Molly Caro May & Bru

Who is in the photo at right?

Here we are doing what we do best together—leaping off hay bales on our land in Montana, having fun. I’m Molly Caro May and I teach place-based writing workshop around the country. My debut memoir The Map of Enough: One Woman's Search for Place also hit bookstores in March 2014. This is Bru. He’s a boy, or “big man” as I call him; he’s almost six; he’s a mutt: Great Dane, Mastiff, Hound, we think.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

There is a hot beverage brewing in the background here. It’s about 100 yards away in our yurt. No need for a formal occasion because we are together most of the time.

What's brewing?

I don’t do coffee. Never have liked the taste. So we are drinking a ginger tea here. Raw ginger sliced. Hot water poured over it. Bru isn’t on board with ginger yet. It makes him peel his lips back.

Any treats for you or Bru on this occasion?

He does appreciate the whites of a soft-boiled egg.

How were you and Bru united?

I found Bru at the Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter. Didn’t intend to come home with a dog. But he was there, stretching in this small cage. All the other dogs were hyper. He gave me one loud deep bark and then eye-d me. I felt like we were having a conversation and I knew he needed a place to run. We lived on 107 acres. He seemed to deserve that sort of vastness. It took me one night to convince my husband that this was our dog. We had wanted to wait another six months or so, but sometimes timing isn’t a choice.

[photo left: May and Bru inside the yurt]

How did Bru get his name? Any aliases?

He was 1 ½ when we got him. He came with the name Bruno and we felt it would be strange to change his location and name all at once. I couldn’t deal with Bruno—reminded me of an Italian Mafioso. So, we shortened it to Bru. My husband jokes that his name is Brutus. But my secret name for him is Brujo, Spanish for wizard.

Does Bru do more to help or hinder your writing?

He is critical. He sits by me and gives the eye. The eye means: What exactly are you doing sitting down in front of that computer? Let’s go play. So I go play and when I’m out playing I have 5,468 ideas for whatever I was writing and I come back energized and more aware of everything.

Does Bru--or any other dog--appear in your new book?

Bru is one of the main characters. People at book signings ask me about him.

Cat, postman, squirrel...?

Try deer. If he sees a group of deer and they bolt, especially if it’s spring and the smells are rising up from melting snow, he’s gone. He’ll be gone for hours. Once two women with a horse trailer picked him up; then a man found him crossing a busy road near Kmart in town a month later. We’ve found him hanging around in the ditch, so thrilled by his adventure he ignores our calls. He comes back with snags from barbed wire fences. We tried a shock collar once, but I could never bring myself to do it. Now that we have a daughter, he’s slowed down somehow. He won’t run as long or as far. We think he wants to stick around more, or feels some level of responsibility for her.

Ball, squeaky-toy, stick...?

None of the above. He has no retriever in him. He likes watching a stick fly in the air but once he runs to it, he doesn’t know what to do with it. Here again, deer antler. He’ll chew on one of those all day long. He also loves to hunt bugs.

Who is Bru's best pet-pal?

Watson (male) and Dolce (male) and Chui (female). Separate families. They have all stayed with us and Bru gets cozy, though he seems to prefer male dogs to female dogs. Loves it.

What is Bru's best quality?

His combo of exuberance and mellowness.

If Bru could change one thing about Montanans, what would it be?

He would probably say, “Please don’t be so territorial. Please let me run all over your land, even if you have sheep or cattle.” We do worry that he’ll end up on the wrong person’s land and get shot for trespassing. That seems to happen.

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

This one is emotional for me. I was sick for almost all 10 months of my pregnancy. Bru watched me and spent a lot of time with me then. I think it scared him. We no longer went on long walks together. I was grouchy. I threw up a lot. Right before I gave birth, he had a weird autoimmune flare up and we thought we might lose him—this from a dog who had never been ill. Six months after giving birth, I was diagnosed with postpartum hypothyroidism. The exact same day, he was diagnosed with hypothyroidism too. We are both on thyroid meds for now. I hold his snout near my nose all the time and whisper, “You don’t have to take this on.” So it’s not so much a question but more of a releasing. I want him to know that he doesn’t have to mimic me. I’ve heard of how many dogs take on their owner’s illness. This is the thing about dogs. They are such feelers, such empathizers. I really believe that. I’d like Bru to be free of that.

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

Ahhh, this will take me 5 hours to figure out. I’m not good with movie star knowledge. But I could say someone with a deep voice who is playful and wise as hell.

Visit Molly Caro May's website.

The Page 99 Test: The Map of Enough.

