Introducing Lil Maya

Although Riley and I became good friends in her old age, she was always Mama’s dog. Alexander was a cute puppy but he grew up to be a bit aloof. And while Chico has always been a needy, cuddly dog, he clearly has adopted me. So, Evelyn wanted a “her dog” to replace Riley. As a volunteer at the local animal shelter Evelyn let it be known that she really wanted to adopt a girl Boston.
On April 1 of this year we heard through the grapevine that a very pregnant girl Boston had been picked up and was up for adoption. We hurried down to the shelter and immediately fell in love with the little girl. We rushed through the adoption and took Lil Maya to a dog sitter after having her checked out by our vet. We were going to Mexico the next day to spend a week with our daughter in Cabo San Lucas.
While we thoroughly enjoyed our visit with our daughter and her family in Mexico, we were anxious about Lil Maya and were on the phone several times a day to check on her status. On April 6 Maya began delivering puppies. In all she had seven puppies. Unfortunately none of the five boys survived. They were much too big for Lil Maya’s delivery system. So when we returned home from Mexico we picked up Lil Maya and two puppies: Sasha and Meesha. (If I can manage the mechanics there will be a picture of Lil Maya nursing them, somewhere around here.)
Lil Maya is obviously a purebred Boston. She had a microchip that never was registered. We have since registered her with AKC. She also had been running loose for some time because she was terribly emaciated. She weighed in at twelve pound, very pregnant, when we first had her checked out by the vet. Her spine stood out like the knuckles on your hand, only more so. Lil Maya’s age was estimated at three years, so we have adopted April 1, 2006 as her official birthday.
After eight weeks of nursing the two remaining pups we had her checked out again by the vet. She weighed in at seventeen pounds this time. Just shows how much underweight she was when we got her.
My daughter’s two children have now adopted Sasha and Meesha and are doing a great job of caring for and training them. So they are still in the family.
You may wonder how Lil Maya interacts with Alexander and Chico. She an Alex have become very close. Lil Maya insists on play fighting with Alex, biting him (very gently) on the neck and front legs. They sometimes race lickety split around the house and yard. Chico for the most part just stands aside, out of the way. On occasion he participates in a quiet “licking” party with Alexander and Lil Maya. Alexander and Lil Maya love to play in the water. Chico avoids it.
Lil Maya has a distinctive white streak on her right ear. Evelyn says that she has an “I didn’t do it, Mama” expression. I agree.
So life goes on with Alexander, Chico, and Lil Maya in our Thousand Palms household.