Pre-vanlife
Meet Kali (the white one) and Darwin (the grey pup). They “introduced” me to Mark in November 2004 and the rest is history. You’ll have to read my travel memoir for the details of that life altering situation, whenever it’s out. 😊
Important to note is that these Australian Shepherd mixes were one (two) of a kind! Mark adopted them as puppies, Kali first, on the West coast of the US, and Darwin two years later, on the East Coast. They were the perfect pair – cute, smart, obedient, healthy, travel-savvy, and happy to be with us. They chilled when left alone, which was never an issue, except for Darwin during his last year on earth, when separation anxiety emerged after his role model and lifelong partner passed away.
These two listened, were well-adjusted, behaved on leash and off leash, joined us everywhere, and had an extraordinary life. We sold our first sailboat because they didn’t like it. Then, traveled to Panama and back in a truck camper instead. And, when we bought our catamaran, Irie, it was with them in mind too. They joined us on our sailing adventures in the US, Bahamas, and Eastern Caribbean until they died.
Adopting Maya on June 4th, 2019
It took us a looooong time to get over the loss of Kali and Darwin. We love dogs, yet realized from the get-go that it would be nearly impossible replacing these two sweethearts. We also maximized our increased freedom and decreased responsibility level once they departed our world, by making longer sailing trips, transiting the Panama Canal, crossing the Pacific Ocean, and house and pet sitting once back in the US. At some point, we were open to adopting a new dog again; we just never planned on it. Two weeks of volunteering at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah last year, connected us with our newest family member. You can read about that event here.
Giving Maya her forever home was very different than starting out with a puppy, a clean slate. When you adopt an adult dog, you have no – or little – idea what happened in its “previous life” or “lives” in Maya’s case. A hurricane Harvey survivor from Texas, she experienced a turbulent eighteen months in different homes and shelters before joining our household at four-and-a-half years old. Adult dogs come with baggage, good and bad. We discovered intriguing attributes and skills as well as mental issues and health problems. Some revelations are funny or sweet; others frightening or frustrating.
What matters most is that we gave her a loving, caring, comfortable, and active home and watched her transform from a dog with a tucked-away tail to a ball of energy, tail curled towards the sky.
The good
No matter how you look at it, when you love animals, having a canine friend is rewarding and enjoyable. Maya brings love, distraction, companionship, pleasure, and exercise into our lives. We take her on an hour-long walk a day, at least. She makes us smile with her antics and wagging tail. She brightens our hikes (most of the time) and steals the hearts of anyone she meets.
Her unusual brindle fur attracts compliments every day. Her laid-back behavior and sweet manners make her a favorite of many who meet her. She is so darn cute, eager, and street smart that we can’t deny her charms. She has a way of grabbing our attention, literally (claws outstretched) and figuratively, being in our face.
One of her unique behaviors is her way of demanding attention. She sits down in front of us and lifts her paw, repeatedly. Like a cat, her claws dig into our leg or arm. Yes, she reminds us of a feline, when she stretches out on a blanket, climbs into our laps, sits exactly where we don’t want her to sit, grooms her coat, purrs while we pet her, or showcases her tiger stripes after a haircut. She does not like the heat or sun, however, and requires the great outdoors to do her business.
The bad
When you add a pet to your life, especially a nomadic life, the other things you can be sure about are the extra responsibility, restrictions, cost, and hassle this change brings. Total focus on the animal, less space in the van, constant adaptation of plans, skipping national parks where pets are not allowed, avoiding fabulous trails off limits to dogs, leaving without visiting a city because it is too hot to walk together or to leave her at home in a sweltering vehicle, … But we knew this ahead of time and surely had enough experience traveling with dogs successfully.
Apart from these generic complications, however, Maya has two other big issues (three, including “the ugly” underneath): she has separation anxiety and is a “one owner” dog. What does this mean? She initially couldn’t be left alone (talk about losing ALL of our freedom) and she latched on to Mark from the start. We couldn’t visit grocery stores or restaurants without worrying (once, she ran away) for example, or go for a bike ride. Because she is so attached to Mark, I couldn’t walk her on a leash for at least a month. Forget off leash! She’d just take off and search for Mark. Even now, she sometimes stalls on me and I have to be stern or “drag” her on her harness until she obliges. It doesn’t matter how much she has to go, she won’t lose sight of Mark or the building that harbors him. A benefit of this unexplainable devotion is that she stayed close enough to be off leash from the moment we became her caregivers.
Other less than desirable traits are that she eats anything (a result from living on the streets in Houston?), chases wildlife (and would kill if so inclined), is food-focused (which also helps with training), is extremely stubborn (she only listens when she wants to), gets into “the zone” when smelling certain animals (no more listening then, for sure), and takes off randomly (but returns eventually). Many months ago, we purchased a GPS tracker to trace her if needed. It’s a permanent part of her outfit.