--Marshal Zeringue

Lauren Atkins & Winston and Maggie

Who is in the photo at right?

I'm Lauren Atkins, instructional technologist and food blogger at haveforkwilleat.com. My canine companions are the very distinctive Winston, a five year old basset hound-shad pei mix. His "little" sister is Maggie, thinks she is a tiny kitten but is actually a 3 year old English Mastiff.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

It's stormy out and when it rains, we like to curl up with a cup of tea and watch tv together while I work on recipe ideas. Maggie in particular is a very snuggly dog. Winston just really enjoys naps and very much hates rain.

What's brewing?

This occasion is technically Chai with a Canine. Iced chai tea latte in the summer; hot chai in the winter. I like to make it super frothy and add a lot of cinnamon on top. Winston and Maggie get water…preferably (for me) clean water from their bowls, preferably (for them) water from a puddle on the patio.

Any treats for you or your dogs on this occasion?

They get wheat-free dog treats (Maggie has allergies) and occasionally, when they look just far too cute to turn down, cubes of cheese.

How did your dogs get their names? Any aliases?

Winston just looked like a Winston, even at the tender age of 8 weeks, when he was all wrinkles and skin. His full name is actually Winston Churchill, and occasionally he goes by Sir Winston or The Prime Minister, depending on how lordly he feels that day. Maggie's full name is Margaret Thatcher [photo left], though "Maggie" fits her pretty well.

How were you and your dogs united?

We got Winston as a young puppy. We were looking to adopt a pair of lab puppies but stumbled upon him and he was too cute to pass up. He was so adorable that people would pull their cars over on the street just to ask us what kind of dog he was. Maggie came a couple years later, after we'd bought a house with a yard. We got her from a mastiff rescue at 9 months old.

What role do your dogs play at your Have Fork, Will Eat blog?

My dogs are my editors, but their grammar is atrocious, so really it's just in name only. Otherwise, they are a soundboard for ideas, keep watch over me while I'm cooking and provide companionship while I write. They're negotiating for a taste-testing role but so far that deal hasn't panned out.

Squirrel, postman, cat….?

While they are interested in both the neighborhood cats and the postman, their true nemeses are the squirrels and the walnuts they throw.

Squeaky toy, ball, stick...?

Laser pointer. Really.

What is each dog's best quality?

Winston [photo left] is extremely smart, while Maggie is just the sweetest thing ever.

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

We'd feed them table scraps.

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

Winston: Patrick Stewart.

Maggie: Frances McDormand doing the accent from Fargo.

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

To Winston: How exactly did you know it was going to rain?
To Maggie: Why do you hoard all the toys?

Visit the Have Fork, Will Eat blog.

--Marshal Zeringue

Maria Firkaly & Henry and Copper

Who is in the photo at right?

Maria Firkaly, Freelance Social Media Consultant, Jack of All Trades (Marketing, Development, Grant Writer) for a small non-profit in NorthWestern Pennsylvania, and amateur photographer.

Henry, the big black lummox, is an 11 month male Mastiff/Boxer/Labrador mix.

Copper, is a 6 year old female mutt. I asked my vet what he thought she was, and he said “She is like the typical yellow dog you find in a third world country.” Nice, huh?

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Sunday afternoon with the mutts at the Bark Park calls for some caffeine. Henry and Copper are a handful.

What's brewing?

Iced Coffee. When the weather gets warmer it’s a great treat in the afternoon. Maxwell House, Breakfast Blend with French Vanilla creamer, it was the best deal at the market recently. I make a full pot and keep some for later.

Any treats for you or your dogs on this occasion?

I packed a picnic lunch for my two boys, fiancé and I. Henry and Copper were so busy playing; they didn’t even try to find out what we were eating. We brought along some mini dog biscuits. Henry inhaled his. Copper was too excited and spit her treat out. Typical Copper.

How were you and your dogs united?

Copper is a pound puppy. My sons and I fell in love with her at our local shelter. She was 6 months old and had the most beautiful eyes. We took her home that same day.

My fiancé, Matthew and I were out looking for a new pup last September. We had lost Matt’s dog, Chelsea to cancer earlier in July. Matt and Copper missed her so much. I knew it was time to add a new personality to the household. We were out visiting local shelters and stopped at a small convenience store in the middle of nowhere. On the front window was a flyer advertising a litter of puppies. Henry was “free to a good home” and I’m glad he’s in ours!

How did your dogs get their names? Any aliases?

Copper came with the name. When we first met Matthew kept calling her Cooper, so now she comes to either. She is Cooper the Pooper Scooper (I wish she scooped the poop!)

