WaiSing Lee & Hero

Who is in the photo at right?

That's me, WaiSing Lee, and next to me is Hero, a 3-year-old male red brushcoat sharpei. I have been working at investment banks as a wheeling and dealing corporate banker, as a boisterous treasury trader, and currently as an analytical risk manager. Hmmm, come to think of it, my career progression somehow seems to be correlated with global economic trends. Anyways, that would be my part-time job, my other full-time job is being a companion, playmate, driver, personal photographer and secretary to Hero; in other words, I'm his butler. But I must admit the latter is a much more fulfilling and rewarding job.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

As with some weekends, I will usually have a cuppa coffee in the morning sitting on the floor at the balcony of our house. Hero will join me for a nibble or two of whatever goodies that goes with my coffee.

What's brewing?

I would love a caramel macchiato or a tall skim latte from Starbucks but will settle for Ipoh white roasted coffee for now.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

Yes, I like to have this particular marie biscuits with my coffee which I grew up eating as a kid. It comes in all kinds of animal shapes: you have tortoise, elephant, owl, fish, etc. ... and they compliment the coffee well.

Any treat for Hero on this occasion?

You bet. Hero will have a couple of the same biscuits to go. I swear for some reasons, he is particularly fond of the cat shaped ones.

How did Hero come to be united with you?

My wife and I were looking for a dog after we got married. A sharpei to be specific, but it is hard to find such breed in Malaysia. We had to source from the neighbouring countries and have the pup brought into Malaysia. Hero was born in Indonesia by parents from California, USA. It was not an easy journey for Hero and we were very concerned about his welfare at that time. He was three months old then and had to endure a 1,500 mile journey over land, sea and air for three days under treacherous conditions before reaching us. Luckily, it turned out well and all is good.

How did he get his name?

The name was given by my wife, even prior to us getting Hero. It's a name that apparently appeared in her dream where she woke up one morning exclaiming "I'm naming our dog Hero!". My wife had two other dogs before and I had one.

Where is Hero's favorite place for an outing?

As long as it's an outing, he seems to enjoy all of them. But I guess his favourite would be the beach where he gets to run along the sandy shore and swim in the sea. Whenever we plan to go to the beach, he seems to know it the night before and he will wake up all hyperactive early in the morning, running up and down the house whilst we are still dreaming in bed. Beats me how he figures that out as we have not even packed our stuff yet.

Stick, Frisbee, tennis ball...?

Tennis ball, he loves fetching the ball.

Cat, rodent, postman...?

Without a doubt, it's the cat and rodent sharing the top position as some kind of sworn enemies from his previous life. Having said that, the feral cats like to taunt him and watch him whimper. I guess the cats get some thrill out of doing that.

Is Hero's bark worse than his bite?

For a medium size dog, Hero has a loud fierce bark that reverberates through the house, but he seldom barks unless he feels we are threatened. As for the bite, I think he has been saving it for the cats.

What's an ordinary day like for Hero?

The day for Hero can start as early as three in the morning when he wants to go out for a pee during those odd days. He will come over to my side of the bed and start poking and scratching me with his paw. If I continue to ignore him, he will jump over and lick my face until I relent and finally get up to open the door for him. After doing his business at the garden, Hero will quickly rush back in upstairs to continue with his sleep for a couple of hours more before waking up to have his breakfast. The rest of the day is spent playing with his toys and getting himself in the middle of everything with some naps in between. He greets us at the door when we come home and after dinner, he will eagerly await for his walk at the park before bed.

Any favorite treats?

Roasted chestnuts! The slightest sound of cracking the nut shell will send him dashing madly towards you and pounce on you. Once we left a packet of roasted chestnuts on the floor in the room and he practically slept next to it guarding the treat till morning. I kid you not.

What's Hero's best quality?

Hero does receive compliments for his looks but to me, he is such a clown and I adore him for that.

What's Hero's proudest moment so far? His most embarrassing?

