Maryglenn McCombs & Garcia

Who is in the photo at right?

That’s me, Maryglenn McCombs, with Garcia, my nine-and-a-half year old Old English Sheepdog. Garcia, as you can probably tell from the photo, is a pretty sizable dog. He weighs in somewhere in the 120-130 pound range.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

How could I resist the opportunity to talk about two of my favorite things – coffee and my dog?

What's brewing?

Really, really, really strong French Roast – brewed with cold water, and consumed black.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

No goodies, but always served in my favorite Old English Sheepdog coffee mug, a gift from my husband.

Any treat for Garcia on this occasion?

Always! My morning routine is to wake up, make coffee, and read the paper while sitting at the kitchen counter. Garcia usually tumbles out of bed shortly after me, joins me in the kitchen, and knocks on the door to our pantry until I give him at least one Milk Bone.

How did Garcia come to be united with you?

Oh, I hate to admit it, but I bought Garcia from a breeder. I’ve always been a dog lover and do lots of rescue work with our local humane association, but feel a little guilty about having bought a dog when there are so many wonderful homeless animals available for adoption and waiting for good homes. I grew up around Sheepdogs and knew that I wanted a Sheepdog of my own. When I got Garcia, I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a breed-specific rescue. Do I feel guilty? A little. If I could go back in time and change it? Not on your life.

How did Garcia get his name?

I named Garcia after one of my heroes, Jerry Garcia. When Garcia has his full coat, I swear there’s a resemblance!

Where do you usually take Garcia out for fresh air?

Garcia and I walk around the neighborhood every morning. I don’t know which of us enjoys our walks more. We live in a very dog-friendly area, and I think Garcia and I both enjoy getting out, seeing the neighbors – both human and canine – and starting our day this way. One of our neighbors described Garcia as “the most recognizable and popular dog in the neighborhood.” I loved that!

Where is the best nearby dog park?

Our nearest dog park is at Centennial Park here in Nashville. It’s a wonderful park. Garcia and I made a few journeys to the dog park which he always seemed to enjoy. Unfortunately, we no longer go to the dog park these days.

Last August, Garcia went completely blind. He has a condition called immune mediated retinopathy and after treatment, his sight was partially restored. The condition came back this April and we tried treatment again, but this time the treatment was not successful, so Garcia is completely blind now and his veterinary ophthalmologist believes that the blindness is going to be permanent.

Garcia’s losing his sight was so clearly a bigger deal for me than for him. I was really worried about how he would adjust, if he’d be able to lead a happy life, still go on his walks, and learn to navigate our home, the steps leading outside, etc. How Garcia has adjusted has been nothing short of incredible. There are days I have to remind myself that he can’t see. He’s completely surefooted, comfortable on his walks, and able to go up and down the steps without my help. His adjustment has earned him the nickname of “Amazing Garcia.”

I had read that blindness in dogs was not such a big deal, but had a hard time believing it until I saw how Garcia adjusted to not having sight. It is nothing short of remarkable.

So in a completely circuitous way of answering the question about the dog park, we don’t go to the park now that Garcia is blind. Garcia loves all dogs, but unfortunately, not all dogs love him. With him being blind, I wouldn’t want to put him in a situation where he might encounter an unfriendly dog off-leash.

Would Garcia rather chase a squirrel, a cat, a car, his tail, the mailman, ...?

The only thing I have ever known Garcia to chase is a Milk Bone. He probably would chase his tail if he had a tail, though.

Would Garcia rather catch a squirrel, a cat, a car, his tail, the mailman, ...?

None of the above. He would much rather catch a Milk Bone.

Which TV dog is Garcia most similar to?

Oh, boy. That’s a tough one. In looks alone, Garcia is definitely most similar to the dog in “Please Don’t Eat the Daisies.” (Am I ever dating myself!) He’s also a lot like The Shaggy Dog, Wilby – smart, mischievous, and a little bit goofy.

What's the most embarrassing thing Garcia ever did?

I think it’s a lot funnier than it is embarrassing, but years ago, Garcia developed a terrible crush on our mail carrier, Kathy. He would wait at the door around the time she’d come by to deliver our mail and on more than one occasion, I caught him “posing” for her – lying in the floor on his back with all four paws straight up in the air. I kid you not…

And I guess I should mention the Santa debacle of a few years back, too. My husband and I sent out Christmas cards that feature a photo of Garcia with Santa each year. One year, during the photo session, Garcia decided that he wanted to play tug with Santa’s beard. Not good!

Groucho Marx said, "Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside a dog, it's too dark to read." Was he right?

Totally! I actually have that quote on my web site – www.maryglenn.com.

Garcia is so much more than a friend – he’s a lovable, loyal, and faithful companion.