We’ve been working with Maya A LOT on these issues and train her daily. Unlike with other dogs, success is intermittent. She remains a finicky and adventurous creature. Her stubbornness often reigns. Leaving her alone in the van or a familiar room has proved successful over time, for up to three hours. Unless she is too itchy. Then, we can’t go anywhere without adorning her with a soft cone. Luckily, she hasn’t figured out yet that she can, indeed, reach affected areas on her body.
The ugly
Maya’s personal file mentioned some behavioral issues and less attractive moments of her past. What it didn’t mention, however, is her ongoing allergies. Or her deteriorated front teeth and why.
Bad teeth
Once we left Utah, it became obvious that our new dog was extremely itchy. After months and a couple of vet visits, we deducted this condition was not food-related, but environmental. Allergies to something in the air in that particular state, region, campground. Since we move all the time and more testing is cost-prohibitive and involves giving her shots for the rest of her life once (and if) the cause is determined, we opted to administer the drug Apoquel. This miracle anti-itch drug usually helps (except in the humid climate of Florida this past winter), but is expensive. More months of trial and error resigned us to doing what needs to be done: a pill a day at almost $2 a pop. It’s heart-breaking to see our pup uncomfortable.
And, about those “crack teeth” as Mark calls them… we are pretty sure they are the result of chewing her bristly fur her entire life. How could nobody have noticed? You see, when she is itchy, she also gets “in the zone”. She scratches vigorously without an end in sight. Or, she chews incessantly until her fur is removed, her skin is raw, and blood is drawn. This creates scabs, which leads to more itching, and more chewing. It’s a vicious circle that has driven us up a wall at times. On top of this ongoing problem, we can’t leave her alone as mentioned earlier, until the wound is healed again.
The funny
All these issues are forgotten when Maya is in form. She is eager – often too eager – to learn new tricks and please her people. We’ve taught her “touch”, “sit”, “lay down”, “stay”, “come”, “shake”, “high five”, “high ten” (still working on that one), “bang”, “speak”, and “roll over”. It makes us laugh out loud, especially when she does an entire series in a row, just to get her treat, knowing one of those moves is the correct one for the command. When she’s calm, the success rate is higher. Rolling over is her favorite. Sometimes, she does it out of the blue, expecting a treat. Licking bare feet (ideally mine) is her favorite pastime; her pacifier. Seeing her happy makes us happy.
Maya loves tight spaces; she prefers resting in a narrow crack, between the bed and the wall, wrapped around a chair, or contorted any other way deemed uncomfortable. When it’s humid or rains, the hair of her ears turns wavy – her frizzly look is unique and predicts the weather forecast.
Discovering traits we never realized she had before – she is very agile – is rewarding as well, just like watching her run in a forest, on a beach, in a lake, on snow, or through tall grass, tail curled up.
Or, observing her discover and try out new-to-her toys, like a ball, a rope, a food puzzle, or a stick. Maya now retrieves balls, swims in lakes, and patiently waits for the go-ahead before devouring her meals. She’s incredibly affectionate, loves both of us, listens relatively well, adores Mark, and makes a decent travel companion.
Maya has been our family member for one year and certainly has come a long way!
June 12, 2020 at 15:19
It’s good to see you take great care of your dogs! 😍 😍
June 13, 2020 at 11:33
Thanks for swinging by and leaving this nice comment, Debby! We’re awesome with dogs, if I say so myself. 🙂 We have years of experience with, caring for, and loving of dogs as pet sitters and with our own pups over the years. It’s a 24/7 relationship with us, haha.
June 13, 2020 at 15:19
I have been wanting to get puppies myself but I am allergic so I never got to actually buying or adopting. It would be me who needs the expensive antihistamines instead.. haha.. Hope to see more of your posts in the future 🙂
June 15, 2020 at 15:18
Oh no about your allergies, Debby. My husband is allergic to cats (despite having had two with his ex-wife), but, luckily, he is OK with dogs. How about adopting bunnies? 🙂
June 15, 2020 at 17:18
Volcano- and Bunyoro bunnies are cute I may just do that thanks for the idea!! 🙂
June 19, 2020 at 11:58
You know more about bunnies than me! The place where we adopted our dog (Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah), also has a Bunny Paradise. You can take bunnies to your pet-friendly accommodation on sleepovers and adopt them, of course. We volunteered one shift with them. So cute! But, I learned there that bunnies are happiest and healthiest in pairs, so you’d have to adopt two who get along well. 🙂
June 19, 2020 at 14:11
I think that my favorite animal is a baby possum, or a joey. The face of a really little joey is so divine – so, so gorgeous 🙂
June 22, 2020 at 09:25
<3
June 12, 2020 at 15:21
There are way too many cute parts in this post to even mention them all. I love Maya! She has a new fan over here in California. I’m so sorry about Darwin and Kali. They are so gorgeous. I am a dog person and don’t think I can survive without one. I’m glad you found Maya.