Hero's proudest moment would be the time when we were trying to teach him how to swim although we knew sharpeis are not known to like water, let alone swim. We were unsure how he would cope but proceeded anyway with the sink or swim method. We took him to the middle of a lake and put him into the deep water alone. To our surprise, he doggie paddled back to shore without much difficulty. After a couple more drop-offs at the lake, he took to water like a duck; now swimming is one of his favourite activities.

On the other hand, Hero never fails when it comes to putting us in an awkward situation. Hero has this fixation with fetching our underwear waiting to be washed from the laundry basket and bringing it to us hoping we will react and start to chase him around for the item in his mouth and some catching fun on his part. It's a habit he developed during his puppy days which we found amusing then but really regret now when we have to buy new underwear every so often. There was this one time when the vet was over at our house to check on him. As I was talking to the vet, Hero took off to the laundry room and came back with my underwear in his mouth and proudly showed it to the vet. The situation was compounded in a way as he literally shoved the underwear at the vet's face as we were sitting on the floor. I really did not see that coming.

There was this other time when we stayed at a nice pet-friendly hotel cum resort. We just came out from the elevator and were happily walking through the swanky marble flooring lobby with Hero in tow. I noticed that people were particularly paying attention to Hero which I naturally thought was due to people being curious of his breed. But it suddenly struck me that people around us were actually trying frantically to keep their distance away from us. I looked down at Hero only to realize that he was actually walking with his hind legs open and peeing at the same time, leaving a trail of fresh pee all the way from the elevator. He must have his bladder so full that he couldn't control any longer. It was really embarrassing for all of us.

Did I mention about how Hero dropped out of obedience training school? Well, I think I'll save that for some other day.

Visit Hero's blog, "Life Journal of a Sharpei Named Hero."

--Marshal Zeringue

Jane Finnis & Copper and Rosie

Who is in the photo at right?

I'm Jane Finnis, author of the Aurelia Marcella mysteries, which are set in Roman Britain. With me are our two cocker spaniels. Copper, the gorgeous red-gold one, is six and a half; black Rosie is three and a half.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

I work at home mostly, so coffee with my husband Richard and the dogs is a regular occurrence. When it's fine we like to sit in the garden; there are plenty of colorful spots, but our favourite is near our summer-house, watching the fish and frogs in Richard's pond.

What's brewing?

Instant coffee - Nescafé gold blend, with a dash of milk. No goodies or treats for any of us with morning coffee - later in the day we may succumb to temptation, but my willpower is relatively strong in the morning. Anyhow I've not long had breakfast!

How did the dogs come to be united with you?

We found Copper in a dog rescue kennel aged just over a year. He was beautiful, but two homes had already found him impossible to live with, hyperactive, destructive, and aggressive with small children. But Richard and I know and love cockers. They are happy, affectionate dogs, slightly crazy, full of fun, but if they've had a bad start in life you need time and patience to bring out the best in them. Puppies, like kids, need to be sure they are loved, but also to know where the boundaries are. Five years later Copper is a pleasure to have around: still excitable and slightly crazy, but much calmer, happy with children, and no longer intent on wrecking the house. Our second dog Rosie must take some of the credit for calming him down; she's from a working strain of cocker - they've been gun-dogs for many years - and they're bred for smartness and steadiness rather than looks. She's a laid-back, sweet-natured dog, playful and impossible to tire out for long. She came to us aged ten months from a couple in the village who were very fond of her, but were starting a new business which occupied them away from home 24/7, and they weren't prepared to leave Rosie on her own all day. She settled in here straight away, and she and Copper are good friends, and justify the traditional description, "the merry cocker spaniel."

How did the dogs get their names?

Rosie has a pedigree as long as your arm, so she was already named when we got her - her kennel name is Onyx Rose. Copper probably has a pedigree too, but that's something the dog rescue homes don't pass on. He was Bobby when we got him, but at that time we had a cat called Poppy, and the names were too similar, so we changed him to Copper because of his lovely red-gold coat.

Where are your favorite dog-walks?