I have a home office, so I spend my days working with Garcia at my feet. I’ve named him my Employee of the Month -- every month.

So Garcia’s a pure bred?

Yes. He’s an Old English Sheepdog, also known as a Bobtail, or “Shaggy Dog.”

What is Garcia’s best quality?

Unbridled enthusiasm.

What are some of the best lessons you’ve learned from Garcia?

There are way too many to list! I love how he’s shown me resilience in his being able to adapt to being blind, and I also love that he approaches every day with a “best day of my life so far” attitude.

What surprises you most about Garcia?

Undoubtedly, I’m amazed by how smart he is. Most Old English Sheepdogs I’ve been around are like clowns: they’re big, furry, shaggy creatures and they wiggle like crazy. Beneath Garcia’s cuteness is a whole lot of smart. He learns very quickly, and is very observant.

Maryglenn McCombs, a 1993 graduate of Vanderbilt University, has been actively working in the book publishing industry for over 10 years. During that time she has been involved with literally hundreds of books.

Now she offers targeted book publicity for a wide variety of authors. Visit her website.

--Marshal Zeringue

Kelly Dean Jolley, Ahab & Sadie

Who is in the photo at right?

One of my pit bulls, Sadie, and me. She is a three-year old chocolate red nose. Her running mate, Ahab, a five-year old red black nose, is not in this picture.

I am Kelly Dean Jolley, the Chair of the Philosophy Department at Auburn University. I work in the theory of judgment (also called “philosophical logic”) and metaphilosophy (also called “the philosophy of philosophy). I write primarily on or under the influence of various philosophers: Wilfrid Sellars, Elizabeth Anscombe, Ludwig Wittgenstein, J. L. Austin, Martin Heidegger, Edmund Husserl, Gottlob Frege, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Søren Kierkegaard, Immanuel Kant and Plato.

As a change from writing philosophy, I also write some poetry. The shift in disciplines uncramps my hand.

What is the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

My usual one—morning coffee with the dogs in the backyard. We usually head out around dawn and they romp or nap or woolgather while I think or read, preparing for class or working on whatever I am writing. Pit bulls are excellent companions for thinking; they are themselves contemplatives.

What is brewing?

Pressed Sumatra, black, hot and thick.

Goodies?

This morning, toasted Cinnamon Raisin Bread and cream cheese. The dogs enjoyed a portion.

How did your dogs come to be united with you?

Like my previous pits, Ahab was a rescue dog. Alabama is lucky to have a fine pit bull rescue group, Turtlemoon Rescue, and I found him through them. He’d been bought for fighting. The people who bought him kept him as pits are often kept, at the end of a heavy logging chain in a deserted backyard. An elderly woman who lived next door pitied him. His only human companionship was a small boy who sometimes stopped by to throw rocks at him. The neighbor had a fenced backyard and asked if his owners would like to let him come into her yard so that he could run off-the-chain. They did so; one day, they brought him to her and then left town.

She kept him for a while, but when he got bigger, she began to worry that she could not control him, so she asked her daughter, a horsewoman and farmer, to take him. He was living with the daughter in North Alabama when I got him. She had done a lot to rehabilitate him. But she unfortunately believed the common demonizing of the breed: for instance, when I picked him up she warned me that pit bulls have double-jointed jaws so they can lock on a victim and chew the victim simultaneously. (A dog that can have his cake and eat it, too, I guess!)

Sadie I bought as a pup. She was the pitiful looking runt of a litter, so I was able to buy her for little money. I would normally never buy a pit bull, both because there are so many on death row in pounds; and, because so many (not all) breeders are actually enemies of the breed, who, in a conscience-less effort to sell their dogs, evilly contribute to the demonism.

Both dogs have grown into delightful adulthood. Ahab has overcome most of the deficits caused by his early months. Sadie plumped into a beautiful example of the breed.

How did your dogs get their names?

I have typically used a formula to name my male pits: find the name of an ancient tyrant that is also the name of a memorable character in literature, and give it to your dog: hence, ‘Ahab’ (and before him, ‘Nero’). My wife named Sadie. I wanted to give Sadie the name, ‘Jezebel’ (the tyrant Ahab’s wife). It tickled my black-humor bone that dogs were on the scene at each of Ahab and Jezebel’s gruesome deaths. But my wife thought this was just too much (she so often saves me from myself), and so she chose ‘Sadie’.

Physicists have Schrödinger’s cat. Do philosophers have a particular, famous dog?