June 13, 2020 at 11:38
Aha, Jacqui! Now I know you are in California. 🙂 I can tell you are a dog lover from previous comments and reading between the lines of your postings elsewhere. Yay! When we had Kali and Darwin, we couldn’t imagine being without dogs and it was tough in the beginning. But, our lifestyle is so much easier without them. If we’d lived in a house, I think we’d always have dogs too.
Kali and Darwin were the best, But Maya isn’t too bad either. Much more trouble, though! We didn’t plan on traveling with a dog again, but that changed once we gave her a chance. We gave up on our plans to house sit internationally, but we weighed the pros and cons before making the decision and decided we could still travel in different ways (than flying) with Maya in tow. Now, with this pandemic, international RV travel might have to wait a tad longer…
June 12, 2020 at 16:00
Yes! “Her laid-back behavior and sweet manners make her a favorite of many who meet her.” I can attest to that because I’ve met your brindle baby earlier this year. 😀
Maya could not have landed with better “parents,” that for darn sure. I think she adores you as well as Mark.
Lucky dog!
June 13, 2020 at 11:41
I’m so glad you got to meet our Maya, Marian. And, you are now using the term “brindle”! 🙂 She sure is a lucky dog and I don’t use that term lightly. If only she’d realize this and therefore stay out of trouble, or listen better, haha. We do miss the house and pet sitting lifestyle, but we’re willing to give that (and our air travel plans) up for our sweet girl!
June 12, 2020 at 16:45
I’m so happy Maya found her forever home with you and Mark. She’ll have a great life full of adventures with you guys. I loved all of the photo! Do you know what else I loved? “You’ll have to read my travel memoir for the details of that life altering situation, whenever it’s out.” Yes! Positive thinking will take you a long way, Liesbet! Have a great weekend.
June 13, 2020 at 11:45
Hi Jill!
I’m glad you loved all the photos. Talk about an overload, right? It took me hours to select them all out of my folders from the last year. Maybe I ought to take less photos from now on. It’s like with children, where the parents can’t help but take photos of every little event. Sometimes, I do take the photos with this blog in mind, though, like when Maya did some of her tricks.
Cheers to many more adventures with Maya on the road. I’m getting itchy feet already again. And, I think she is as well. I’ll keep that positive thinking up and we might just be “out of here” again by August. 🙂
Have a fantastic weekend as well, my friend!
June 12, 2020 at 17:47
Maya is such a beauty! We had an Australian Shepard (best dog ever) who had an allergy to sand fleas… but loved going to the beach. He would scratch and chew himself just like you described. I think we finally found medicine that helped (but it was years ago so I don’t remember what it was). As with any animal (or person, for that matter) you bring into your home, compromises and accommodations have to be made… but usually you wouldn’t choose to have it any other way.
June 13, 2020 at 11:50
Aren’t Aussies the most incredible dogs of all, Janis? I’m so glad you experienced living with one – smart, cute, and loyal,… and loving the beach. So awful about the sand fleas! The more I’ve talked to (or read of) people about their dogs, the more I understand that many animals/dogs have allergies to something. Lots of dogs, apparently, suffer from separation anxiety (in one form or another) as well.
So true about the compromises. You are a wise woman. 🙂
June 12, 2020 at 18:18
Happy anniversary to Maya and her new family! Best day ever when you and Mark adopted her and added her to your nomadic lifestyle. Yes, the good, bad and ugly hound us (pun intended) but the benefits of being loved by a dog outweigh anything! Most of what you shared resonates with us here. I can sympathize with pain pills, expensive flea meds and trips to the vet. Poor Brodie was going through some unknown pain last month. Turned out he had a foxtail pushing on his eardrum (I thought his right flank was injured)! After bloodwork and x-rays, the vet determined he has mild congenital hip dysplasia, not uncommon in purebred dogs, but surprising due to his smaller size. Brodie now has joined each of us who all take a pill every morning. He had pain meds when needed and takes glucosomine/condroiton now. We even chose our new home partly because of it’s large utility/mud room and its comfort for the dogs. Your pics of Maya and your sweet Kali and Darwin are precious! She is a lucky dog!
June 13, 2020 at 11:58
Thank you, Terri! I hope Brodie is feeling better. Not knowing the cause of pain, discomfort, allergies, … is the toughest part as you don’t know how to “fix” it. I was recently thinking about foxtails when I was annoyed at all the issues on the east coast (ticks, no-see-ums, poison ivy, mosquitoes) and trying to remember what’s bothersome for dogs on the west coast. Foxtails and poisonous snakes!