I walk the pair first thing each morning behind our house, in trees surrounding a golf course; safe, pleasant, with birds and flowers that change with the seasons. Usually we meet friends with dogs, so they can all play together. Richard does the afternoon walk (and an evening one in summer,) and they often go to the beach. Rosie loves swimming, and they both enjoy chase-games.

What sort of mischief do Copper and Rosie get up to?

None, of course!...Who am I kidding? Copper chases planes - not literally, but if one flies over, (which fortunately is rare) he barks at it to drive it off. And it flies away, and he comes back inside wagging his tail as if to say, "OK. Job done." Rosie pinches odd socks if we unwisely leave them about; she'll carry one around for a while, unnoticed inside her mouth, then dump it somewhere unexpected. Well, doesn't every home need a sock in the hall or the driveway occasionally?

Are dogs important in your books?

Yes, though not spaniels, because my period, Roman Britain, is too long ago of course for today's canine breeds. They certainly had dogs in Roman times for herding, guarding, hunting, and as pets, so I couldn't leave them out of my stories. Aurelia Marcella's dogs play quite an important part in the first book, Get Out or Die; among other things they find a body. In the second mystery, A Bitter Chill, another dog and her litter of pups play a key role, by ... no, I'd better not say.

Jane Finnis' Aurelia Marcella novels tell of life and death in first-century Roman Britain, the turbulent province of Britannia, on the very edge of the Roman Empire. There are three books so far in the series: Get Out or Die, A Bitter Chill, and the latest, Buried Too Deep.

Among the early praise for Buried Too Deep:

"Finnis's well-crafted prose subtly weaves authoritative detail into a believable portrait of everyday life near the turn of the millennium. More historical adventure than conventional mystery, but highly readable and endlessly absorbing."
--Kirkus

Visit the official Jane Finnis website and The Lady Killers blog. Follow her on Twitter.

--Marshal Zeringue

Brian Hampton & Joe Louis

Who is in the photo at right?

That’s Brian Hampton, an engineer working for the Army, and his fun-loving dog Joe Louis, a six-year-old male boxer.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

Joe and I went for a late afternoon run, and this was the perfect post-run, pre-dinner snack.

What's brewing?

Pumpkin spice coffee and French Vanilla creamer. I picked up the beans a few weekends ago from our local coffee shop. I was never a coffee drinker until after my first son was born – and then I needed a caffeine fix just to get out of bed on time. Maybe because I’m a late starting coffee drinker (I’m now 37), I haven’t acquired the taste for straight black coffee just yet. I like flavored coffee, and pumpkin spice is a fall favorite of mine.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

My wife was baking bread while we were running, so I enjoyed a nice slice (um, bite) of Amish friendship bread.

Any treat for your dog on this occasion?

As seen in our picture, while I was concentrating on having my picture taken, Joe was busy eyeing my bread. Lucky for me, I at least got the first bite.

How did Joe Louis come to be united with you?

We found Joe through a Boxer Rescue organization when he was approximately a year old. He was only thirty-five pounds, but full of life. Today he is still full of life, and a much healthier sixty-five pounds.


Your blog title is "A Dog, a Stroller, and a Runner." What came first--the dog, the stroller, or the running?

I have enjoyed running since I was on my junior high track team, however, I’ve only been running regularly for the past few years. While not intentional, the title of my blog is in the correct chronological order; Joe came to live with us a little more than five years ago, my oldest son was born four years ago, and I started running regularly about three years ago.

Joe Louis is a great name for a boxer. Did you consider any other boxer names? Say, Mike Tyson? Apollo Creed?

Naming a boxer dog after a boxing champion sounded fun, and Joe Louis (the person) had many admirable qualities outside of the ring. Additionally, I grew up in Michigan cheering for the Detroit Red Wings, and the Wings play their home games in an arena bearing the Brown Bomber’s name.

Tennis ball, stick, frisbee...?

Joe is a good tennis ball fetcher, but a terrible returner. We play “fetch and chase,” or maybe it’s keep-away. Anyway, I throw the ball, Joe chases the ball, and I chase Joe.

