod, the latest of which, Summer Shift, came out on June 1st from Touchstone/Simon & Schuster.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Today was the inaugural launch of our little boat in the Town Cove and, seeing as it was before 10 AM, naturally there was coffee involved.

What's brewing?

Trader Joe's fair trade Joe's Blend. Not so glamorous, I know. But it's cheap and it tastes good.

Any goodies to go with the coffee? Any treat for Kiele on this occasion?

No goodies or treats. Didn't want either of us to get seasick.

How were you and Kiele united?

Kiele came from an animal shelter in Broward County. We were living in Florida at the time. After our beloved golden retriever died, I swore I'd never want another dog. But then after a year, I found myself looking at pets up for adoption on their website. One day I saw Kiele. I took my son there and we just fell in love with her on the spot. She was very affectionate but also a bit shy.

Does Kiele have any influence on your writing?

Kiele is a great companion. I live alone and she fills the house with doggy goodness which, in turn, makes me happy which, in turn, creates a warm environment for me explore my creativity. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

How did Kiele get her name? Does she have any aliases?

As you see, Kiele is my middle name, which was my maiden name. It was shortened from Lithuanian "Kieslauskis" but probably that's a good thing. "Here, Kieslauskis!! Good Kieslauskis" Um...no. When we got her from the shelter, her name was "Blanchi." So we believe she's bilingual.

Squirrel, cat, postman...?

UPS guy. And the raccoons who've taken up residence in the attic. (Don't ask.)

Tennis ball, Frisbee, squeaky-toy...?

Kiele is like me. If you throw a ball to us, it hits us and falls to the ground. Then we look at it, shrug and walk away. Her favorite toy is a ratty old piece of rope that we play tug of war with.

Where is Kiele's favorite outdoor destination?

Nauset Harbor is at the end of our street. There's a little sandy, dog-friendly beach that Kiele gets to visit just about every day.

Who is Kiele's best pet-pal?

She gets along with most dogs but has no pet she plays with regularly.

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

I don't eat red meat, which means she doesn't either. Not until my kid comes home from college.

What is Kiele's best quality?

Unlike my golden, who loved to just take off, Kiele stays with me. When she's off the leash, she runs ahead but always checks back to make sure I'm in sight. And if I sit down on the beach, rather than roam off, she sits by my side. She's also just a friendly, affectionate, smart dog.

What is the most amusing thing Kiele does? The most frustrating?

Love when she tries to shake herself off while she's still in the water. And when she chases her own tail. Love watching her from the back, how her ears flap when I take her on walks. Cracks me up. The most frustrating thing, hands down, is how she sheds. For about 3 months every spring, you can just pull out tufts of hair. No matter how often I brush her, it just keeps coming. And it's white. And I love to wear black. Ugh.

Lynn Kiele Bonasia has been a freelance advertising copywriter for more than twenty years. She has published short fiction in The Seattle Review and The Miami Herald, among others. Her debut novel, Some Assembly Required, was published in 2008 by Touchstone/Simon & Schuster.

Among the early praise for Summer Shift:

"Warm, intelligent and charming. A moving read with characters that stay with you long after you have turned the last page."
--Santa Montefiore, author of The French Gardener and The Perfect Happiness

Read an excerpt from Summer Shift, and learn more about the book and author at Lynn Kiele Bonasia's website and blog.

--Marshal Zeringue

Lucy Balch & Rudy

Who’s in the photo to the right?

I’m Lucy Balch, author of Love Trumps Logic, a Regency romance. I’m giving my dog, Rudy, one of the many kisses he gets during the day—from me, my daughter or my husband.

What’s the occasion for coffee?

For me, it’s actually my neighbor’s authentic chai tea. Whenever I stop by her house with Rudy, mid-walk, she brews me a cup. It’s way better than Starbuck’s chai latte. I keep trying to get her recipe, but—so far—it’s a tightly held secret.

Any snacks with that chai?