I can’t think of a named dog that plays a role in philosophy. (Arthur Schopenhauer was famous for his daily walks with his poodle, Atma.) However, dogs do grace some important pages of philosophy in important ways. For example, Socrates argues (in the Second Book of "The Republic") that well-bred dogs are truly philosophical, effectually a model of the philosopher, of the lover of wisdom, since dogs love wisdom so well that they act always on distinction of knowledge from ignorance, welcoming the known and warding off the unknown (so as to safeguard the known). As Vicki Hearne, dog-trainer and philosopher puts it, commenting on Socrates’ comparison: Safeguarding the known and warding off the unknown has “always been philosophy’s traditional chastity and discipline.”

Ludwig Wittgenstein, the philosopher who most preoccupies me, also sometimes writes of dogs in memorable ways. In "Philosophical Investigations" he asks: “Why can’t a dog simulate pain? Is he too honest?” Later in the book he observes, “A child has much to learn before it can pretend. (A dog cannot be a hypocrite, but neither can he be sincere.)”

Interestingly, Hearne, in her book, "Bandit: Dossier of a Dangerous Dog," from which I took my earlier quotation, likens Wittgenstein himself to a pit bull. She characterizes him as sharing their deep gameness: “[Wittgenstein was] a pit bull of a person who grabbed hold of philosophy with all his heart and did not let go.”

I can’t mention Hearne without recommending her work, particularly "Bandit" and "Adam’s Task: Calling Animals By Name." The latter is, among other things, a brilliant book of philosophy, and it contains the greatest of all writing on pit bulls (outshining even James Thurber’s)—a chapter entitled “Lo! The American Pit Bull Terrier” (her chapter title is a pastiche of the title a Thurber essay on bloodhounds).

Do people ever say to you: “Pit bulls? I would have thought a philosopher wouldn’t have such a dog!”

No one has said this to me in so many words, but I have certainly had said to me words that implied such a thought. The thought, I think, is indicative of one of the deepest and often unrecognized sources of the demonizing of pit bulls—social, class, regional and racial prejudice. When a white, suburban, middle-class academic shows up to defend pit bulls, folks are stumped. I do not fit their “profile” of pit bull owners: I am not black, not red-necked, not urban, not rural, not poor, not uneducated. Folks seem to believe that this means I cannot own pit bulls, cannot advocate for them. You can almost hear their unspoken conviction: “Decent folks don’t own these dogs.”

Kelly Dean Jolley is the author of “The Concept 'Horse' Paradox and Wittgensteinian Conceptual Investigations: A Prolegomenon to Philosophical Investigations” and the forthcoming “Wittgenstein: Key Concepts” as well as numerous scholarly articles and book chapters.

He was featured in a September 2008 article in the “New York Times Magazine.”

Read his poem “Alabama Pits.”

--Marshal Zeringue

Barbara Techel & Frankie

Who is in the photo at right?

That is me, Barbara Techel, author of “Frankie, the Walk ‘N Roll Dog,” therapy dog team volunteer, publisher, and lover of dogs, along with my sweet dachshund, Frankie, who is known as the “walk ‘n roll dog.” Now you may be thinking Frankie is a boy, but she is a girl. Her real name is Francesca, but I call her Frankie for short (no pun intended!).

Frankie will be 10-years old on August 20. When I brought her home as a pup I thought I was getting a miniature dachshund, but she kept growing. I later came to find out she is a tweenie (mix between a mini and standard size). So she is my tweenie weenie! Frankie became paralyzed at the age of six so she now rolls happily through life in her doggie wheelchair. She spreads hope and inspiration to school kids, as well as nursing homes, hospital and hospice patients.

What’s the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Now I realize this blog is titled, “Coffee with a Canine” but I must fess up and let you know I don’t drink coffee. I am a tea drinker. So the occasion is making myself a cup before I head out with Frankie to my writing cottage which I call, “MySpace.calm.” We were recently featured in an online magazine called Sheic Space if you’d like to check it out and see pictures plus learn more about us.

What’s brewing?

I often have my Mighty Leaf, lightly caffeinated green tea in my favorite tea cup and saucer, which is my favorite color, periwinkle. I bought it at a garage sale from a lady who is a terrific chef! I always put a splash of lemon juice in my tea as well.

Any goodies to go with the coffee? Or in your case… tea.

Nope, usually not. Unless it is afternoon tea and then I will sneak something chocolate if I have it on hand, or a cookie.

Any treat for Frankie on this occasion?

Again, nope, usually not. Being a dachshund in a wheelchair, we have to really watch her weight.

How did Frankie come to be united with you?

Well looking back I believe it was meant to be that Frankie became mine. I could not explain a good reason why I wanted a dachshund to my husband when he said, “Why do you want a wiener dog?” All I could say is, “I just do.” I bought Frankie from a breeder as a pup, after searching and searching for a red dachshund. They were hard to find where I live. Frankie was the last one left of the litter. I fell head over heels in love when I saw her promenade down the driveway. She was only the size of a guinea pig. After all we have been through, and knowing what I know now, I believe with all my heart she was meant to be mine.