Chickens, cat, postman...?

We got four baby chickens in September that we are raising for their eggs. Joe has not seen them yet, only heard them. The chickens are in the basement right now, and will be for another couple of weeks before moving into their coop in our backyard. Joe has never been in our basement – not because we don’t allow him to, he has just never ventured down the stairs.

Joe likes cats and he has known many since coming to live with us. Currently, there are two strays that reside on our front porch (well, I guess the fact that we feed them doesn’t actually discourage them from residing on our porch – we do, however, vet them and have had several strays that end up calling our place home spayed/neutered so that they won’t add to the stray population…).

Anyone that drives by our house learns quickly that we have a dog. Fortunately, we live on a dead-end road, so there is not too much reason for Joe to bark, but I always know the mail is here by the eleven o’clock barking barrage. Our mail carrier is wonderful. She always leaves a treat for Joe with our mail.

What's an ordinary day like for your dog?

Because both my wife and I work, Joe is at home without us for eight or so hours on weekdays. He has the run of the house and is always standing on the couch, barking out the window when we arrive home. But, we know he sleeps throughout the day too. I’ve come home early at times and made it all the way inside the house before I hear him jump out of a bed upstairs. But once we’re home, game on – he has two little boys to keep him occupied (Braedon - 4-years-old, and Brenden - 9-months-old), and maybe we’ll go for a run or play some of that “fetch-and-chase” game.

Who is Joe Louis' best pet-pal?

My mother-in-law (let me finish – I did not just say my mother-in-law). As I was saying, my mother-in-law’s Bernese mountain dog, Shona. They (Joe and Shona) are such good friends that after their first extended visit, Shona went into heat. After their second extended visit, she had a false pregnancy (too bad Joe has been neutered for years).

You and Joe go on some long runs. Who usually tires first? Do you think he dreams of hopping into the stroller while you push on?

I’ve never out-run Joe, that’s for sure. No matter how far we’ve gone, even if it is in new territory for Joe, he always knows when we’re heading home. He’ll pick up the pace and run all the way home with no slack in his leash, so I know he has plenty left in his tank.

You note on your blog that you come across lots of wildlife on your runs. What's the most interesting animal you've seen when Joe Louis was with you? What did he do?

A falling fish. We see plenty of four-legged creatures when we run: deer, feral cats, groundhogs, and squirrels. We also occasionally see eagles and other birds-of-prey. One morning we startled an eagle that was eating in a tree. The eagle flew away, dropping a fish in the process. The fish landed with a thud about thirty feet from us, surprising us both. Joe’s hackles were up.

What's Joe Louis' best quality?

Joe is a wonderful pal for my two boys and he certainly has a lot of patience. Joe plays the part of a jungle gym, noble steed, toy car obstacle course, wrestling partner, and fleeing enemy. And still he is always right beside Braedon and Brenden – and they both adore him.

Visit Brian Hampton's blog, "A Dog, a Stroller, and a Runner."

--Marshal Zeringue

Starr Ambrose & Nikita

Who is in the photo at right?

This is me, Starr Ambrose, with my Siberian husky, Nikita. She’s three years old, and the seventh husky my husband and I have owned. Currently, she’s an only dog, and shares the house with seven cats. All of our cats and most of our huskies have been rescued animals.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine? What's brewing? Any goodies?

Welcome to my kitchen! Coffee this morning is actually tea - Earl Grey, hot – with some fresh bread and strawberry jam. Nikita gets a small dog biscuit for a treat.

How were united with Nikita and your other dogs?

We adopted Nikita when she was one year old, rescuing her from death row at the pound. Her owners were tired of bailing out their little escape artist, and no one else was allowed to adopt her, as she had a felony conviction – a “livestock kill.” Fearing she’d done something horrible, like bring down a neighbor’s cow, I had to ask the reason for her death sentence; it turned out someone reported her for killing a wild rabbit while she was running free. The laws don’t distinguish between cows and rabbits. Her owners agreed to bail her out one last time if I would take her, so that’s how we came to own Nikita. We were her fourth home in her first year of life, but she won’t have to worry about finding another one.

