Cindy, Kirby & Buster and Barney Pringle

Who is in the photo at right?

In the photo, left to right: Barney Pringle, Kirby Pringle, Buster Pringle and Cindy Pringle on coffee break in their new Dogtown Artworks Gallery & Studio in Tuscola, Ill.

We are fine art photographers. We take photos of our dogs, Buster and Barney, and turn them into "dog people" — dogs with humanlike bodies. We also take photos of other people's dogs and turn them into dog people, too. We've been professional photographers for 20 years and have specialized in creating dog people for the past 8 years. We just opened a new gallery and photo studio in Tuscola, Ill., and are working on our third book that features the characters Earl Barker (Buster) and his wife, Pearl Barker (Barney). Our first book, Happy Tails: Earl and Pearl on the Farm came out in 2006 and our second book, Happy Tails: The Call of Nature, came out in 2008. We sell prints from our two books and also "stand alone" photos, along with note cards.

Our two dogs are Buster (a white boxer, although he may have some American bulldog in him), 11 1/2 years old, and Barney (a boxer mix), 10 1/2. Both are neutered males and both are rescue dogs.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

We're on coffee break at our new gallery and photo studio in Tuscola, Ill. You would think with a name like Tuscola (Arcola is 9 miles south — really), that we should be drinking Pepsi-Cola or Coca-Cola or Royal Crown Cola. Our dogs are always with us in the gallery and customers' well-behaved pets are welcome, too. We're in a hidden location, but we have a park right across the street, so it works out well for taking a walk after lunch.

What's brewing?

We always buy the Eight O'Clock 100 percent Columbian Coffee. It goes in our 15-year-old drip coffee maker. Eight O'Clock is good stuff for not a lot of money. Consumer Reports always recommends it, so what's good enough for Consumer Reports is good enough for us.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

Oh yeah. Donuts usually. We like the big-calorie daddies, Entemann's chocolate donuts. The Casey's General Store (a chain of Midwestern convenience stores) has pretty good donuts, too. That's where we buy a box of day-old donuts on the cheap.

Any treat for Buster and Barney on this occasion?

They get a dog biscuit on our coffee breaks.

How did they come to be united with you?

We adopted Barney after our first boxer, Bobo, passed away. Our veterinarian took in a bunch of mistreated puppies and Barney was one of them. We adopted Buster about a year later. We found him at a small town in southern Illinois. His owner moved into a rental house that did not allow pets, so she just set him loose. He had been a street dog for 18 months when we saw him standing in front of a cafe with a couple of kids on bicycle feeding him a candy bar. Buster, who was not fixed at the time, also had an adoring harem of female dogs around him. We made inquiries, contacted the owner, and then bought him from her.

How did they get their names?

Barney just looked like a Barney. He looked sort of like Barney Fife. Buster's name was originally Chauncey. We didn't like that name and rechristened him Buster. Again, he just looked like a Buster.

How many of your photographs have you created featuring Buster and Barney? Do you have a favorite?

We've done about 150 photos that feature Buster and Barney and the list keeps growing. Kirby's favorite is "The Long Road Home" [photo, above left], it's got a classic John Steinbeck, dustbowl feel to it. It's our Dogs of Wrath tribute. Cindy's favorite is "His 'N' Hers" [photo, right] because of the looks on Buster's and Barney's faces and the fun details in the shot.

Is there a photo of Buster and Barney playing poker (or does that question betray my lack of imagination)?

We have people request that photo all the time, especially at art fairs. It is actually on our "to-do list," but we haven't gotten around to it. Part of it is because we want to do an original interpretation and the other part is that we haven't found a cool old pool hall in central Illinois that we can use for the shot.

What's an ordinary day like for your dogs?

They are your average dogs in almost every respect. They eat, they sleep and then go do their business. They differ from other dogs in one way: both are really good at posing for photographs. Our photo sessions last about 15 minutes and we use dog treats to get them to look a certain way or in a certain direction. We also use squeaky toys, harmonicas and cat-calls. Our dogs are very food motivated and both have very expressive eyes — great for our type of photography.

Where is your dogs' favorite place to go for walk?

Lake Shelbyville, a big lake in central Illinois. They both like to walk along the water and we do, too. We go there about every weekend. Our goal is to live near a large body of water.

Who are Buster and Barney's best pet-pals?

Buster and Barney are each other's best pals. We're all good pals.

What's each dog's best quality?

Buster's name should be Happy because he is ALWAYS happy and easy-going (except around mice, strange dogs and his bowl of dog food). Barney is nervous and shy, and doesn't really have a boxer personality. But he gives us those perfect "concerned" looks for our photos.

What's each dog's proudest moment so far? The most embarrassing?

Buster is quite the mouser. One time he caught a mouse in the garage and WOULD NOT let go. Cindy could not pry it away from him. So he rode in the car to the local post office, and then back home, with a mouse dangling from his muzzle the whole time [photo, above left]. He was very proud of his catch. He doesn't eat the mice he catches. He just likes to hold them in his muzzle.