We had picked up some snacks at the convenience store the day we saw the flyer, one of which was an O’Henry candy bar. We decided to be extremely corny and name the new pup Henry. I fondly call him “Henny”.

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

Both dogs get excited when we offer a ride to the “Bark Park”. Copper is learning how to Dock Dive and loves using the pond at the Conneaut Lake Bark Park to practice.

Squirrel, postman, cat...?

For Copper, most definitely squirrel. She is a mighty hunter! Henry is a piece of work. He gets worked up by random objects, like the lawn cart. Oh Henry!

Squeaky toy, ball, stick...?

Henry is the toy lover. He is crated when we’re not home. As soon as we let him out of the crate he runs around and tries to fit all the toys from his crate into his mouth. He will also sneak any stick, the bigger the better, into the house.

Copper will only play with toys once Henry has sufficiently annoyed or enticed her with one. He will stand over her and force the toy into her mouth. Copper does get excited when fetching in water. She will happily dive into the lake and retrieve a stick, over and over again.

Who are your dogs' best pet-pals?

Up until two years ago, Copper was the only dog in our house. When Matt’s dog, Chelsea became ill last year, she moved in with us. Chelsea and Copper became very close and my girl was lost when Chelsea died. Copper took to Henry right away. She even taught him how to behave around our cat, Silver. Copper would run over and touch Henry’s nose and then the cat’s when he would play too rough.

Henry? Henry loves Copper, but he follows me around. I’d have to say he and I are best pals.

Both dogs are friendly and get along with other mild tempered dogs. We found a new friend at the Bark Park recently, Duke.

What is each dog's best quality?

Copper is a sweetheart. I’ve never had a more loving dog. No one can resist her pretty eyes!

Henry entertains us. This dog pours himself off the couch, oftentimes falling back asleep halfway down. We love his playful attitude.

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

They would like it if I was able to work from home every day.

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

Will Farrell would be Henry’s voice. Henry has a doofy (cross between dumb and goofy) look on his face, which reminds us of the characters Will Farrell portrays.

Copper would be best voiced by Uma Thurman. She is sexy yet tough as nails.

Visit the Crazy Mutt Marketing website and Facebook page.

--Marshal Zeringue

Shannon & Rama

Who is in the photo at right?

My name is Shannon and I am a SAHM to 3 children and a host of critters. I am a former veterinary technician and obedience instructor. I love to write and compete with my dogs.

My dog’s name is Rama. She turned 15 months old on the 23rd of this month. She is a Cane Corso (pronounced kah-nay kor-soh).

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

I have coffee with Rama every day here at home, after the older kids have gone to school and we have done our walk. We also frequent a local café on Saturday mornings after dog obedience class.

What's brewing?

Every morning and evening I have a large coffee from McDonald’s, one cream and eight Splendas. When we go out—usually after dog class on Saturdays-- it’s a Peppermint Mocha Latte with soy milk and no whipped cream.

Any treats for you or Rama on this occasion?

I usually have an omelette. By this time Rama has consumed a bunch of liver treats in class and shows no interest in what is on the table.

How did Rama get her name?

One day while watching my favorite soap opera, they introduced a beautiful character named Rama. I am also very interested in Hindu dieties and art. Rama is an incarnation of Vishnu—a Hindu diety celebrated for his unending compassion and courage. I immediately said to myself that my first Corso would be named Rama.

Any aliases?

Rama Mama, Rama Llama, Rama Llama Ding Dong, Pup-Pup, Puppy.

Please tell us a bit more about the Cane Corso breed and what attracted you to it.

The Cane Corso (also called Italian Mastiff) is descended from the Roman war dog canis pugnax. They are a leaner, more athletic dog than other mastiffs and can have either natural ears and tail or cropped. They were just accepted into the AKC last year and came to this country from Italy in the late 80’s.

I love molossers. I had Rottweilers for several years and am attracted to large, powerful guarding and working breeds. I am quite stubborn myself; I have been told that I attract dogs with the same qualities. I was attracted to the Corso’s reputation as a loving family dog and low key house dog.

How were you and Rama united?

I had been looking at a few different breeders for a show pup and found one whose dogs I liked. She happened to be near me so I went out to her place a few times to look at her dogs. About a week later she emailed me some photos of an older pup she had. Apparently a gentleman out of state had put a deposit on Rama and never showed to pick her up. She offered her to me. I took the kids back out to her place to visit with Rama. She was about 5 ½ months old, gentle, sweet and happy, immediately playing fetch with my middle child. She did not jump on the children and was very well behaved, not to mention beautiful. Her face reminded me of my very first Rottweiler in that there was a lot behind the eyes. I was sold. She went home with us that day.