If she’s in the middle of cooking, she always offers some delicious Indian tidbit to go with the tea.

Does Rudy get a treat too?

Rudy’s funny about treats. He won’t take them unless he’s home, and able to take the treat to another room to eat. You know how the PetSmart cashiers offer mini biscuits to visiting dogs? Rudy never takes them. There’s a man in our neighborhood, who walks with his Corgi. He offered Rudy a cat treat one day, and Rudy gobbled it right down and begged for more. I guess cat treats are tastier than dog treats.

How was Rudy united with the Balch family?

I found Rudy one rainy day on my way home from work—on a grassy median in the middle of a highway. He was sitting, tongue lolling to one side, watching the cars go by as if what he was doing made perfect sense. Fearful that this silly dog would get hit, I pulled over. Another lady stopped to help, and we managed to get Rudy onto my backseat—he was a bit hesitant at first.

I took him straight to a vet, who told me he was about a year old and in good health. Part Chow, part Shepherd, part Golden, and the vet pronounced him to have a wonderful personality too.

We later found his owners through the county pound. Rudy had a prior record, since his wanderlust had caused him to jump their fence on two other occasions. Initially, we gave him back, but through an occurrence of pure serendipity, I ran into one of the owners again. She told me that he wouldn’t stop crying, that he missed us, and that—if we wanted—we could have him back. We took him back. That was 8 ½ years ago.

What about Rudy’s influence on your writing?

I grew up with cats and Rudy is my first experience with a dog. He’s helped me to write a believable dog for my work in progress.

Where did Rudy get his name?

I found Rudy right after 9/11, right after seeing Rudy Guiliani help New York City during one of the worst days in history.

Does Rudy have aliases?

Ru, RuRu, Puppy, Puppy wuppy, Fluff ball, Fuzz butt, or Goober (if he’s being particularly goofy).

What sets Rudy in motion?

Another dog, more than anything else, although he’d also chase the neighborhood deer if I’d let him. And he never wants to chase to hurt; his goal is to play.

What about toys?

Rudy loves squeaky toys, and he’ll nibble one until he gets the squeaker out. He’s not good at sharing his toys. We’ve also noticed that he tends to get his toys out when he’s feeling impatient or excited.

Where does Rudy like to go?

Rudy’s favorite destination is probably the dog park, although any place where his family is going is good enough for him. He does not like to see the suitcases come out.

The dog park is a twenty-minute drive; when he realizes where he’s going, his ears perk up and he starts singing (that’s the best way to describe the pitch shifts and vocal inflections that come out of him).

Does Rudy have a pet-pal?

Rudy’s best pet-pal is our cat, Cutsie, who was already part of our family when Rudy joined it. At first, she was so scared of him that she wet the floor (or us, if we were holding her) whenever he was around. That quickly changed. They’re best buddies now.

What is Rudy’s best quality?

So many qualities come to mind, but I’d say it’s his sweet spirit. He might have the face of a Chow and a Shepherd, but he has the heart of a Golden. He’ll offer his paw in greeting to anyone he meets.

What’s amusing about Rudy?

With age, came farts. They used to scare him out of a good sleep, but now he’s used to them and sleeps undisturbed. On the strange-funny side, he veers away from all drains on the street, terrified of them. Maybe, in his first year of life before we knew him, a cat popped out of one and attacked him. Whatever the reason, it’s a hardwired phobia. He’d rather walk in front of oncoming traffic than go anywhere near a drain.

How does Rudy frustrate you?

Rudy has very strong ideas about where he does and does not want to walk. If we try to lead him down an undesirable pathway, he stiffens his front legs and refuses to walk. A battle of wills ensues, and Rudy is often the victor. A human win requires much pulling and firm admonitions, with Rudy grumbling loud enough to let you know he’s not pleased.

Lucy Balch's Love Trumps Logic is available on Amazon.com or through Second Wind Publishing.

Visit Lucy Balch's website and blog.

--Marshal Zeringue