My little girl Maya

She was trouble from the start. Her prior owners had surrendered her to a shelter because they couldn't contain her and she got in trouble for chasing their landlord's cows. She was extremely frightened, scared, and shut down in the shelter and wouldn't even have been put up for adoption. She came here as a foster since she had no hope of getting out of the shelter. She escaped from a kennel during the first week we had her and was on the run for the next four weeks before we finally trapped her and brought her home. Eventually we decided to adopt her because sending her to a new home seemed too much of a risk.

Even after she was homed here, she would still jump the fence and go off on her own for varying lengths of time, aging me quickly every moment that she was gone. For many years after that I kept her with me constantly, always on a leash, and we did a lot of hiking together. It wasn't until a few years ago, after she was getting older and a little less spry, that I let her out loose in the yard and pasture again. Somewhere along the line she began to worry about me whenever I wasn't with her just I had worried about her. I didn't like to make her worry, but it was karma come home to roost. 

Maya had a severe seizure on Sunday morning and we saw a vet for euthanasia later that morning rather than wait for another one. She has been having bad days on occasion, and I've had her on some pain medication for a while now, but this morning she didn't want to get up when everyone else did. She was clearly "off." She's at least 12 years old, had no prior history of seizures, but she did have a cancerous growth removed back in 2020. All of this told me it was time. 

I've loved this dog like none other we've ever had. Of course, that's true of every dog. Our connection with each dog is always unique, but Maya was special. There will be an empty spot under my desk, and next to my side of the bed at night. There will be empty spots in my life formerly occupied by Maya, but my heart will always be full of the love we shared.

Maya and Trooper

Maya didn't care to sleep in bed normally, but she did like to hop up for some snuggle time occasionally, particularly after I returned from a trip.

Patch was Maya's final brewery visit but she had gone to many of them over the years.

I must have hiked hundreds of miles with Maya 

and she taught many new fosters proper trail etiquette. 

We had Maya's DNA tested. It showed German Shepherd Dog, husky, malamute, lab, and "wild canid."

One of Maya's tags reads: "All who wander are not lost," an homage to her youthful wanderlust.

Maya and Max came to us within a year of each other and left within a year of each other too.

Maya had a very expressive and talented tail. 

We've never had a smarter dog, and I hope we never do.

It's no accident that the best picture ever taken of me has Maya in it.

Maya tried out many new breweries over the years. 

We prefer to frequent dog-friendly breweries.

She was a scared little girl when she first arrived. 

Her confidence grew along with our mutual devotion.

Little girl, big world