You guys have had your fair share with “dog trouble” from a health perspective. I still remember the entire, scary parvo episode. What we do and pay for our dogs, right? But they are so worth it. They’re part of the family!
So nice that you bought (build) your next house with the dogs in mind. We’ve always done that as well. Even our first sailboat was purchased because it was dog friendly! 🙂
June 12, 2020 at 19:36
HI, Liesbet and Mark – Maya is a such a beautiful dog, with so many awesome traits. It’s wonderful to see her growing and flourishing under your loving care.
June 13, 2020 at 12:01
Hi Donna! What a nice way to phrase your sentiments about Maya. Thank you. Just this morning, I said to Maya as we snuggled in bed: “It’s good that you are so cute, otherwise we’d never forgive you for all the issues you cause!” 🙂
June 12, 2020 at 21:15
Hi Liesbet, What a nice post about Maya’s first year with you and Mark. If it wasn’t for the hot and humid weather in Toronto last summer, we could have met in person and I could do a paw shake with Maya 🙂 Hope you’re all doing well in Maine and the medicine keeps Maya’s itch under control.
June 13, 2020 at 12:05
Hi Natalie! It would have been nice to meet up in Toronto last summer. Maya loves new people. But, that day, as you know, she was really suffering from the heat. And so were we. We only spent an hour in that part of the city and left the same day, unfortunately. I still remember her walking into the harbor near a few docked boats. The water was littered with sticks and some grime on top, but she was so hot and needed to cool down. And then, Mark hung out with her in one of those chairs along the waterfront, in the shade, while I quickly strolled along the lake for a my view. Maine sure is much cooler! 🙂
June 12, 2020 at 23:52
Hi Liesbet! Awww…the joys and difficulties of a fur-baby! While much of it can’t have been easy, it is clear that she also brings a richness to your lives that doesn’t always translate to the written word. And yes, she is lucky to have found you and you are likewise lucky to have found her. Happy Anniversary to you all. ~Kathy
June 13, 2020 at 12:07
Thank you, Kathy! Sometimes I wonder whether it wouldn’t have been wiser to adopt a dog the size of Chloe! Especially in the van. But, you are right. We are happy that we found each other and are committed to giving Maya the best life possible.
June 13, 2020 at 03:25
I can’t believe you’ve had her for a year already! I can imagine all the difficulties, but also see that she’s so worth all the trouble. Her character shines out in the photos. I love the one of her under ‘funny’ on her back. Glad you’ve all got each other.
June 13, 2020 at 12:12
Doesn’t time fly?? I remember thinking we had her for nine months, when that happened, as this was the longest she’d ever been somewhere (once in another household and once at the Best Friends Sanctuary) before we adopted her. Soon after, it was June 4th again. And character she does have!! 🙂
The photo you describe is what she does when you say “bang!” It’s like “play dead” after the pretend gun goes off. It’s incredibly funny, the way she outstretches her legs and paws! We would have never thought about training her to do this, but the action was mentioned in her file when we adopted her. The first weeks we said “bang”, nothing happened, but slowly she remembered what the command meant. Just thinking about her doing this trick makes me smile.
June 14, 2020 at 03:32
Your explanation makes me smile. She’s just a great big cutie!
June 19, 2020 at 11:49
🙂
June 13, 2020 at 05:32
mooie foto’s
June 13, 2020 at 12:13
Dankuwel, nonkel Pierre! Ik hoop dat jullie onze lieve en grappige (en soms stoute) Maya ooit in levende lijve kunnen ontmoeten. Prettig weekend!
June 13, 2020 at 13:29
Wow – a whole year already! Now about a month into life with our new pup, I am reminded of the changes in one’s life when there’s a dog in it! Most good, some … well, at least a little more difficult. Maya does seem like a sweetheart who is a good girl overall. I don’t think I knew (or I forgot) that you had Aussies before; they are such cool dogs, and I wish we could have found one ourselves. I also had no idea Maya came from Houston! Poor thing going through multiple homes and having the stress of Harvey in her life. So glad she found you and vice versa!
June 15, 2020 at 15:10
Hi Lexie!
It’s interesting, how we “know” what life with a dog involves – from experience – yet, after not having one (or two) for a while and then introducing a new dog into our households, we all seem to have “forgotten” just how much time, energy, devotion, and changes this new family member requires. I hope you will blog about your new pup one of these days!
We’re pretty lucky with Maya all around, but she ain’t an Aussie! 🙂
June 13, 2020 at 14:44
I completely relate to this post – the joys of dog ownership as well as its challenges. We’ve been through all of this stuff and you’re completely right, it’s always a challenge to adopt a dog with an unknown past, but it’s so rewarding when they learn to trust you and their personality shines through. It sounds like Maya has an incredible life with you guys and found just the right home. She is a beautiful, sweet girl and she obviously has a fabulous personality. I hope you all enjoy many years of fun adventures together.