We didn’t hesitate to take Nikita in; we’ve rescued huskies before, and always felt lucky to have known them. The dog we had before Nikita was Juneau, who was about four when we found him through the Siberian Husky Rescue League. They rescued him from a pound, then placed him in a foster home, where we met him. I’ll never understand how anyone lost Juneau in the first place, because he hardly ever left my side, and was the only husky we’ve owned who didn’t need a fenced yard. We had him for nine years, during which time he helped foster a couple kittens [photo, left] who were born on our farm and adored him forever afterward. Juneau was also a regular blood donor, along with another of our huskies, and made many trips to an emergency clinic to give life-saving blood to dogs having emergency surgery.

We adopted Niko [photo, right] when he was an older dog, perhaps nine or ten. Once we walked him, it became obvious that we had an experienced lead dog who knew he was born to pull a sled. Being obliging parents, we bought a used dog sled and harnesses for Niko and our two other huskies, Lasher and Kasha. With Niko in the lead, they pulled our daughters down miles of snow-covered back roads. That’s Ariana and our happy three-dog team in the picture, with Niko in the lead.

What do your dogs have to do with your writing?

I write romantic suspense novels – basically, love stories. There is no better way I know to experience pure, whole-hearted love than from a dog. Even dogs who get passed from owner to owner, or dropped at the side of the road, are always ready to love again, without grudges and without reservation. We can learn a lot from that!

In Starr Ambrose's debut novel, Lie to Me, "one flirtatious fib puts Eleanor Coggins in the hands of two dangerous men - one who wants her in his bed, and the other who wants her dead." Publishers Weekly says it "sizzles with delicious friction," and Romance Reviews Today noted that "Starr Ambrose is a name to watch for in the romantic suspense genre."

Her second book, Our Little Secret, "takes readers on fast-paced adventure through the dark side of politics and the steamy side of falling in love!" Roxanne St. Claire, national bestselling author, says it's "A light, fresh, sexy spin on love and danger!"

Read an excerpt from Our Little Secret.

To learn about Starr Ambrose's books, visit her website.

--Marshal Zeringue

Kim Werker & Cleo

Who is in the photo at right?

This is me, Kim Werker, and Cleo last winter, on a frozen pond in Whistler, BC. It's a few days before she got spooked by avalanche blasting on the ski mountains and ran off – she was gone for around seven hours before my partner and brother-in-law were able to find her, injured but okay, stuck 15 feet up a rock face about 2km from where she ran off.

I'm a writer and blogger, currently working as community advocate and general helper-outer at LexPublica. I've written six books about crochet (the most recent, Crocheted Gifts, just came out), was editor of a crochet magazine, and have spent the last year reclaiming my crafty hobbies as, you know, recreation. This past year I've been focusing my work-related creating in other areas.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

I love coffee but only drink it occasionally. I am, however, a habitual tea drinker. On days when I work from home, I make a cup around 3pm after Cleo and I have gone for a walk. During the eight months of the year when it's good and chilly – and often rainy – here in Vancouver, tea is the perfect thing to warm up with. Tea and the dog, who lays down next to me whether I'm working on the couch or at my desk.

What's brewing?

These days it's Read My Lips by David's Tea, with soy milk and honey.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

Nope.

Any treat for your dog on this occasion?

Usually Cleo just curls up after our walk. But sometimes she'll be totally jacked up. At those times, it's a cookie in her Kong. She flips onto her back and holds it to her mouth with her front paws. On special occasions, I'll put peanut butter on the cookie before I shove it in there.

How did you come to be united with Cleo?

We adopted Cleo from the SPCA in Kamloops, BC, around seven years ago. It's hard to come by a puppy in Vancouver and the folks in Kamloops were more than happy to have us come out there. Cleo had been fostered since she was around two days old. Her litter had been found half frozen in December of 2002; we adopted her in February of 2003.

How did she get her name?