Does Rama have a favorite place to go for an outing?

She loves to walk around our neighborhood. We do about 3.5 miles every day. She also enjoys going to the beach.

Squirrel, postman, cat...?

Nope. She is a very non-reactive dog. She is not overly barky and shows no interest in chasing squirrels or cats or anything, really.

Squeaky-toy, ball, stick...?

She does like sticks, legos (much to my chagrin) and squeaky toys.

What is Rama's best quality?

Her solid temperament.

Who is Rama's closest pet-pal?

Sadly, my other dogs (they are little) will not play with her so her closest pet-pal would probably be her litter sister Lily, whom she sees at shows and when we go to visit her breeder. She loves to play with her.

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

She would prefer I pet her constantly.

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

I envision her with the voice of a small child. Sort of like those Subway commercials where the adults have little kid voices.

Visit the Raising Rama blog and learn more about the Cane Corso breed.

--Marshal Zeringue

Kirsten Stade & Lamar, Fozzie, and Sandy

Who is in the photo at right?

I'm Kirsten Stade and I work for a nonprofit environmental group helping defend public employees who blow the whistle on agency environmental misdeeds. I also teach dog training classes, groom dogs out of my home, and volunteer at my local humane society.

In the photo I am with my old friend Lamar, a 12-year-old Anatolian shepherd mix I rescued as a young dog from the Santa Fe Animal shelter when I lived there years ago. My intention was to foster him, and that lasted about 3 days.

I currently have two foster dogs as well as Lamar. Fozzie Bear is a Mastiff mix I rescued from a nearby shelter two years ago with every intention of finding him a home quickly. Sandy is our newest foster; she is pictured with my sweetie and co-conspirator Florian Rouiller.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Lamar and I celebrated my birthday on the outer banks of North Carolina with my family last year. We are an outdoorsy lot and love to explore new places with all the dogs!

What's brewing?

Unlucky for Lamar, I'm afraid the beverages I enjoyed for my birthday were not dog-appropriate! Fozzie is rather particular with food and drink; he likes mountain spring water better than anything.

Sandy will try just about anything; she wanted to try some Leinenkugel's Berry Weiss [photo right] but don't worry, Florian stopped short of allowing her to guzzle his brew.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

Lamar and I got to share some birthday carrot cake.

How were you and your dogs united?

I met Lamar when I visited the shelter with my co-worker to take his wife, who worked there, out to lunch; I saw Lamar, who was named Toby, and Toby extended his paw to me repeatedly, and I told the shelter staff that if his time ran out, they should give me a call.

I met Fozzie after I got permission from the rescue group I volunteered with to pull a dog from a high-kill shelter in Maryland. I wanted to pull an older, calm, medium-sized, female of some easy-to-find-a-home for breed. I brought Florian with me, and Florian stuck his tongue between the bars of the cage that contained Bullet, a massive, powerful, adolescent male who was on death row because he'd failed his evaluation due to an overabundance of energy and poor impulse control. Bullet exuberantly returned Florian's overtures, which is how he came to be named Fozzie Bear and living with us.

Sandy is the result of my receiving an email about a dog who was stressed out at the shelter where I volunteer, right when I was in a vulnerable mood.

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

Lamar Latrell is named after the famous nerd in Revenge of the Nerds, one of my favorite movies of my youth.

Fozzie Bear was the furthest thing I could think of from Bullet and the perception some people might have of such a large, powerful, muscular dog.

Sandy's name was given her by the shelter.

Squirrel, cat, postman...?

Fozzie's prey drive is through the roof. Lamar has some interest in prey species but is nice to the postman. Sandy seems pretty good around other species, especially humans. I don't completely trust her around my parakeets yet, but she may be able to be placed with a family with a cat--I can get back to you on that one if anyone's interested!

Where is your dogs' favorite place for an outing?

Our favorite places are hiking trails all over Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia and the pups love any place they can run free and get wet.

Our favorites are all on our blog.

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

Lamar is a Frisbee star--he can catch them behind his back in midair. Sandy and Fozzie haven't figured out how to catch yet, but Sandy is an amazing jumper [photo right].

Who are your dogs' best pet-pals?

Lamar is not a huge fan of any other pets, though surprisingly he sometimes plays with Sandy the annoying little pup. Fozzie and Sandy usually have a lot of fun together, though Fozzie gets tired of Sandy's constant harassment.

What is each dog's most endearing quality?

Lamar likes to take his Frisbee and place it on the grass and then throw himself down on it and roll around on his back, making happy groaning grunting noises.

