Welcome

Name: Canine Misfits
Address: US

e love dogs. So much so, that we have adopted five little guys over the course of more than a decade. There’s Tess, Opie, Ruby, Barney, and Bella. They are all beloved members of our family. In fact, we often refer to them as our children and we are sure they see us as “Mom” and “Dad”.

Their mission is to protect us from critters and vermin who invade their “camp”, if you will. Well, maybe mission is not exactly the right choice of words. More of a “good intention”.

The stories you are about to read are told from the perspective of Lieutenant Tess, the oldest of the rescues and leader of the pack. All the tales are loosely based on true events. If you listen carefully, you can hear them talking as they encounter their “enemies”.

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- Ralph and Pat Coppola

AUTHORS

Our Story

he authors of Canine Misfits are Ralph and Pat Coppola, a retired couple residing in Flower Mound, Texas. Ralph and Pat moved from Long Island, New York back in 1993 when Ralph accepted a job transfer to the Dallas area. Ralph was a manager for a major equipment leasing company, electing to stay in Texas when the company was sold and the offices here in Dallas closed. Pat was an LVN who worked as a triage nurse for a well-known pediatrics clinic in the area.

Nearing their retirement, Ralph and Pat became active in adopting dogs that they discovered in local shelters or had been rescued by local humane groups. Over more than a decade, Ralph and Pat have adopted a total of five dogs. Those five dogs are the subject matter for Canine Misfits, a collection of stories about their misadventures trying to protect Ralph and Pat from the vermin and critters who attempt to invade Ralph and Pat's

backyard. There’s Tess, Opie, Ruby, Barney, and Bella. They are all beloved members of the authors’ family. In fact, Ralph and Pat often refer to them as their children and they are sure they see them as “Mom” and “Dad”.

Over the years, Ralph and Pat imagined their five “kids” as soldiers whose mission is to protect the authors at all costs. So, for the fun of it, the authors gave their beloved furry kiddos ranks, responsibilities, and the power of speech.

In the beginning, the stories were written as entertainment for Ralph and Pat’s grandchildren, Gavin and Logan. The authors also encouraged children in the neighborhood, as well as people they knew who were dog lovers, and friends who had children or grandchildren, to read and critique their manuscripts. The popularity of the stories soon became the subject of a newspaper column by the same name appearing monthly in the Cross Timbers Gazette.

The stories are told from the perspective of Lieutenant Tess, the oldest of the rescues and leader of the pack. All the tales in the Canine Misfits series are loosely based on true events. The authors have four volumes ready for print, and several more in progress. They hope to be able to offer them for public sale shortly. In the meantime, a preview of their stories can be seen on their Canine Misfits Facebook page.

A variety of merchandise featuring the likenesses of the Canine Misfits is now being offered for sale. Those items appear on the Merchandise tab. Take a look at the different examples of these lovable characters that can be ordered on Tee shirts, mugs, and a variety of other items that your kids are sure to love.