My partner originally wanted to name her after the Grateful Dead song "Cassidy." I hate the Grateful Dead. I fought tooth and nail against "Cassidy" – the thought of naming our puppy after the most boring band in history just made me want to scream. Luckily the name didn't stick, and by the end of our first night together we knew we had to come up with something else. As a puppy, Cleo looked a lot like a wee lab, except she had wolf eyes. They were exotic looking. Sort of like heavily made-up women in ancient Egyptian art. So we named her Cleopatra. We've never called her Cleopatra, though.

Has Cleo had any influence on your work?

Not really. Lots of crafters make stuff for pets, but I don't. Cleo's way too powerful a chewer for me to make her a toy of any sort, and she's a northern dog who's impervious to cold, so she's never needed a sweater. She's a constant companion, though. And she's thankfully never shown any interest in yarn – rolling in it, eating it, whatever.

What's an ordinary day like for Cleo?

When it's not the end of daylight savings (she's been waking me up at ungodly hours in the morning since the time change because she hasn't managed to learn how to read a clock), we usually get up around 7am. She chills out and does her business in the backyard, then she goes back to sleep. I take her for a short walk around 9am before heading off to work. My partner is a graduate student, and he takes her on a longer walk in the afternoon when he gets home from school. Evenings involve staring at the stove while dinner's cooking, waiting for food to magically fall to the floor, and cuddles later on at night.

Who is Cleo's best pet-pal?

Cleo has a few friends, but she's becoming more and more of a loner as she ages. It's really cute to watch, really. She'll meet dogs on a walk, sniff them quickly, and then she's like, "Ok. Run along now. I have things to sniff and you're in the way."

Where is Cleo's favorite place to go for walk?

She absolutely loves the beach. We live near the woods, too, and she's just as happy there.

What's Cleo's best quality?

She has impeccable comic timing.

What's Cleo's proudest moment so far? Her most embarrassing?

I don't know that she feels pride or embarrassment.

A high: finally mastering the "wookie" command – when we tell her to wookie, she speaks a lot like Chewbacca.

A low: That time a skunk sprayed her in the mouth. She was fine, but dear god what a nightmare. She was so confused. And smelly.

Kim Werker's latest book is Crocheted Gifts: Irresistable Projects to Make and Give (Interweave Press, 2009):

A collection of projects from today’s most popular crochet designers, Crocheted Gifts includes 25 designs suited for gift-giving—even if the recipient is you. From baby gifts to mittens for the whole family, from home decor to fancy lace, this book is full of perfect projects for every occasion.

Visit Kim Werker's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

Therese Walsh & Kismet

Who is in the photo at right?

That’s me, Therese Walsh, author and blogger, hanging with my favorite pooch, Kismet. Kiz is a 3-year-old female Jack Russell Terrier.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

No special occasion, but we decided to take our normal morning caffeination-of-the-human routine outside to enjoy a sunny fall morning. (Please ignore the incorrect date on my camera.)

What's brewing?

I’m not a coffee drinker unless desperate, so I had my regular cuppa caffeine: some Bewley’s double-strength Irish Breakfast Tea.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

I wish. A lemon poppy seed muffin would’ve been most welcome.

Any treat for the dog on this occasion?

Kismet had her favorite treat: a Greenie.

How did Kismet come to be united with you?

My daughter participated in a musical competition several years back. She performed very well, so she, my son and I stopped for lunch on the way home to celebrate, then visited a nearby pet store. I saw a cute JR and suggested we take her out to visit. I remember the kids looking at me as if I’d lost my mind, which maybe I had; we weren’t planning to buy a dog. We played with this adorable white pup with brown spots until our time was up, and then Kiz looked at me with eyes that said, “You know I’m for you, right?” So we took her home and have never once regretted the decision. It was kind of funny calling my husband, who was at a gig that day with his band, to say we’d bought a dog. He thought we were kidding at first but fell in mad love with her, too, once he arrived home that night.

How did the dog get her name?

It was that look she gave me, and the sense that it was kismet our family found her and she found us.