How did Frankie get her name?

If you remember the song from the 1940’s, "Frankie and Johnnie" then you will know that Frankie in the song is a female. The song was also made into a movie by the same name. I just think it is a great, fun, sporty name for a girl. I had Frankie’s name picked out long before I got her, because I just loved the name.

Where do you usually take Frankie out for fresh air?

In the summer Frankie loves to hang out on our deck which is partially shaded by a big tree. When I am in my writing cottage I can see her through my Victorian screen door soaking up a spot of sun. She loves to be warm!

I also often take Frankie into town to do my errands and we go either on my bike (she rides in a front basket attached to my bike) or she rides in her doggie stroller.

Where is the best nearby dog park?

Well, we don’t have one that I know of. I’d probably be a bit apprehensive to take her there though being in her wheels and too many dogs around. Besides she barks up a storm when she sees other dogs… especially ones bigger than she is… which is most!

Is Frankie’s bark worse than her bite?

Ha! Most definitely yes! She has the loudest bark for such a little dog. Dachshund’s have a reputation for being “land sharks.” But people often comment on how calm Frankie is… that is, until she barks!

Tennis ball, Frisbee, stick,…?

Frankie loves tennis balls! You throw it and she chases after it…. Only to catch it, stop and begin to chew it up. So much for a game of fetch!

Would Frankie rather catch a squirrel, a cat, a car, her tail, the mailman,…?

Ooooo, Frankie just loves squirrels and bunnies!! She will carry on and carry on, whimpering and whimpering if she can’t run to try and catch one! If she is on the deck, which is enclosed and she sees a bunny, her whole body shakes wanting to get that rascally rabbit!

What’s the most embarrassing thing Frankie ever did?

Boy, do I love this question! Because Frankie is paralyzed in her hind quarters that also means she does not have control over her bladder and bowels. I learned to express them for her. Well, I’m normally pretty good about timing when she has to go. We do 2-4 presentations a week for schools, libraries, etc., plus our volunteer therapy dog work, so I pride myself in the fact we have not had an “accident” in public…. yet.

Well one day I stopped to visit my friend at her office. I brought Frankie in with me, because she adores her. I was holding Frankie in my arms when all of a sudden I felt her back end begin to shake… and I just KNEW she was going to poop… and I was on the 2nd floor of an office building and would never make it out the door in time… and before I could react, the poop hit the floor… PLOP! PLOP! PLOP! I frantically searched the room for tissue and a plastic bag, which I found. The evidence was taken away, as we left with our tail between our legs… but unfortunately the scent lingered long after we left. My friend and I still laugh about it… but I sure was embarrassed!!

Learn more about Frankie and Barbara Techel at the Joyful Paws website and blog, and at Frankie's blog and Facebook page.

Frankie's new book, "Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Therapy Dog Visits Libby's House," is due for release around January 2010.

--Marshal Zeringue

Katie Alender & Winston

Who is in the photo at right?

That would be me, Katie Alender, an author, and my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Winston. Winston is four years old and is my buddy and partner in just about everything I do.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Initially, I thought about walking Winston down to the local coffee shop and doing that thing where you tie the leash to the table and peacefully sip your coffee. But Winston doesn’t believe in being peaceful in public. Winston turns into a raving, yapping maniac—particularly if there are cars anywhere in the vicinity. A pet psychic told me that Winston wants to protect me from cars, but I actually think he wants to kill and eat them. When he was a puppy, a friend of mine who was dogsitting taught him to get really excited and chase shiny lights, and the reflections on cars drive him wild.

Plus, it’s pretty hot, and Winston’s not exactly an athlete.

Instead, I decided to haul dog and coffee out onto our balcony, which overlooks the backyard and the San Fernando Valley. Winston doesn’t get to spend a lot of time out there, because he tends to eat anything that ends up there, including dead bees and occasionally live bees. So I did a bee-check and we headed out. He really enjoys it—just sits in his bed, watches the birds and the cars going by.

Typically, I’ll just take my coffee to my desk and drink it while I check my email, but I’d just sent something off to my editor and was in that very zen moment where you can’t do anything but wait. Although I did make some story notes.

What's brewing?

In my household, we’re good old-fashioned morning coffee folks. I never drink coffee in the afternoon or at night. We use Don Francisco ground coffee with Splenda and organic half & half (yes, I realize how ironic that is).

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

A cheese and butter sandwich on wheat bread. If I had remembered to buy sandwich meat at the grocery store, it would have been a ham and cheese sandwich. Hey, some people drink coffee in the afternoon—I have a ham sandwich for breakfast.