Fozzie is the most sensitive dog I have ever met, and if any human is ever upset Fozzie is on that human's chest or lap. Generally he can't get close enough to his people.

Sandy grunts and snorts a lot when she chews on things, but also when she kisses you and when you pet her.

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

Probably the fact that I have this compulsion to acquire other dogs! I think each of them would prefer having us humans all to themselves.

What is each dog's proudest moment?

I'm pretty proud of the progress Fozzie and I have made on his leash reactivity. We still have work to do, but we've learned a lot.

Sandy does great at adoption events--we've been proud at every one I've taken her to.

It's hard to pick one proud moment from 11 years with my main man Lamar. I'm proud of him for his incredible athleticism at the age of 12, his airborne Frisbee catches, his love of swimming, and his paws, which were the reason I rescued him and are still so expressive.

Visit the Peaceful Dog blog.

--Marshal Zeringue

Annie Tupek & Dinah

Who is in the photo at right?

Princess Dinah, she’s a four-year-old English Mastiff, and me, Annie Tupek. I write SF/Fantasy and am also the Assistant Manager and Buyer at Gulliver’s Books, an independent bookstore. I’m currently shopping around a first novel, which is an adventure in itself.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Winter is in full force in Fairbanks, Alaska and my coffee intake is inversely proportional to the amount of daylight. I’m on two cups a day right now, in January I’ll be pounding down three or four, and at the height of summer (when we have almost 24 hours of sunlight) I don’t drink coffee at all.

What's brewing?

What my Barista, Sarah, calls a Chocolate Monkey Mocha. North Pole Coffee Roasters medium roast espresso with banana and coconut syrup, bring a little of the tropics to the arctic.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

Homemade banana bread with lots of walnut chunks.

Any treat for your dog on this occasion?

A Greenie. Dinah loves ‘em. Can’t say green around her without her tail wagging and drool dripping from those jowls.

How did Dinah come to be united with you?

A friend of mine adopted a dog from Homeward Bound, a rescue organization, and told me that they had an English Mastiff. I called them the next morning and made an appointment to meet Dinah. My husband and I were the first potential parents that she didn’t growl at. Linda, the rescue agent, was amazed; Dinah had been to two different homes that hadn’t worked out and Homeward Bound had housed her for a year. The next day she came to live with us and we’ve had her for about two years now.

How did she get her name?

She came with it; we didn’t want to change it since she wasn’t a puppy anymore. Princess is a honorific that we added because she’s a spoiled, snobby dog.

Does she have any influence on your writing?

She listens when I read aloud and wrinkles her forehead in appropriate places. She also likes to go outside within five minutes of when I sit down to write. I’ve got a couple of story concepts percolating in my mind involving a snotty English Mastiff, but nothing too solid yet. She’s also great fodder for my blog, specially on her ‘naughty’ days.

What's an ordinary day like for your dog in the summer? In the winter?

Dinah likes to nap year-round and we go for a walk every day. In the summer she likes to chase bees and birds. In the winter she hunts the shrews that live under the snow and whines about the cold.

Does Dinah have a favorite place to go for walk?

We normally walk around the neighborhood, it’s a rural area and there are lots of interesting smells for her. There are also several dogs and she likes to strut past them wagging her tail high as though she’s saying ‘Look at me, I’m out on a walk.’ She also likes the trails around Creamer’s Field, a former dairy that has been turned into a wildlife preserve. It’s a stop for Sandhill Cranes during their migration and leashed dogs are allowed when the cranes are visiting. I think she likes the excited energy of the birds and other lucky dogs that get to see them.

What's Dinah's best quality?

Her desire, and ability, to sleep twenty hours a day. She’s a big, cuddly pillow and has inspired me to take many a nap.

What's her proudest moment? Her most embarrassing?

Her proudest moment was when she faced down a moose that had entered our yard. Her bark sent it running across the street into the woods. Dinah’s most embarrassing moment was last winter when an off-leash neighborhood dog went running by. Outside on a potty break, she let out a play bark and scrambled to give chase, but the ground was icy and she slipped and slid in the opposite direction. Her big eyes looked to see if I was watching and I had a hard time not laughing at her.

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

She would want me to allow her on the bed. She has her own memory-foam toddler-sized beds in almost every room of the house, but she covets the center position on the master bed. But with a 150 pound dog there would be no room for me or my husband. No doggy on the bed, but she sneaks onto it whenever she gets the chance.

Visit Annie Tupek's website and blog. Her short story "Aldevowering Chesterfield" appears in the newly released Courting Morpheus, a New Bedlam title.

--Marshal Zeringue