Tennis ball, Frisbee, stick, …?

Kismet loves tennis balls and anything that squeaks. She likes to be chased around the coffee table before bed, carrying one of her favorite toys, just to wear out her owners. Funniest, though, is when she’s chased sans toy; you can pretty much hear her saying, “WTH, peep?”

What’s something that only Kismet’s closest friends know about her?

Three things. She’s incredibly lazy in the morning. She’s as finicky as a cat. And she’s a diehard Yankees fan.

Is Kismet like any famous TV dogs?

Eddie on Frasier—and not just because they’re both JRs.

So she’s smart?

Very. I think she can comprehend more words than the average toddler.

Want to share a favorite dog story?

One day while walking in a nearby state park, Kismet sniffed out half of a small skull. My father-in-law, a former bio professor, said it was the skull of a raccoon. A few weeks later, Kismet was on a trail at the same park but several hundred feet from the first, and sniffed out a jawbone. The two halves fit perfectly together; we’re sure it was from the same animal.

You mentioned a state park – is that her favorite doggy haunt?

One of them. The state park has loads of trails, and she’d happily spend the entire day there running her humans into the ground. Another fave hangout is a community park, which is always crawling with other dogs and squirrels.

Is she afraid of the squirrels or vice versa?

They have her picture up on all of the trees as a visual reminder to beware of Kismet. As soon as a squirrel realizes its being stalked, it heads for a nearby tree. Kiz anticipates the move and heads for the tree instead of the squirrel. She has yet to catch one, but I know it’s on her Top Ten List of Things to Do Before My Next Trip to the Vet.

Not a fan of the vet?

She hates the table at the vet’s office. Hates. And as smart as Kismet is, she hasn’t yet learned that my shirt is not a secret portal to freedom. That said, she adores the vet’s assistants and smiles broadly, wagging her entire body, when she sees them.

She smiles?

She does indeed [see photo at left]. Though you may look at this photo and see a ferocious beast, Kiz is actually thrilled. Some of her favorite people have just arrived at her front door—Grandma and Grandpa Walsh.

Therese Walsh is a cofounder of the blog WriterUnboxed.com.

The Last Will of Moira Leahy, her first novel, was published last month by Shaye Areheart Books.

The Page 69 Test: The Last Will of Moira Leahy.

Read an excerpt from The Last Will of Moira Leahy, and learn more about the book and author at Therese Walsh's website, blog, and Facebook page. Follow her on Twitter.

Walsh lives in upstate New York, with her husband, two children, a cat, and Kismet.

--Marshal Zeringue

C.M. Mayo & Picadou

Who is in the photo at right?

That's Picadou, aka "Minky Chica," Princess of the Universe, a pug (of course!) who is 9 1/2 years old, and Yours Truly, C.M. Mayo. I'm a writer, author of several books on Mexico, most recently a novel, The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire (Unbridled Books, 2009), which is based on the true story. Yes, of course, Picadou assists me with my writing (and not writing). She's been helping me with The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire ever since her earliest days of puppyhood--- yep, that's how long it took me to write it.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

We're in on the secret: that today is International Alliteration Day! I actually drink more tea than coffee, but "tea with a canine" rings flat, no? Tea with a terrapin? Nope, neither.

What's brewing?

Maya Magic Gourmet Organic Coffee from Chiapas. We're in Mexico City so we always drink Mexican coffee, which is excellent. By "we" I mean my husband and I -- Picadou drinks water (and sometimes chicken broth).

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

Almonds in honey.

Any treat for Picadou on this occasion?

A cube of cheese. (Oh, many are the occasions...)

How did she come to be united with you?

It was written in the stars. We took her home with us when she was 10 weeks old, silkier than silk and tiny as a baby bunny. As a friend of mine once said about her cat, "she has since trained us to her purposes."