Any treat for Winston on this occasion?

Yes, and in fact, I almost destroyed the togetherness of the occasion by giving Winston one of his highly coveted White Bites. As soon as I gave it to him, he looked at me as if I might try to take it and ran off to eat it by himself on the rug. Eventually he came back and chilled with me.

How did Winston get his name?

It was actually really odd. Winston’s coloring (chestnut and white) is called “Blenheim.” When my husband spent a semester in the UK in college, he visited Blenheim Palace, which is where Winston Churchill was born. So he made that connection, and I was like, “Um, okay.” The name suits him very well!

Does Winston have any tricks?

Oh, Winston is MUCH more than just a pretty face! He’s a very fast learner and loves to work on tricks. We clicker-train, which I recommend for anyone wanting to teach their dog new behaviors. Winston can sit, stay, lie down, leave it, shake, high-five, double-high-five, spin, walk in a circle around me, play dead, swat kisses that are blown at him, and “go say hi.”

He learned “go say hi” when I was working on the dog show—he came to the office with me every day from the time he was 8 weeks old. We had a gate at the office door, and when someone came by, we apparently would say, “Go say hi!” I don’t know exactly how we realized it, but even if he’s asleep, you can say, “Go say hi!” and he’ll get up and run to the nearest door.

We took one Agility class, and Winston rocked, but it aggravated a back injury he got when he jumped off a too-high surface last year. So no more of that. But he loves to work on training. And I highly recommend clicker-training for anyone—my neighbor borrowed a clicker and a book of dog tricks from me and has taught her 16-year-old cat to sit, stay, sit up, jump over a stick… it’s unreal. Anyone with a dog has no excuse.

How did Winston come to be united with you?

Winston came from a breeder in Orange County. (The OC!) He’s our first dog.

So he’s a purebred?

Yes, he is a purebred, which I know isn’t for everyone. But I actually spent the past five years producing dog shows for TV (like in the mockumentary “Best In Show”), so it’s my opinion that there’s a time and place for purebred dogs. I’ll share that opinion with you, if you don’t mind.

In a perfect world, dogs wouldn’t be having puppies willy-nilly—and if their breeding is controlled, then there are naturally going to be breeders controlling it.

If we had to choose between a population of dogs brought about by caring breeders (I don’t mean puppy mills!) and a population of mutts who breed indiscriminately, I choose caring breeders over the people who just can’t be bothered to neuter their pets.

Good breeders (and I’ve met tons and tons of good breeders) care so much about the dogs—their health and their character. They’ve turned their lives upside down to get happy, healthy dogs. They do health testing, they do temperament testing. The thing is, some breeds are exactly right for some families—and when a family gets a dog that’s a perfect match for them, the chances are much slimmer that the dog will end up in a shelter.

All that being said, now that I’m an experienced dog owner, I would definitely be open to getting a mixed breed dog. But I also know that you have to really do your homework when you get any pet. I never want to bring a dog into my home believing less than 100% that it will be the dog’s forever home—which is why it’s so important to find the right dog.

What’s your favorite thing about dogs?

I’m awed by the relationship of dogs and people—two species who actually evolved together (you can blame your lame hunting skills on the fact that your ancient ancestors started relying on their dogs’ good hearing and sense of smell instead of their own!).

I love watching Winston take in the world around him—and watching him work to communicate with me. Just little things like eye contact, body language… it’s completely fascinating.

What does having a dog mean to you?

Having Winston around means I’m never alone. He is truly my companion.

A woman we interviewed once for the dog shows said that the purpose of pets is to teach us how to love deeply and then live with loss. I know that every day Winston feels safe, fed, comfortable, and loved is a perfect day for him. It’s a privilege and a joy to be able to provide that for him—and he pays me back with loyalty, devotion, and unconditional love. What more could I ask for?

Kristina Riggle, author of “Real Life & Liars,” said that Alender's recently published YA novel “'Bad Girls Don’t Die' had me ripping through the pages at the end and kept me up way too late.” Eileen Cook, author of “What Would Emma Do?,” called “Bad Girls Don’t Die” an “intriguing mix of compelling and creepy, ... not to be missed. Ghosts, friendship, romance, and family all weave together in a puzzle that will keep you reading until the very end.”

Learn more about the author, her writing, and Winston, at Katie Alender's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

Krista Davis & Han, Buttercup, and Queenie

Who is in the photo at right?

Left to right, we have Han trying to convince me that he deserves a treat. We're not sure what he is, but we know he's big. He may have some Black and Tan Coonhound, Springer Spaniel (I know, that's hard to see), and/or Bernese Mountain Dog in him. I'm next--Krista Davis. I write the Domestic Diva Mystery series. My most recent release is "The Diva Takes the Cake." The little white dog is Buttercup, a Jack Russell mix. The red one who's being deceptively well behaved is Queenie, a Golden Retriever, who isn't golden and won't retrieve.

