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 Eva:
Welcome to our cyber-interview with author Caroline Coile, Ph.D. She is the
author of many books including Barron's
Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds and many more books for specific breeds. Thank you
for stopping by to share some of your ideas with us.
How long did it take you to write The Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds?
 Caroline:
Thank you Eva, for inviting me.
The actual book took about a year, but learning what I needed to know to write the book
took about 30 years! I was about nine years old when I changed from simply loving dogs to
studying them (well, I still loved them...). I still have and cherish the dog
encyclopedias that I collected way back then, and have added a library of books, journals,
and research papers since.
One thing kept bothering me about dog books,
though, and that was that I kept reading the same information over and over but seldom
was there any evidence provided to back it up. By the time I went to college I had become
seriously interested in training and showing dogs, and even more interested in learning
the truth about them.
- Why wouldn't my dog come when I called him?
- Could he be deaf and how would I know?
- If he was just plain disobedient was it because of something in his genes...or what?
So I took classes in animal behavior, animal training, animal senses, and behavioral
genetics (among others) to try to answer questions. Sometimes I found out that despite
what all the books were saying, nobody knew the answers. So I did some research on my own,
and then more and more, and eventually one day found people calling ME the expert! Of
course, my dogs were still disobedient.
Eva:
I noticed that you are a Ph.D.and not a veterinarian, how did you choose that?
Caroline:
Caroline:
That's right, I'm not a veterinarian, but a researcher. I have a Ph.D. in
psychology and neuroscience, which means I'm interested in the physiological bases of
behavior. I did consider getting a DVM degree for awhile, but I found it more rewarding to
do research and add more knowledge so that others (including veterinarians) could make use
of what I found. Now with writing I am also finding it to be rewarding to share what I've
found with dog owners.
Eva:
Do you have dogs?
 Caroline:
Of course! I have 13 dogs, all Salukis
and all house dogs. Sometimes I think they will drive me insane, but I would also go
insane without them. They include Best in Show and #1 ranked show and obedience dogs
(well, I guess I did get some of them to mind me once in awhile) as well as those who will
never see a show ring or win anything except my heart. They would be very upset if I
didn't include their names here, so here goes: Hypatia, Sissy, Dixie, Savannah, Wolfman,
Stinky, Jeepers, Junior. Beanie, Kitty, Omen, Minka, and Isis. My "kennel" name,
Baha, is named after my very first saluki.
Eva:
You wrote this huge book on every AKC dog breed, what is your favorite breed?
Caroline:
Well let's see---I have 13 salukis,
and have had salukis for the past 25 years; sometimes I think any breed BUT
salukis!
OK, so they are my favorites, but for no logical reason. I found that when writing the
Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds my favorite breed was whatever breed I was working on at the
moment. I ended up wanting one of everything---but 150 dogs really would be a few too
many.
 The neat thing about dog breeds is
that one breed really does not fit all. Some people who may even think they don't like
dogs have very likely just not met the right breed for them. That was one of the reasons
for writing this book. Of course I wanted the excuse to have some beautiful pictures of
all the dog breeds, and it also provides a handy reference about their history and
standards...but perhaps the main strength is that it outlines what it's like to live with
the different breeds. Some breeds like to play and fetch and run amok, others like to
sprawl on the couch; some are good watchdogs and some just watch the burglars pack up your
belongings; some are fawning and some are aloof—and different people like different
personalities.
 And some dogs are harder to take care
of than others, so upkeep issues are spelled out. Finally, some dog breeds are healthier
than others, so this book has an extensive listing of hereditary health problems to look
out for in the different breeds. With 150 breeds to choose from, if somebody can't find
one here...well, only then would I be convinced they are really not a dog person.
Eva:
Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us. Perhaps if anyone has a
question, they would be interested in asking us and we can pass it along.
Get a copy of
Caroline's book
Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds
Brutus' Favorite Dog Biscuits
  Kayla says, "My
dog's name is Brutus. He is a medium sized mixed breed who showed up on our porch about a
year and a half ago, when he was around 8 weeks old. It's always a bit of a chance
adopting a stray, kind of like a box of chocolates (you never know what you're going to
get), but he has been a great dog for us, very obedient and fun. I've attached a picture
of him that you can use if you like. I have a dog biscuit recipe that I got from a
coworker, I made them for my dog and he seemed to like them (OK, he loved them).
The Showgoats
Vet-by-day,
Musician-by-night
hosted by Joanne Spataro
  Dr. Walker Meadows, a talented veterinarian, has a fun and unique hobby. When
it’s time to call it a day, Dr. Meadows enjoys playing music in his band The
Showgoats. It helps him unwind after his busy days taking care of animals. The
Showgoats’ specialize in country tunes, complete with catchy lyrics and excellent
music! Dr. Meadows was inspired to be a veterinarian when he was in high school. He was a
stable hand for a carriage company. He enjoyed the regular visits a veterinarian made to
check up on the horses. And so he became one.
 about Dr. Meadows and
"The Showgoats" |
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Interview & FREE excerpt
 
Leigh Anne Jaseway is the author of Bedtime Stories for Dogs. She is a humor
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