The Interview

Your Pet's Name:Zippy

Gender: Male

Breed: Chew-wiener - dachshund & Chihuahua

Weight: 12 lb

Color/Eye Color: black and tan, black eyes

Special Markings: Zippy isbow-legged. In another life he played the violin, thinking it was cello.

Date of Birth [or approximate age, if not known]: 7 years and we gave him September 3 as a birthday.

Siblings or other pets in your household: 2 older human sibs not at home and of course, the fictional giggly party girl Floozy (see above)(next to Zippy)

Human Roommates: parents Hubby and RD

How did you acquire your pet? K-Mart parking lot

What is your pet'?s favorite food? Ice cream -- he gets it down at the dock from the ice cream diner. Little Caesar meals when he watches HBO's Rome

Favorite pastime or activity?
Zippy loves laying in the sun and picking fights with bigger dogs. He also forces me to walk and walk. He coaches me when I use the treadmill. Of course, he snacks on a dog cookie while he does this. Unfair! He never gains an ounce.

Favorite person? me always me

Favorite sibling or other pet? Daddy

Favorite holiday? Halloween; then April Fool's Day

What is the funniest thing your pet has ever done?
He hates snails and toadstools. In his travels he makes detours around them. Once in a great while he misses and steps on a snail. Yucky POO! He cries and hops on three legs too.

How does your pet communicate with you?

Growls, hums, barks, stares,tail wags fast or slow, leads by example, shows, sniffs, uses tools to indicate preferences, like getting coat to go for a ride, and his most tender for of communication is that he rubs heads with friends and family.

Do you have any nicknames for your pet? sweetiepie, f*rtburger, smoochie

Has your pet ever given you a reality check? A life lesson, or moment of truth? If so, what did you learn?

I learned from Zippy that animals deserve to have more rights -- if he doesn't want to be touched I respect that. If he's cranky, I try to cheer him up. When he watches scary television he gets under the blanket so we don't watch horror movies together in the same room any more. He thinks i's bad for me so I don't watch too often. He makes me feel wanted because he always suspects people of trying to kidnap me. He knows I don't shake hands because I'm a writer and barks when people try to shake hands or hug me unless I tell him it's "Okay." He sits in my office with me in his own office chair and helps me to write. He's my muse

Finally tell me something about you:

I have had a dog for all of my life except for the two years after Max, my Yorkie, died at 15. I still miss him.

Anything else you'd like to add? Thanks for asking the questions, Tanya Vece.

© RD Larson 2005
May not be used without permission of the author.