What is their most intimate involvement with coffee?

They've all had little tastes of Häagen-Dazs coffee ice cream.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

I don't need much of an occasion for coffee with the canines. They've convinced me that they require a cheese snack every afternoon, which gives me an excuse to indulge, too.

What's brewing?

I'm a hot tea with sugar and milk kind of person. My recent favorite is Newman's Own Organic Black Tea. But it's hot outside today, so iced tea with a hint of raspberry and no sugar hits the spot.

Any goodies to go with the coffee ice cream and iced tea?

Always. There's the cheese, of course. But Sophie (my protagonist) isn't the only one who bakes. I've been into cupcakes this summer. But now that blueberries and raspberries are ripe, I'm shifting into fruit tart mode.

Any treat for the dogs on this occasion?

Cheese, of course!

I also keep a cookie jar in the kitchen, and they know where it is. For some strange reason, they think they must have a dog cookie every time they enter the house, and they cluster at the counter where the cookie jar sits, just to be sure I don't forget.

Where do you usually take Queenie, Han, and Buttercup out for fresh air?

We live in the country, so they can romp around off-leash. They like to hang out with me when I'm writing, but we go for a couple of walks every day on a path through the woods.

Would they rather chase a squirrel, a cat, a car, their tails, the mailman, ...?

Buttercup thinks it's her job to chase squirrels. Queenie, true to her bird dog roots, barks at the huge vultures that fly by from their home on a nearby cliff. And last year, she surprised me by catching a groundhog that had been tormenting the dogs. Han was very proud of himself when he caught a raccoon, but he didn't know what to do with it once he had it. Fortunately, it scampered off when he released it.

Tennis ball, Frisbee, stick, ...?

I've always had dogs and have thrown many, many balls and sticks. This is the first time I have ever had dogs who aren't interested in fetching. Queenie and Han do like a good game of tug of war, though. And Han swims like a fish.

What do the dogs of a domestic diva eat?

One of my dogs is allergic to grains. That means no corn, soy, wheat, or rice. It's hard to find dog food without any of those ingredients. So the vet took us off commercial dog food, and my dogs eat pretty much what we eat. Or what we should eat. Lots of potatoes, sweet potatoes, lentils, meats, and veggies. They love watermelon! Queenie is notorious for pulling raspberries and blueberries off bushes to eat them. And if I don't watch like a hawk, Han and Queenie help themselves to cucumbers and tomatoes in the garden.

How did the dogs come to be united with you?

We intended to adopt a Golden Retriever. Queenie was selected because of her strawberry blonde fur and outgoing personality.

I'm sorry to say that someone abandoned Buttercup, Han and seven of his siblings. They were so small that Buttercup towered over them. I couldn't take those sweet puppies to the shelter, so they stayed in my laundry room until we found homes for them. Four of them went to New Hampshire, so if you live there and have a dog who looks like Han, it might be one of his siblings. Poor Buttercup was scared to death. She watched me so carefully, with a worried face. The first night, she went from one puppy to the next, like she was counting them and checking to be sure everyone was okay. But since she was an adult, I let her out to play with Queenie the next morning. I'll never forget how happy Buttercup was to discover Queenie's big dog bed and giant chew bone. Queenie adopted Buttercup immediately and never once growled at her over toys or bones. They still eat out of the same bowl if one finishes a meal sooner. BFF!

How did the dogs get their names?

Queenie's mother was named Lady Ruby so we felt a royal name was in order. I wasn't crazy about the name Queenie, but she's been so gracious toward the other dogs and is such a lovely leader of the pack, that now I think it's the perfect name for her. Naming Buttercup was hard. She was an adult when we found her, so she clearly had a name before. Even though she was sweet with the puppies, she was all rascally Jack Russell. When one of my friends suggested "Buttercup" we knew it was just right. Han had a sister who looked amazingly like him, hence Hansel and Gretel.

"The Diva Takes the Cake," Krista Davis's second Domestic Diva Mystery, is now available in bookstores everywhere.

Reviewer David Marshall James says "Davis has devised a delightful romp, with engaging characters and a nicely crafted setting in which to place them."

Watch the video for "The Diva Takes the Cake."

Learn more about Krista and her canines (and feline) at her website and blog.

--Marshal Zeringue

Julia Buckley & Simon

Who is in the photo at right?