June 15, 2020 at 15:17
Hi Laura! You guys and us have a lot in common (Even losing beloved dogs unexpectedly. :-() and I do hope our paths cross in 2020… I’d be curious to see how our dogs get along. Did you and Kevin adopt Thor as an adult dog as well? You are so right that it is rewarding to see them grow into their own personalities and opening up. Maya has improved so much, but, even after a year, I still think she hasn’t totally figured out that we love her unconditionally and that she can trust us and “should” listen to us! 🙂
June 13, 2020 at 17:10
I remember some of the ‘teething troubles’, Liesbet, and you’ve both been remarkably patient at fitting her into your lifestyle… or you into hers 🙂 🙂
June 15, 2020 at 15:21
You have a good memory, Jo. Or, I am or have been complaining too much about Maya in the past… You are right, she’s been a handful of a dog and remains that way. Life will never be boring with her. But, then I tell myself that it’s a pretty good fit, because both girls in this family are rebellious, adventurous, and stubborn! (And itchy at the moment.)
June 13, 2020 at 17:13
I’m impressed that she has learned so many tricks so quickly. She is a smart one!
There is nothing like the love and loyalty of a dog. I still dream about my two dogs from time to time. I miss them but don’t think I would be up for the extra responsibility of traveling with a pet. I took my two dogs camping once and it was a pretty miserable time – well, my basset hound didn’t enjoy it and he made sure no one else did either.
Now I just enjoy my part time (house sitting) pets. And hopefully sometime soon we will get to know Maya a little bit better. We will stock up on treats before we see you again. Looking so forward to seeing Maya do her new tricks.
June 15, 2020 at 15:25
Maya is pretty smart, Duwan. If she wants to be! 🙂
Haha! I love your camping story and how you wrote that down and remember it. Just like with people, camping is not for all dogs. Maya has been doing extremely well with it. But, truth is that traveling with dogs is always harder than without and you give up quite a bit of freedom. I understand that you miss your previous dogs, though. We felt the same for years with Kali and Darwin.
Maya is looking forward to seeing you both again – she’d do anything for treats and will probably show you the entire routine in one go. We have plenty of treats, though, so no worries about stocking up. I do hope we can figure out a meeting place later this summer!
June 13, 2020 at 17:25
A year already! How did that happen? Good girl, Maya.
June 15, 2020 at 15:27
Right, Anabel!? Time flies, even with Covid. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary has a lifetime “return policy” and Maya is still with us. I think she’s here to stay. Because she is a good girl. 🙂
June 13, 2020 at 21:33
Oh, wow, Liesbet, the photos are heart-warming. I look forward to reading and learning more when your travel memoir comes out. You remind me how adopting is a two-way street, and not necessarily planned. You make great points on adult dogs. I will end with another huge WOW, Liesbet! You really do understand first hand Maya’s positives and negatives. You are not in denial with all of the challenges. Yet, she is a family member and she has come a long way. She is very fortunate to be loved by you and Mark! I love all of the photos!
June 19, 2020 at 11:30
Hi Erica! You are always so supportive, understanding, and encouraging in your comments. Thank you! I’m glad you loved the photos. There are many! In this blog (and my previous one about our sailing adventures from 2007-2015), I try to be as honest, straightforward, and transparent as possible about our experiences, expenses, etc. What’s the use of informing people when not providing all the facts or offering a one-way street? As with everything in life, there’s ups and downs, pros and cons to lifestyles, relationships, destinations, and pets. 🙂
June 14, 2020 at 11:29
Liesbet through your whole post I imagined what Maya might write about her year with you. The relief she would describe at finding a loving home, how sometimes her anxiety that she might have to go back to the streets caused her to do ‘bad’ things. What a fortunate pup to have come to you and Mark with your big hearts. What a long way she has come in a year under your safe and secure guidance.
June 19, 2020 at 11:55
You always make me smile with your comments, Sue! I’d love to know how Maya would describe her first year with us. If only dogs could talk… Finding out about her past lives would be so handy and helpful as well.
We are convinced that some of her behaviors are caused by past experiences, memories, and instincts. She is very worried to be left alone anywhere. She’d jump in cars of strangers, out of fear about being left, for example. There’s so much more I can share about Maya’s behavior and antics. Maybe next year, I’ll revisit and update her path to becoming a happy, confident, and “perfect” dog. 🙂
June 15, 2020 at 22:39
A beautiful memoir of Maya’s evolution. What a colorful life you’re enjoying. Where there’s a will, there’s always a way. Keep on truckin’! <3
June 19, 2020 at 12:00
Hi Debby! When you commit to a new family member, you better stick with it and make it work, right? Compromises. But they’re always worth it. Maya is a cutie pie. Mark calls her “sweet pea”, but don’t tell anyone.
