Maya comes to homestay

Maya is a lovely dog of pure border collie breed. She is actually just a bitch at her puppy stage of life. She came to homestay with us last Wednesday. Her master, Kevin was to go with his family for a holiday, and she could not but be hosted by a family Kevin trusts.

When Maya was sent to our place, it was nearly sunset. Jean and I welcomed her and she returned with a very passionate hug, but her hug will be quite intimidating to people who has never handled dog. Though Maya is just 9 month old, she is about 35 kg and her front legs can reach your shoulder when she demonstrates her hug by stand up on her hind legs and abruptly leans her body against you with front legs rubbing all over your chest, and generously threw her tongue rich with saliva licking all over your face if you don't decline.

We owned a dog since his puppy stage till he died in 2012, so we know what a puppy will behave when Maya had done her social custom. She sniffed here and there and began with her exploration in every room and corner of the house where she will be staying for the following 4 days and nights.

Soon her sleeping crate had been set up, her food, treats, bowls, toys, and leash were all checked. It became dark, and Chenny and Lily had to sneak away from her. As if Maya already knew Chenny and Lily would leave her to stay with us, her face and yaping showed anxiety. She stood still with ears up high and eyes widely open scanning the ten directions. She heard the car door slamming sound, that proved to her that Lily and Chenny really dumped her. she rushed to the door yapping a little louder, then she heard the engine started up, she ran to the sliding door leading to the deck. She heard the car moved away, her eyes followed the direction where the noise faded and disappeared. She ran back and forth between the entrance door and the deck. This reminded me how Chenny felt when he was a toddler each time I sent him to his baby sitter on Sunday night. Reality is inevitably cruel.

For the first two days of her stay, Maya didn't eat any of his dog food at all. She didn't drink water; she did not even poo or  pee a little since she came in the late afternoon. What worried me the most was whether if she would sleep well and would not wake up to bark during the midnight because our area is very quiet and I am afraid of offending my neighbors because of a barking dog. Therefore after I had sent her into her sleeping crate, I had been worried about her possible waking up for no reason and barking.

The first day of Maya's stay was over. Maya's sleeping behavior really astonished me. She slept right through the night quietly without any trouble.

The second day, trace of Maya's anxiety and stress was still noticeable. She barked quite a lot. Some of the barks were from her attempt to dominate me and Jean. Most of her barks and hyper activity were due to the new master, new environment. I text messaged Chenny that I was in dire need of help. When Chenny and Lily appeared, Maya eased. She was seen more sitting, lying, pooed and peeed and much more quiet. This indicated Maya had settled down in our place.

I think everything will be going well for me and Jean from the second day as I witnessed the signs of her settling down but I then experienced a new challenge, as she demanded playing her ball, training session, walk and she did not show any tiredness when I and Jean were both exhausted. And when we gestured we quit, she would drop her ball and came to nag at me. If I ignored her nag, she would even bark at me. Then I pretended that I had enough, picked up her ball, shouted "shut up!!" and throw her ball on the floor. She immediately knew I was angry at her. Then she would quickly lied down rubbed her body affectionately against my lower legs, seemed to be telling me "I am sorry, don't be angry with me." She would behave nicely for so long as she sensed I was pleased, then she would pick up her ball and pushed me to resume the throw and retrieve game immediately. Very playful a dog she is. After all she is just 9 months old.

Maya's master phoned to ask for Maya's update every night during his school holiday. I can see the bond between them. Soon, the holiday was over, and Maya seemed to be aware of her master was on his way to pick her up and go home together that I saw she look toward the direction of our drive way more often. Some dog lover said that dog's smell sensor is superb that they can tell something special is going on somewhere as far as 20 km away; or some say dog has intuition of what is going on.

Her most excited moment finally arrived. She began to bark lightly and moved to the entrance and sat nicely. And when Chenny and Kevin, Maya's master, opened the door, she barked a couple of times, stood up on her hind legs and made a  big hug of her unique style, tail waved, front legs on her master's shoulder, licked his face, absolutely welcoming her master's appearance wholeheartedly.

This was what I experienced about the temperament and personality of another puppy of others. Maya's short stay made me recall the memory about our own puppy, Spot, then in 1998.

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