That's me, Julia Buckley, a mystery writer and English teacher, and Simon. Simon is half Jack Russell, half Beagle. He is officially my son’s dog, because we got him as a birthday present when my son turned seven, but Simon decided long ago that he loved me best. We might conclude that this is because I feed him, walk him, and talk to him. My sons do that too—sometimes.

Do you have Coffee with Simon?

I must admit I don’t drink coffee and never have, although I love the smell of coffee brewing. That admission lost me a job at Starbucks when I was young. But my husband is a coffee addict and Simon knows that the minute he smells those Colombian grounds percolating in the morning, food and water will be available—and maybe the occasional extra scrambled eggs.

How did Simon come to be united with you?

My son had longed for a dog ever since he could talk (which was early). He would always trap me into “I love dogs” conversations. When he was about four, he asked me what a “feline” was. I said, “That’s another name for a cat—a sort of scientific name. The name for a dog is ‘canine.’” And without a pause he said, “Awww. I wish I had a canine.”

So I scoured the papers looking at dogs for many months before Ian’s seventh birthday, and found that dogs, especially purebreds, are expensive! Then I found a little kennel about an hour and a half from us that had reduced the price on Beagle/Russell puppies because they were six months old. So I guess you could say I chose Simon because he was on sale. I am ever thrifty.

How did Simon get his name?

We named him in the car on the way home. We said that Ian could choose, because it was his birthday, and then we started listing suggestions, starting with men’s names, because the dog was male. We got to the name Simon, and Ian said, “That’s it. His name is Simon.”

If only I were that decisive.

Where do you usually take Simon out for fresh air?

We have a big and wonderful back yard that is Simon’s domain. We can let him out there to bask in the sun, chase the dog next door (they run along the fence, as you can see in the picture at left), or snap at gnats. He hates them with doggie passion.

We also take him for walks around the neighborhood or (rarely) to a park.

Is Simon's bark worse than his bite?

Yes. He barks and howls, like Snoopy. But he is a total faker, as we see whenever visitors come over. Those who take the time to pet him find that he falls in love easily.

He only bit anyone once, and it was because I read something on the internet, one of those “how come” sort of philosophical lists people send around, that said “How come dogs love sticking their heads out the windows, but they hate it when people blow in their faces?”

I read this to my sons to make them laugh, but of COURSE my boys decided to immediately go and blow in the dog’s face. My little one was only about three years old, and I think Simon couldn’t decide what he was exactly, and when Graham squatted and blew in Simon’s face, Simon snapped. It was very instinctive, and only one of his teeth caught Graham on the lower lip, but WOW—you wouldn’t believe the blood. And then Graham touched his mouth, and cried and screamed and walked around the house touching the walls, and it was like the set of Macbeth.

Graham recovered quickly and didn’t need any treatment other than some Neosporin, but poor Simon looked like he felt guilty all day.

Tennis ball, Frisbee, stick, ...?

Simon loves tennis balls, and he’ll even bring one back to you. The problem is getting him to give it up.

Would Simon rather chase a squirrel, a cat, a car, his tail, the mailman, ...?

Squirrels, yes, and birds and rabbits. And other dogs. We live on the alley, and so every dog walker in tarnation comes past our house, and Simon has a busy time of it, running through the shrubbery and pursuing those passing canines.

Which TV dog is Simon most similar to?

He has standard Beagle coloring and features, so he looks a lot like Shiloh; but the Russell in him makes him slimmer than the average Beagle, and his snout is narrower, and sometimes he reminds me of Wishbone, from PBS.

What's the most embarrassing thing Simon ever did?

Simon does a lot of things that can be termed disgusting, because what he loves to smell the most are the things we like to smell the least. So the most embarrassing things I can’t even print here. But I’ll give you a vague idea: one Thanksgiving we had a big extended family gathering at my parents’ house. Five children and all of their spouses and children. My parents are very traditional, very Norman Rockwell, and at one point they asked us all to join in a big family prayer. We were all there in silence, thanking God, and Simon inserted himself into our midst, began rolling around on his back (which always itches) and moaning loudly while he did so. A bit distracting.

Then, at dinner, my husband shot me a look that said, “Emergency!” I looked over to see Simon trotting down the stairs toward the table with something he’d dug out of the upstairs bathroom garbage. We’ll leave it at that. I managed to get it from him before people noticed and were horrified.

What's the weirdest experience you've ever had with Simon?

Simon is officially "married," because a nearby town recently sponsored a dog wedding. I kid you not. A friend of mine at the high school wanted to make a documentary about it, so he asked if Simon would "marry" his miniature Pinscher, whose name was Bina. We said okay. When we got there we found that Simon was one of the few dogs not in a costume. Some people were taking this wedding VERY seriously and spending a lot on tuxes, dresses, "just married" mobiles. It was rather surreal.