Barney, on the other hand, loves corn. Our house is surrounded by tall fields of corn and Barney absolutely loves to run into the field, pull up the whole stalk, run back home, remove the ear from the stalk and then husk the ear of corn. It's fun to watch. He would eat the entire ear of corn if we let him, but we take it away before he gets that far.

Buster's most embarrassing moment was when he got sprayed by a skunk on Christmas day. Guests thought we were having Indian food for the meal, but it was just Buster stink.

Barney's most embarrassing moment was when Cindy was taking photographs outside and Barney was wearing a black sweater, big curly wig and a pearl necklace [photo right]. The UPS man pulled into the driveway and Barney went running to greet the driver, forgetting that he was still wearing his sweater, wig and necklace. We think this is the first time a UPS driver has been greeted by a dog in drag.

Visit the website for Dogtown Artworks Gallery & Studio. View sample pages from Happy Tails: Earl and Pearl on the Farm and Happy Tails: The Call of Nature.

--Marshal Zeringue

India Edghill & Harry, Bella, Stephanie, Bevil and Amy

Who is in the photo at right?

I'm the writer India Edghill. My dogs are Harry, Bevil (the big red one), Bella (on my lap), in this photo, Amy (on my lap in the photo below left, with Harry again) and Stephanie, not pictured... Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. (Not "King Charles Spaniels" and not "Cavvies" -- "Cavaliers" for short.)

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

I start my days with about a quart mug of very strong tea. The Cavaliers wait around hoping I'll drop food...

What's brewing?

Twining's Earl Grey. V.v. strong, with a lot of Sweet'N Low and skim milk.

Any goodies to go with the tea?

Not usually. I can't face breakfast at breakfast time! Try me with it at 10:00 a.m.

Any treat for your dogs on this occasion?

They get their morning biscuit -- either Mother Hubbard or Cinnabones (which they ADORE). That's it. It's really hard keeping weight off small dogs, but it's vital for their health.

How did you come to be united with your spaniels?

Well, a while back -- about 12 years ago now -- I was working on a book and the heroine needed a dog. Since said heroine, like Little Moi is what Elizabeth Peters call a "historical necrophiliac" (see her novel The Murders of Richard III -- a lot of fun, and not what it sounds like from the title, so all you people in the Richard III Society can just not write me nasty e-mails, okay?) -- where was I? Oh, yes -- so the heroine got a Cavalier, because Charles II is my favorite English king, and he had dozens of the little spaniels. And I fell in love with the breed, and ... well, here I am with five of them. I always say it's a good thing I didn't give that character Great Danes!

How did they get their names?

Their names are (first name is their call name, second is their official name):

1. Harry, age 9-1/2 (he was going to be Bodie, after my favorite character in The Professionals, but I tried the name out at home and realized that a Beau (cat) and a Bodie wouldn't do.) -- aka Britt Tax Deduction at Mooncoign (Britt is the breeder's affix; Mooncoign is mine; his litter was born on tax day and all have tax names)

2. Bella, age 10 -- aka Britt Silver Bell at Mooncoign (a Christmas litter)

3. Stephanie, age 10 -- Britt Sugar Plum at Mooncoign (Bella's litter sister), and if you can't guess why Sugar Plum is called Stephanie, I heartily recommend Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series!

4. Bevil, age 3 -- Wystar Heir Jordan at Mooncoign -- Bevil is a good English Civil War name, on the Royalist side, of course!

5. Amy, age 1 -- Wystar Feel That Fire at Mooncoign -- she's pretty, and she's a fusspot, just like Amy in Little Women. It seemed to fit.

Have your dogs had any influence on your work?

Sort of -- dog food doesn't fall free from the sky! And they inspired one my favorite short stories: "A Spaniel For The King", which was in Sirius: The Dog Star, and is available in full text free on my website. Go to short stories and click on the title.)

What's an ordinary day like for your dogs?

A breakfast biscuit, a walk before I go to work, lying around snoring all day, get fed dinner .... classes for some of them.

Where is your dogs' favorite place to go for walk?

Anywhere I'm going!

What's each dog's best quality?

Well, Harry is Perfect; sweet, tolerant, loving. Bella and Stephanie are darlings. Bevil is beautiful and a big baby. Amy's a bit young to have developed her real nature yet, but she loves to sleep across my neck.

What's each dog's proudest moment so far? The most embarrassing?

Well, to keep this short: Embarrassing: Bella was in the ring doing Novice A (obedience) and during the recall, she came charging at me, dashed out of the ring to her crate, realized I wasn't there, and dashed back into the ring to me. I was laughing so hard the judge must have thought I was nuts. (We didn't Q, of course!) Proudest: Harry nailing the third leg on his CD title.

I could go on about my Cavaliers for PAGES, but I won't. Suffice it to say I adore them and am very proud of them, and there's nothing like sleeping with a pack of dogs to make you feel secure and loved.

India Edghill lives in the Mid-Hudson Valley in New York.

She is the author of the novels Wisdom's Daughter, which was a Romantic Times Nominee for Best Historical Fiction, File M for Murder, Queenmaker, and the recently released Delilah.

Read an excerpt from Delilah, and learn more about the author and her books at India Edghill's website. Watch the Delilah video trailer.

