This is Maggie. You may have seen her around my blog, and you will likely see more of her in the future, so I thought I would tell you a little about her and how she found me.
Maggie showed up on my back porch in September 2003. She wasn’t a tiny puppy, she weighed about 20 lbs., and the vet later guessed she was about four months old. I lived in a “no pets allowed” duplex at the time, but I couldn’t just leave her outside with no food or water! I brought her in and let her sleep on a pillow on my bedroom floor that night. When I had to go to class the next day, I locked her in the bathroom with a bowl of water and her pillow. I was worried about this puppy all day, not yet knowing her personality, I wondered if she was chewing through the bathroom door and being destructive. I picked up some puppy chow on my way home from school, and found her curled up like a little angel on the bathroom floor.
Several more nights went by and I kept thinking, “I should find her a home, I am not supposed to have a dog in this apartment. What am I doing with this dog!?” I was 19 years old when Maggie found me and I had only lived on my own for one month. As you might imagine, I really enjoyed the company. We watched TV together, she sat by me while I did homework every night, and her sleeping spot changed from the floor to my bed. A trip to Petsmart that weekend sealed the deal and I knew I had to keep her. I bought her a collar, dog bowls, and a few toys. I also bought a puppy training book and we practiced the basic commands every day. She was not only a very quick learner, she was smart and intuitive, and very protective of me.
I hid Maggie from my mom because I knew she wouldn’t approve of me having a dog in my apartment. Not only was that against the rules of my lease, my mom just doesn’t “get” dogs, or any other animals for that matter. I definitely inherited my animal loving gene from my dad and my maternal grandfather, who taught me to love and respect animals. I don’t think my mom found out I had a dog until it was time to go home for Christmas break, and I had to bring Maggie with me. Mom was not happy about this at all. She had worried about me living all alone, so I tried to convince her that having a dog was just like having a burglar alarm, if not even better. I explained to her how dogs could sense when someone was outside, that they were protective of their homes and owners. No bad guy would ever break into a house where a dog was barking. I don’t think she bought it, but she respected the fact that I loved Maggie very much and wanted to keep her.
I soon moved into a house where pets were allowed, and Maggie has been with me ever since. She is my daily inspiration for my photography business, and she puts up with having a camera in her face all the time. If you are wondering what type of dog she is, so am I. She stands at only 16″ tall and weighs about 50 lbs. While she swims like a lab, she has the build and strength of a bull terrier, and the snout and attitude of a Chinese Shar-pei. Whatever she is, it’s a perfect mix!