When the pets got married, they had to walk down this white carpet together and then receive their certificate. It seemed every dog was so polite and well-trained, except for mine, who bucked and strained on his leash and walked backward down the carpet while he scanned the crowd for me. You can see in the photo that he looks absolutely horrified, while his bride looks downright disgusted with him. Some beagles just aren't meant for marriage, and he and Bina haven't talked since.

Has Simon worked his way into any of your writing?

He has. In my latest novel (currently with my agent and awaiting its fate), the protagonist lives alone with a Beagle, and Simon was utterly the inspiration for all of that little fellow’s behaviors. If the book sells, I’ll have to give Simon a small take. Or at least a hamburger or something.

“The Dark Backward” was Julia Buckley’s first mystery and is available at your local bookseller. Her novel “Madeline Mann” was called “A bright debut” by Kirkus, and Library Journal has dubbed her “a writer to watch.” She posts at three online blogs: Mysterious Musings, Poe’s Deadly Daughters, and The Inkspot.

--Marshal Zeringue

Nic Papalia & Lindy

Who is that in the photo at right?

That's me, Nic Papalia, President of the West Australian Dingo Association, and Lindy, my pet dingo. Lindy is 8 years old and a very gentle, friendly, and lovely dingo. She is a great ambassador for her kind.

Lindy is an Alpine dingo – there are only around 130-140 of them in the wild – and they live inside the Kosciusko National Park.

What's brewing?

I enjoy a flat white with no sugar.

We have been in talks with a man who has a company selling coffee from Vanuatu and have requested a dingo coffee label to highlight awareness of the plight of the dingo in Australia.

What about Lindy's coffee?

Lindy enjoys coffee if there is sugar in it!

How did Lindy come to be united with you?

I first visited Bruce Jacobs' Dingo Farm outside of Melbourne some 15 years ago. I was unaware of the plight of the dingo and a product of media persecution of the species. I knew the over-publicized Chamberlain case story which almost wiped the dingo population out. Bruce asked me to lay on the ground and I had 100 dingoes lay sit and stand next to and on me in an almost religious experience. I knew then I had to do something to try and correct the great wrong that has been permeated around and about the dingo and try to do all I can to help save the species from extinction. I was instrumental in forming the WA Dingo Association and also organised a friend to help create the website.

Then about 8 years ago I bought Lindy from Bruce Jacobs' farm. I paid $850 (Australian) for her when she was 3 weeks old.

How did Lindy get her name?

Lindy has the same name as Mrs. Chamberlain, irony is a strange thing!

Dingoes are canines but are of a different sub-species than dogs, right?

Dingoes are not domesticated animals – they can be humanised and, with the correct love and care, make wonderful companions.

A dingo is a wolf (canis lupis dingo), not a domestic dog (canis familiaris). They have a disposition more like that of a cat than a regular pooch.

You say "a disposition more like that of a cat than a regular pooch" but there aren't too many surfer cats out there....

That's Lindy the ‘surfie dingo, in the photo at right, with my son Adam at Meelup Beach.

I would ask if Lindy's bark is worse than her bite but...

Dingoes don’t bark. Also, they have no smell or odour. Dingoes have a scent gland in their tail and a double line of whiskers on their nose which are faint but pronounced. Dingoes come in tan, white and black and tan. There are different types of dingoes due to the evolution and surrounding landscape.

Which cinematic character does the dingo most closely resemble?

Dingoes are Australia's top land predator – they are our LION KING – keeping everything in the ecosystem balanced and harmonious. Fox, cat, pig and goat numbers are kept in line by the dingo; the kangaroo numbers are kept in balance, too, which stops the defoliation of Australia.

What about Lindy's own television career?

We have made a documentary about the dingo with Jon Lewis on "Time With Jon" which has been shown across Australia on many TV stations.

A narrow range of Lindy's media talents are on display in this video.

It seems like Lindy is quite the celebrity.

In 2004 Lindy accompanied me on a car trip with two friends to Alice Springs where we met Jim Cotterill and Dinky the singing dingo, and John Hogan, the man who has Donna, the world's only hearing guide dingo. It was quite a meeting in Alice Springs: a dingo from the west, the centre and the east. The three dingoes were on the front page of the Alice Springs newspaper and there was a horde of journalists and people at the train station to record and experience this remarkable event.

Lindy has also been on all of the Perth community paper covers.

I have given 28 radio interviews across Australia in the last 12 months on the importance of saving the dingo from extinction; the ABC radio interview was listened to, I was told, by a million listeners.

Wild dingoes are at high risk of extinction due to extermination projects funded by the Australian government and certain rural lobbies. Learn more about dingoes at the West Australian Dingo Association website and its MySpace page.

--Marshal Zeringue