June 16, 2020 at 05:36
Liesbet, Kali and Darwin really had an incredible life. They were such beautiful dogs! I think Maya has landed on her feet with you guys, how lovely to hear that she has adjusted so well and is thriving. I am really looking forward to your travel memoir.
June 19, 2020 at 12:03
Hi Gilda! Kali and Darwin play a big part in the first section of my memoir. They did everything with us and we based all our decisions on them. They were amazing. Maya has her ups and downs. She’s an interesting dog! She surprises us constantly – sometimes in a good way, sometimes in a bad way. But, she’s happy, healthy, attached, and comfortable and that’s what matters! 🙂
June 16, 2020 at 22:18
Happy “birthday” to Maya! She’s so lucky to have you both. A lot of dog owners wouldn’t be patient enough to deal with her issues, so hooray for you! 🙂
June 19, 2020 at 12:17
Thanks, Diane! When we have dogs, there’s 100% commitment and all our decisions are based on the pups. Since we don’t have a house, there’s not much alone time for any dog in our care. We prefer dog-friendly patios and walks and destinations and people to hang out with. It’s all part of our “natural selection” and makes our decisions and choices easier, as there are less options. 🙂
June 17, 2020 at 13:19
All my pets have come to me when I least expected them. We’ll be adopting two kittens pretty soon and I can’t wait.
I will, but I can’t. hehehe
Anna from elements of emaginette
June 19, 2020 at 12:18
Oooh, kittens are so cute. If my husband wouldn’t be allergic to cats, we might have a couple of those traveling companions as well! Enjoy the new furry company, after the wait. 🙂
June 22, 2020 at 14:14
Hi Liesbet,
It’s hard to believe that you’ve had Maya for a year already! You guys are awesome dog-people and she is lucky to have you both, and I know that you feel lucky to have found her.
Rescue dogs come with background which you can’t know, but patience and love can conquer a lot. My daughter, a recovering addict, recently adopted 2 young adult dogs. She often comments “who rescued whom?” as they have been instrumental in helping in her recovery. She is devoted to them and they are devoted to her.
May you and Mark have many more wonderful years with Maya!
June 24, 2020 at 20:08
Hi Nancy!
That’s an amazing story about your daughter and her two rescues! It makes my heart soar to read how they have been able to connect and help each other. That’s the stuff for fairytales. Modern fairytales. 🙂
Like you say, patience and love can conquer a lot, whether it is in our relationships with animals or pets, or with family or our significant others!
June 24, 2020 at 11:17
Hi Liesbet, congratulations to Maya, you and Mark on having your sweet girl for one year. Happy Anniversary. She is so beautiful. The photos you took of her are gorgeous.
I agree with you about teaching a dog gently. The first dog my husband and I had together was a German Shepherd mixed with probably everything. She was about 3 1/2 mos. when we got her (per vets guess) and very sensitive to correction. She had been mistreated. She responded happily to positive reinforcement. The trainer we used with her said don’t overuse the word “no.” So “eh eh” and “uh oh” were the words we used to correct her, and she responded well. We saved “No” for danger, for example if she wanted to chase a snake. She was easy peasy to teach.
Then we got her a “sister”. A puppy dobie. Her sister did not respond to gentle voices and needed a firmer, deeper voice for corrections. She was a much more difficult dog to teach, but she learned well, eventually. They were just both different. So I believe teaching is different for each dog. But always with gentleness.
When my father became ill, our dobie took it upon herself to stay by his side “all the time”. Wherever he was, she was by his side or at his feet. She even sat outside the bathroom door waiting for him to come out. She was a “working girl” and took her self imposed job very seriously. I knew dad was safe with her. Her “work” also matured her from the goofy, happy-go-lucky puppy, to the mature, stoic dobie.
There is a book you might enjoy called Through A Dogs Eyes by Jennifer Arnold. Her gentle methods of teaching a dog are right up my ally, and I think would be yours too. Although you already know so much and are an experienced dog owner I would recommend this book to anyone who has a dog, is thinking about getting a dog, works with dogs, or just plain loves them. It is a wealth of good information.
I cried when I read the story of Kali and Darwin. Any dog that you and Mark have is well loved, and well cared for. It is easy to see how much you both loved those sweet babies. You, and Mark give your beloved dogs the best of the best.
Please give sweet Maya a big hug from me.
June 24, 2020 at 20:24
Hi Lea,
Thank you for your kind and insightful comment and for sharing the stories about your rescues. I wonder whether you German Shepherd looked like Maya as we were told that was the main breed in her, mixed with “everything” as well… She sounds like a sweetheart and I’m so glad your relationship with her was fantastic. We rarely say “no” to Maya too, unless she is really in trouble. We use the “eh uh” as well, to keep her from doing “naughty” things. It usually does the trick. 🙂
Your Doberman was a special, caring creature as well. It’s so interesting and fascinating how personalities differ in dogs – just like they do in people. And, I agree, the training method needs to be adjusted as well.