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

She's black so my husband wanted to name her Zapote, after the sapodilla, that squishy black fruit, which I thought sounded very butch. I happened to have a reference book on cheese, so I opened that and found a goat cheese called "picadou." I assumed it had a black ash crust, like chevre. It turns it out that it doesn't (it's a white cheese wrapped in herbs), but never mind, Picadou likes her name just fine.

Does Picadou prefer English or Spanish?

You could speak to her Russian or Urdu, it doesn't matter; she picks things up (feelings and images) telepathically. I prattle on to her mostly in Spanish and she figures most of it out, at least to her satisfaction.

What is Picadou's influence on your writing?

She's good in the siesta department, which always helps a writer. She's a noticer -- and we writers need to notice what other people miss. So I take a lesson from her almost every day. Here's one of her poems:

"People Who Pat Me" by Picadou

People who pat me
I sometimes like

But not
The little girl with crumbs on her face
She aimed her fingers at me, she patted me too hard
Her food smells stayed on my head

And not
That man in the blue pants and blue hat
He landed his hand on my head thunk like a package
and he moved my fur the wrong way
His shoes stank of sidewalk and hot rubber
"How much did you pay for that dog?" he said to my person
and a lot of other rude nonsense
When he could see we were on our way to the grass!

I like the lady with her hair tucked under an orange scarf
She bent down and I let her hold my chin and stroke my ears
Her hands were gentle like Grandma's
they smelled of mail and cheese sandwich
She had a wavery voice
"Oh," she said, "I wish you were my neighbor!"

I also wrote an essay about walking with her, from her point view -- which sounds a bit treacly but I don't think it was. Anyway, "The Essential Francisco Sosa or, Picadou's Mexico City" came out in Creative Nonfiction and later, after it won a couple of awards, as an audio CD. Bark magazine also published an excerpt.

What's an ordinary day like for Picadou?

It starts with a tummy rub and wow, it just gets better!

Do you and Picadou have a favorite place to go for a walk?

There are many places we go for walks, but her favorite is to amble out onto the patio, plop down and take a siesta in the sunshine.

Stick, tennis ball, frisbee...?

Fetch is not Picadou's thing. The concept eludes her. She has a large stuffed cat, Funky Kitty, [photo, right] which she hugs and chews a little (a particular spot, just above the eyebrow). Funky Kitty is her same age and has been washed twice, I believe.

Squirrel, cat, postman?

According to Picadou, cats, other than Funky Kitty, have no right to live. Neither do squrirrels. Postmen are OK if they pet her.

What's Picadou's best quality?

Her joy; she truly enjoys things, whether it's her lunch or the warm sun on her fur or a visit with friends...

Does Picadou have a favorite buddy?

When we visit my sister, Picadou hangs out with Pabu, [photo, left] her 10 year old Tibetan spaniel. Pabu is very zen. He shares his observations on his blog.

What's her proudest moment so far?

I think she would say it was when she came to a party the other day wearing her party collar and everyone admired her (which happens everytime there's a party, actually). But I think she has the most reason to be proud that she got through a tough operation to repair her deformed knees (luxated patellas) and several weeks of hydrotherapy which involved wearing a lifejacket and swimming laps in a special pool, as we towed her (frantically splashing) along with a leash (this was necessary to help her build the muscle support her knees). Never mind the surgery, pugs loathe swimming, so this was no picnic for Picadou. That was eight years ago and I will never forget how happy she was, once she had healed, to take off running after a labrador retriever!

Her most embarrassing?

Picadou is never embarrassed. She's Picadou!

C.M. Mayo is the author of The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire (Unbridled Books, 2009), a novel based on the true story. The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire made Library Journal's Top Books 2009 list.

Mayo is also author of Miraculous Air: Journey of a Thousand Miles through Baja California, the Other Mexico (Milkweed Editions, 2007) and Sky Over El Nido (University of Georgia Press, 1995) which won the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction, and editor of Mexico: A Traveler's Literary Companion, a portrait of Mexico in the works of 24 Mexican writers. She lives in Washington DC and Mexico City.

Learn more about the author and her work -- and Picadou -- at www.cmmayo.com.

--Marshal Zeringue