The Page 69 Test: Delilah.

--Marshal Zeringue

Marion Winik & Beau

Who is in the photo at right?

Marion Winik, writer and advice columnist, and her miniature dachshund and personal savior, Beau, a 5-yr-old male.

What's the occasion for Coffee with a Canine?

We had a beautiful Indian summer day here in Baltimore in mid-November and I just had to walk around the corner to Roland Park Bagel and sit outside for a while.

What's brewing?

When I go out, I like a double Americano, very short, with half-and-half. At home I drink some really strong Puerto Rican stuff black.

Any goodies to go with the coffee?

Not edible ones, but I did get my bff Ken to come down and meet me. We talked about what we did last night and how crazy our other friends are.

Any treat for Beau on this occasion?

I always share my treats with Beau. I have none of these "people food" boundaries.

How did Beau come to be united with you?

Five years ago at Christmas time, I decided to give my then-16-year-old son Hayes a miniature dachshund for Christmas. I had grown up with an amazing black-and-tan dachshund named Schnapps and had been wanting another one ever since. But it seemed like there was always a reason not to get a dog. Having babies, moving across the country, stuff like that. When I finally started scheming to find a puppy, people STILL said I was nuts. How could I take on more responsibility, what with my pre-existing group of teenagers, toddlers, cats, and husband, all having to be fed and cared for? Well, it’s not even going to be my dog! I explained, I was giving HAYES the dog.

I searched on the Internet until I found a likely vendor of miniature dachshunds in the rural town of Dillsburg, PA, and I sneaked off with Hayes's younger brother Vince to see a litter of puppies when they were just six weeks old. They were all male, and the smallest one had a large scar across the top of his head. This is the one Vince selected immediately, to the breeder’s surprise. She assured us the vet had said it would eventually disappear. Actually, it has gotten much, much more pronounced and now I have to answer the question, "what is that lump hanging off Beau's head?" many times every day. Oh well. He doesn't even know it's there.

How did he get his name?

So ... I drove back to Discount Dachshunds of Dillsburg, as I had come to think of it, with Hayes on Christmas Eve. He was moved by the gift (there was a slight adjustment period because he thought the "life-changing" present I’d teased him about was a car) and immediately suggested naming his tiny new pet after his father, who died when he was six. Oh, my. I could just picture his grandmother, my late husband's mom, coming for a visit: "And this our new dog, Tony." Honestly, I couldn’t handle it either. So we went with Beau Tali, which was one of his dad's nicknames. He is more often called just Beau ... and, mostly by me, Beau Heinie Beau.

So is Beau Hayes's dog?

Well, I guess not. Hayes left home for college 4 years ago and Beau did not go with him. Instead Beau went into the mental health service supporting me through my divorce from my second husband, my mother's death and other horrible, yet simultaneous life transitions that befell me in 2006 - 2008. I want to nominate him for a Purple Heart. Meanwhile, Hayes thinks I should go ahead and send him $500 since I have apparently repo'ed the dog.

What is Beau's theme song?

Think back to that 1980 gay-nightclub hit, I'm Comin' Out, by Diana Ross. (I'm coming out, I want the world to know, I've got to let it show...). Now, sing these words: "Beau Heinie Beau, he wants the world to know, he is the baby Beau." This song has given us endless hours of pleasure -- perhaps I could better convince you if I could actually sing it for you, but perhaps not.

What's an ordinary day like for Beau?

I try to take him almost everywhere I go, and have a leopard dog bag for sneaking him into my work so he can attend MFA writing classes. He loves other people and other dogs and they mostly love him too.

When he is left home alone, he sits in the front room, watching the door and waiting.

When I am working at my desk, he sits on the lucite and leather couch I inherited from my mother, right behind me, trying to make sure I don't escape without him.

His passion for life and for everyone and everything in it is amazing. No wonder he has to sleep so much.

Who is Beau's best pet-pal?

The little guy in the sweater beside him is Keith Richards, of Pittsburgh, a close pal, and the beautiful English cream longhaired mini in the other photo is his girlfriend Greta, of New Freedom, PA. Greta stole him from her big sister, an Irish terrier named Ellie. He is two-timing Greta since we moved to Baltimore with an Australian setter named Adelaide. At 13, she's a bit of a cougar.

Marion Winik is the author of eight books of creative nonfiction and poetry, most recently The Glen Rock Book of the Dead (Counterpoint, 2008.) Her other works include Telling (Random House, 1994), a best-selling collection of personal essays; First Comes Love (Random House, 1996), a memoir now in development for motion-picture release; The Lunch-Box Chronicles (Random House, 1998); Rules for the Unruly (Simon and Schuster, 2001) and Above Us Only Sky (Seal Press, 2005.) She is also the author of two books of poetry.

Winik's essays and articles have been published in The New York Times Magazine, O, Salon, Real Simple, and The Los Angeles Times, among others. Her commentaries have been heard on All Things Considered since 1991, and are collected on the npr.org website. She was the 2008 "My Life As A Mom" columnist for Ladies Home Journal, and continues in 2009 as that publication's "Advice Lady."

Visit Marion Winik's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

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