I will check out that book by Jennifer Arnold. We can always learn as we continue our canine relationships! Thanks for the recommendation. If you haven’t read “The Well-Adjusted Dog” by Dr. Nicholas Dodman (and you still have dogs), I really enjoyed reading his insights about dog behavior. Interesting and helpful!
Maya says “thank you” for the extra hug. We just returned to our “home base” in Massachusetts and she’s quite happy underneath the bed, her favorite and familiar place in our room, right now. Thank you for reading the stories about Kali and Darwin as well. That means so much to me. Those two were the best. 🙂
June 25, 2020 at 09:06
Liesbet, thank you for recommending “The Well Adjusted Dog” book. I’m going to check it out. Right now we don’t have a dog, but hopefully someday we’ll be blessed with a dog to love and care for again.
Maya doesn’t resemble Katie (the German Shepherd mix we had). Katie looked more like a German Shepherd but was smaller (55 lbs.) Maya has the prettiest ears and her markings are gorgeous. Mixed breeds are always so beautifully unique.
You mentioned Maya having allergies. Our German Shepherd (Sassy) had terrible allergies. The side of her nose on both sides actually bled, her ears were red, her feet and even the bottom of her legs were red. Also her tummy. The only thing at that time the vet could do was suggest benedryl (not sure how to spell this.) All it did was make us feel like we were doing something but it didn’t help her. We lived in SE Florida at the time and half of the year was terrible for her, the other half wasn’t as bad.
When I brought our other dog to a homeopathic vet for a 2nd opinion and mentioned Sassy’s allergies he suggested every time she came in from the outside wiping off her face, ears, legs and feet. He also suggested sweeping and washing the floors daily (we had tiles and wood laminate flooring.)
My husband researched on line and discovered things that we tried, that might be helpful to Maya.
1) We bathed her every weekend. This is controversial but we were running out of options for her. One week we bathed her with a gentle organic dog shampoo. Alternating the next week with an anti-itch shampoo that the vet recommended.
2) Twice a week we hosed her off with the hose. No shampoo.
3) I brushed her every morning, and every evening. This helped to get the allergens off her. She loved the special time, just the two of us. It was bonding. She also ended up with a soft and beautiful coat.
4) I cleaned the floors daily, and mopped them at least every other day (with a Swiffer Wet Jet) as the homeopathic vet recommended. And we wiped her off as when she came in from the outside as he recommended.
5) This wasn’t recommended by anyone, but we had an aloe plant growing in the back yard. I cut a piece off and put it in the fridge. Then I would cut little pieces off, cut them in half and gently rub it on her red tummy.
All these things together made a tremendous, positive difference for our girl. She was finally able to enjoy being outside on the lanai with us regularly. Maybe some of these things will help Maya?
. :
June 25, 2020 at 10:22
Mixed breeds certainly are unique and our favorite kind. I feel very strongly about breeders and full-bred dogs… Adopt, don’t shop! 🙂
I’m so sorry to read about Sassy’s allergies. Poor girl! I think Florida is an especially tough place, because of its constant heat and humidity. Maya did worse there than anywhere else we’ve traveled and camped.
You two certainly went above and beyond trying to make your girl feel comfortable. <3 It is such a battle when allergies and itchiness are part of their daily lives. Thank you so much for offering up your suggestions here, to us, and to the dog-owning readers of my blog.
We’ve noticed that bathing Maya provides immediate and temporary relief of her itchiness. If we lived in a house (with unlimited amounts of water) in a high-allergy area, we’d consider rinsing her off more often. In our camper (our 25 gallons for the three of us - drinking, cooking, showers, dishes - lasts five days as it is), this is more difficult. Maya also wears a flea & tick collar that becomes less effective when she’s wet, which we take into account.
Brushing her always makes a difference. It’s amazing how much hair comes off each time. I can see that wiping a dog off when coming inside helps as well. Only a small floor to clean in our camper. It might help to do this more often, as well as regularly wash her doggy bed...
For now, the Apoquel medicine is working wonders as allergy season is coming to an end. I wish this drug existed during Sassy’s time! When Maya’s itchiness gets worse again, I’ll be putting those suggestions into practice.
June 26, 2020 at 12:40
I’m with you Liesbet on the adopt, don’t shop. I’ve read that if 20% more people got their dogs from rescues instead of breeders it could put an end to needless euthanasia of healthy animals. I don’t care if a dog is a pure bred or mix. Most people don’t think of adopting a pure bred dog from a shelter. But they are out there.
In our experience with our German Shepherd mix (Katie), our pure bred dobie (China), and our pure bred German Shepherd (Sassy), by far Katie was the healthiest. She had health issues as a pup when we got her (someone dumped her at the vet where I worked) but once we got her on track she was good. China had health issues from the get go, starting with mange at 4 months old, the kind inherited from her mother. She was never a completely healthy dog. Our German Shepherd as I mentioned above had horrible allergies, and eventually hip dysplasia. At the end of her life the vet said that every single German Shepherd he saw in his practice had hip dysplasia when they were older. This beautiful breed’s health has been ruined, as with many others like the short nose breeds. The list could go on, and on.
I know that you, Mark and Maya usually park your RV in parks off the beaten path. But, if you are at a park that has public restrooms (do all parks have public rest rooms?) sometimes they’ll have a hose hooked up outside the door of the bathrooms. If they do I don’t see why you couldn’t use their hose to hose Maya off.
June 29, 2020 at 17:09
I had heard about the hip problems of German Shepherds, yet they are still the preferred breed for police dogs… It’s so sad to see our beloved pets suffer from health and disability issues. 🙁
In regards to the needless euthanasia of healthy animals in shelters (the main reason we always adopt), the non-profit organization we adopted Maya from – Best Friends Animal Sanctuary – has a goal of “no-kill by 2025”. One of their main campaigns right now (and they’re making a lot of good progress) is to have the killing at shelters and rescue organizations in the US down to less than 10%. I just read in their newsletter that the yearly deaths of dogs is down to less than a million now. That’s more than halved in a matter of a few years.
One good thing about Covid is that more people than ever are now adopting and fostering. Hopefully, they good care for animals will persist as people return to work.
July 1, 2020 at 16:00
Liesbet, you have so many cute photos of Maya. She looks like a very happy dog now. What a year it has been!
I imagine the loss of freedom must be difficult at times, especially for the two of you as free roaming nomads. It really decreases the options (e.g., house sits, where you can sightsee, the chance to go for a bike ride). I did a six-week road trip across Canada one year with our dog (a good traveller) and my son, so I’ve had direct experience with the pros and cons of travelling with a dog. Six weeks doesn’t compare with full-time travel, though.
Jude
July 1, 2020 at 21:43
Hi Jude!
You have no idea how long it took for me to browse all the photos I’ve taken of Maya in the last year to choose the ones that made the blog post. Oh my! That was so time consuming, that I almost regret not picking a bunch at random. It has been quite the year, on many levels, and she certainly is a happy pup.
You have got the experience on the road, for sure. From traveling with dogs to sleepless nights, haha. Since Maya is a much more “challenging” dog than Kali and Darwin, it has been a little bit harder for us to come to terms with the reduced freedom that comes with dog ownership. But, she is shaping up nicely and soon, we won’t care at all anymore about the big change. 🙂
July 8, 2020 at 13:39
What a nice post. Dogs sure are the beast!
July 9, 2020 at 09:53
Thanks! Dogs are the best or the beast? Could be both, but since you guys are animal lovers, I assume you meant “best”. 🙂
July 10, 2020 at 11:03
Ha! Ours are definitely beasts, but they’re also the best 🙂
July 10, 2020 at 14:21
🙂
August 8, 2020 at 10:41
Hi Liesbet, I know I’ve read and commented on this post before, but I just read something about separation anxiety in dogs, and thought of Maya. I haven’t re-read this whole post again, so I’m not sure if you mentioned Maya’s separation anxiety here or another post.
Anyway, music helps dogs with separation anxiety. I had forgotten all about this! I remember reading a long time ago that there is a dog rescue that plays music for the dogs, especially at night when the employees go home. They discovered that the dogs became much more relaxed.
The article I read this morning said dogs benefit from listening to soft rock, Motown, pop, reggae, and classical. The two genres that most dogs respond to best are soft rock and reggae. The article said that like people, all dogs are different so it is best to try the different music to see what one your dog finds most relaxing.
I would have attached the link to the article for you but I didn’t know if this would be OK with you to do or not.
August 8, 2020 at 12:41
Hi Lea!
Thank you so much for thinking about us and sharing the information you just read and remembered. We knew about the calming effect of music as well (or you could let dogs listen to books on tape or a recording of your own voice :-)), but haven’t tried it out extensively yet. In the year+ we’ve had Maya now, she has never been alone longer than three hours. And, that happens usually once every month or so. Yes, she is spoiled with attention! 🙂 We should start leaving her alone more often again, as she is comfortable in the room we are currently living, which is climate controlled.
I did not know reggae is a doggy’s favorite. This is great news, as we love that genre! And, we have hopes to return to the Caribbean one day. 🙂 As far as dropping links in the comments, feel free to do so in the future if you think the source is trustworthy and interesting!
Have a fantastic weekend and thanks again for dropping by!